Then wi' his spear he turnd hir owre,
O gin[2] hir face was wan!
He sayd, "ze are the first that eir
I wisht alive again."
He turnd hir owre and owre againe,
O gin' hir skin was white!
"I might ha spared that bonnie face
To hae been sum mans delyte.
"Busk and boun, my merry men a',
For ill dooms I doe guess;
I cannae luik in that bonnie face,
As it lyes on the grass.
"Thame luiks to freits, my master deir,
Then freits wil follow thame: [3]
Let neir be said brave Edom O' Gordon
Was daunted by a dame."
But quhen the ladye see the fire
Cum flaming owre hir head,
She wept and kist her children twain,
Sayd, "Bairns, we been but dead."
The Gordon then his bougill blew,
And said, "Awa', awa';
This house o' the Rodes is a' in flame,
I hauld it time to ga'."
O then he spyed hir ain dear lord,
As hee cam owr the lee;
He sied his castle all in blaze
Sa far as he could see.
Then sair, O sair his mind misgave,
And all his hart was wae;
"Put on, put on, my wighty men,
So fast asze can gae.
"Put on, put on, my wighty men,
Sa fast asze can drie;
For he that is hindmost of the thrang
Sall neir get guid o' me."
Than sum they rade, and sum they rin,
Fou fast out-owr the bent;
But eir the foremost could get up,
Baith lady and babes were brent.
He wrang his hands, he rent his hair,
And wept in teenefu' muid:
"O traitors, for this cruel deid
ze sall weep teirs o' bluid."