And after the Gordon he is gane,
Sa fast as he might drie.
And soon i' the Gordon's foul hartis bluid
He's wroken his dear ladìe.
***Since the foregoing Ballad was first printed, the subject of it has been found
recorded in Abp. Spotswood's History of the Church of Scotland, p. 259; who informs
us, that
"Anno 1571. In the north parts of Scotland, Adam Gordon (who was deputy
for his brother the earl of Huntley) did keep a great stir; and under colour of the
queen's authority, committed divers oppressions, especially upon the Forbes's...
Having killed Arthur Forbes, brother to the lord Forbes... Not long after he sent to
summon the house of Tavoy pertaining to Alexander Forbes. The Lady refusing to
yield without direction from her husband, he put fire unto it, and burnt her therein,
with children and servants, being twenty-seven persons in all.
"This inhuman and barbarous cruelty made his name odious, and stained all
his former doings; otherwise he was held very active and fortunate in his enterprises."
This fact, which had escaped the Editor's notice, was in the most obliging
manner pointed out to him, by an ingenious writer who signs his name H. H.
(Newcastle, May 9.) in theGentleman's Magazinefor May, 1775. p. 219.
NOTES
- This ballad is well known in that neighbourhood, where it is intitledAdam O'
Gordon. It may be observed, that the famous freebooter, whom Edward I. fought with,
hand to hand, near Farnham, was named Adam Gordon. - "O gin," &c., A Scottish idiom to express great admiration.
- Thame &c.i.e.them that look after omens of ill luck, ill luck will follow.