| |
| SCHELYNLAW TOWER is fair on the brae, | |
| Its muirs are green and wide, | |
| And Schelynlaw’s ewes are the brawest ewes | |
| In a’ the countryside. | |
| |
| The birk grows there and the rowan red, | 5 |
| And the burnie brattles down, | |
| And there are nae sic knowes as Schelynlaw’s, | |
| With the heather and bent sae brown. | |
| |
| But wife, three bairns are a’ frae him gane, | |
| Twa sons in a deidly raid; | 10 |
| And but yestreen his bonnie lass Jean | |
| In Traquair kirkyard was laid. | |
| |
| A lane auld man in his ain auld keep,— | |
| What ane could wish him ill? | |
| Not e’en Traquair wi’ his black fause heart | 15 |
| And his loons that range the hill. | |
| |
| Out in the morn to the muirland dun | |
| Rode ane frae Schelynlaw’s gate, | |
| Into the mist of the hill he rode, | |
| His errand might not wait. | 20 |
| |
| The opening arms of the grey hill haur | |
| Folded the rider dim; | |
| Oh, cloud of the muir! ’t is a gruesome deed | |
| Ye hide in your misty rim. | |
| |
| Up he made for the Black Syke Rig, | 25 |
| And round by the Fingland Glen, | |
| But he turn’d and turn’d him aye in the mist; | |
| Its glower was as faces of men! | |
| |
| And oft a voice sounded low in his ear, | |
| “The sun is no’ gaun to daw— | 30 |
| For that straik o’ blude and that clot o’ blude, | |
| On the breist o’ auld Schelynlaw!” | |
| |
| ’T was late o’ nicht—to the House of Traquair | |
| A horseman came jaded and rude, | |
| None asked him whence or why he came, | 35 |
| Nor whose on his hands was the blude. | |
| |
| “But hae ye the Bond?” said hard Traquair. | |
| “The Bond i’ faith I hae; | |
| The deid sign nae mair, the lands are thine, | |
| But foul was the stroke I gae: | 40 |
| |
| “I ’ve ridden wi’ you ower moss and fell, | |
| In moonlight and in mirk, | |
| And monie a stalwart man I ’ve hewn,— | |
| So shrive me, Haly Kirk! | |
| |
| “Lewinshope Tam and Wulrus Will | 45 |
| I slew, and Jock o’ the Ha’; | |
| But there ’s my richt hand to burn in flame, | |
| Could I bring back auld Schelynlaw!” | |
| |
| Schelynlaw’s lands were ne’er bought or sold, | |
| Yet they fell to the house of Traquair; | 50 |
| But Jock o’ Grieston that rode that morn | |
| Was ne’er seen to ride ony mair. | |
| |
| High in state rose the noble Earl, | |
| Well did he please the King; | |
| He could tell any lie to the States or the Kirk, | 55 |
| His warrant the signet-ring. | |
| |
| Many a year has come and gone, | |
| His pride and his power are away, | |
| A graceless son has the old lord’s lands, | |
| And the father’s hairs are grey. | 60 |
| |
| The Court is back to Edinburgh town, | |
| Lairds and braw leddies ride there; | |
| A dole some give to a bow’ddown man, | |
| In pity,—’t is auld Traquair! | |
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