Ah! lads, we’ll fang them a’ in a net! 
  For I hae a’ the fords o’ Liddel set;
  The Dunkin, and the Door-loup,
  The Willie-ford, and the Water-slack,
  The Black-rack and the Trout-dub o’ Liddel;
  There stands John Forster wi’ five men at his back,
  Wi’ bufft coat and cap of steil: 
  Boo! ca’ at them e’en, Jock;
  That ford’s sicker, I wat weil. 
  Fy lads! shout a’ a’ a’ a’ a’,
  My gear’s a’ ta’en.

  Hoo! hoo! gar raise the Reid Souter, and Ringan’s Wat,
  Wi’ a broad elshin and a wicker;
  I wat weil they’ll mak a ford sicker. 
  Sae whether they be Elliots or Armstrangs,
  Or rough riding Scots, or rude Johnstones,
  Or whether they be frae the Tarras or Ewsdale,
  They maun turn and fight, or try the deeps o’ Liddel. 
  Fy lads! shout a’ a’ a’ a’ a’,
  My gear’s a’ ta’en.

  “Ah! but they will play ye another jigg,
  For they will out at the big rig,

  And thro’ at Fargy Grame’s gap.” 
  “But I hae another wile for that: 
  For I hae little Will, and stalwart Wat,
  And lang Aicky, in the Souter moor,
  Wi’ his sleuth dog sits in his watch right sure: 
  Shou’d the dog gie a bark,
  He’ll be out in his sark,
  And die or won. 
  Fy lads! shout a’ a’ a’ a’ a’,
  My gear’s a’ ta’en.

  Ha! boys—­I see a party appearing—­wha’s yon! 
  Methinks it’s the captain of Bewcastle, and Jephtha’s
  John,
  Coming down by the foul steps of Catlowdie’s loan: 
  They’ll make a sicker, come which way they will. 
  Ha lads! shout a’ a’ a’ a’ a’,
  My gear’s a’ ta’en.

Captain Musgrave, and a’ his band, Are coming down by the Siller-strand, And the muckle toun-bell o’ Carlisle is rung:  My gear was a’ weel won, And before it’s carried o’er the border, mony a man’s gae down.  Fy lads! shout a’ a’ a’ a’ a’, My gear’s a gane.

[Footnote 193:  Nogs—­Stakes.]

[Footnote 194:  Mergh—­Marrow.]

NOTES ON THE FRAY OF SUPORT.

* * * * *

  And there, toom thy brock-skin bag.—­P. 254. v. 1.

The badger-skin pouch was used for carrying ammunition.

  In the Nicol forest woods.—­P. 254. v. 3.

A wood in Cumberland, in which Suport is situated.

  For I hae a’ the fords o’ Liddel set.—­P. 255. v. 1.

Watching fords was a ready mode of intercepting the marauders; the names of the most noted fords upon the Liddel are recited in this verse.

  And thro’ at Fargy Grame’s gap.—­P. 256. v. 1.

Fergus Grame of Sowport, as one of the chief men of that clan, became security to Lord Scroope for the good behaviour of his friends and dependants, 8th January, 1602.—­Introduction to History of Westmoreland and Cumberland, p. 111.