_border Scot_,
Whan he ower Liddel his men did lead!"

There was a wild gallant amang us a',
His name was Watty wi' the Wudspurs,[141]
Cried--"On for his house in Stanegirthside,
If ony man will ride with us!"

When they cam to the Stanegirthside,
They dang wi' trees, and burst the door;
They loosed out a' the captain's kye,
And set them forth our lads before.

There was an auld wyfe ayont the fire,
A wee bit o' the captain's kin--
"Whae dar loose out the captain's kye,
Or answer to him and his men?"

"Its I, Watty Wudspurs, loose the kye!
I winna layne my name frae thee!
And I will loose out the captain's kye,
In scorn of a' his men and he."

When they cam to the fair Dodhead,
They were a wellcum sight to see!
For instead of his ain ten milk kye,
Jamie Telfer has gotten thirty and three.

And he has paid the rescue shot,
Baith wi' goud, and white monie;
And at the burial o' Willie Scott,
I wat was mony a weeping e'e.

[Footnote 132: _Ranshackled_--Ransacked.]

[Footnote 133: _Gryming_--Sprinkling.]

[Footnote 134: _Ca's_--Calves.]

[Footnote 135: _Minnie_--Mother.]

[Footnote 136: _Outspeckle_.--Laughing-stock.]

[Footnote 137: _Toom_--Empty.]

[Footnote 138: _Knapscap_--Headpiece.]

[Footnote 139: _The Dinlay_--is a mountain in Liddesdale.]

[Footnote 140: _Lourd_--Rather.]

[Footnote 141: _Wudspurs_--Hotspur, or Madspur.]

NOTES ON JAMIE TELFER OF THE FAIR DODHEAD.

* * * * *

_It was high up in Hardhaughswire_.--P. 140. v. 1.

Hardhaughswire is the pass from Liddesdale to the head of Tiviotdale.

_It was laigh down in Borthwick water_.--P. 140. v. 1.

Borthwick water is a stream, which falls into the Tiviot, three miles
above Hawick.

_But, gin ye'll gae to the fair Dodhead_.--P. 140. v. 2.

The Dodhead, in Selkirkshire, near Singlee, where there are still the
vestiges of an old tower.

_Now Jamie Telfer's heart was sair_.--P. 140. v. 4.

There is still a family of Telfers, residing near Langholm, who
pretend to derive their descent from the Telfers of the Dodhead.

_Between the Dodhead and the Stobs's Ha'_.--P. 141. v. 1.

Stobs Hall, upon Slitterick. Jamie Telfer made his first application
here because he seems to have paid the proprietor of that castle
_black-mail_, or protection-money.

_Gar seek your succour at Branksome Ha'_.--P. 141. v. 4.

The ancient family-sea