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KINMONT WILLIE. |
59 |
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Interesting details of the surprise of the castle, and further notices of Kinmont Willie are given by Scott in the Border Minstrelsy (ii. 32), where the ballad was first published.
" This ballad is preserved," says Scott, " on the West Borders, but much mangled by reciters, so that some conjectural emendations have been absolutely necessary to render it intelligible."
0 have ye na heard o' the fause Sakelde ?
O have ye na heard o' the keen Lord Scroopo ? How they hae ta'en bauld Kinmont Willie,
On Haribee to hang him up ?
Had Willie had but twenty men, t
But twenty men as stout as he, Fause Sakelde had never the Kinmont ta'en,
Wi' eight score in his cumpanie.
They band his legs beneath the steed,
They tied his hands behind his back; io
They guarded him, flvesome on each side, And they brought him ower the Liddel-rack.
They led him thro' the Liddel-rack,
And also thro' the Carlisle sands; They brought him to Carlisle castell, w
To be at my Lord Scroope's commands.
4. Haribee is the place of execution at Carlisle.—S. 13. The Liddel-rack is a ford on the Liddel.—S. |
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