This Ballad is copied verbatim
from the Old Woman’s recitation.
The gallant Grahams cum from the west,
Wi’ their horses black as ony craw;
The Lothian lads they marched fast,
To be at the Rhyns o’ Gallowa.
Betwixt Dumfries town and Argyle,
The lads they marched mony a mile;
Souters and taylors unto them drew,
Their covenants for to renew.
The whigs, they, wi’ their merry
cracks,
Gard the poor pedlars lay down their packs;
But aye sinsyne they do repent
The renewing o’ their covenant.
A the Mauchline muir, where they were
reviewed,
Ten thousand men in armour shewed;
But, ere they cam to the Brockie’s
burn,
The half o’ them did back return.
General Dalyell, as I hear tell,
Was our lieutenant general;
And captain Welsh, wi’ his wit and
skill,
Was to guide them on to the Pentland hill.
General Dalyell held to the hill,
Asking at them what was their will;
And who gave them this protestation,
To rise in arms against the nation?
“Although we all in armour be,
It’s not against his majesty;
Nor yet to spill our neighbour’s
bluid,
But wi’ the country we’ll
conclude.”
“Lay down your arms, in the king’s
name,
And ye shall all gae safely hame;”
But they a’ cried out, wi’
ae consent,
“We’ll fight a broken covenant.”
“O well,” says he, “since
it is so,
A willfu’ man never wanted woe;”
He then gave a sign unto his lads,
And they drew up in their brigades.
The trumpets blew, and the colours flew,
And every man to his armour drew;
The whigs were never so much aghast,
As to see their saddles toom sae fast.
The cleverest men stood in the van,
The whigs they took their heels and ran;
But such a raking was never seen,
As the raking o’ the Rullien Green.
