Hughie the Græme
HUGHIE GRAME—C
[_]
“Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy,”
No 87, Abbotsford; in the handwriting of William Laidlaw.
“From Robert Laidlaw.”
1
Gude Lord Scroop's to the huntin gane;
He's ridden oer monie a moss an muir,
An he has grippit Hughie the Græme,
For stealin o the bishop's mare.
2
An they hae grippit Hughie the Græme,
An brought him up thro Carlisle town;
The lasses an lads they stood by the wa's,
Cryin, Hughie the Græme, thou's no gae down!
3
They ha chosen a jury o men,
The best that were i Coventry,
An fifteen o them out a' at anse,
‘Hughie the Græme, thou art guiltie.’
4
Than up bespak him gude Lord Hume,
As he sat at the judge's knee;
‘Twentie white ousen, my gude lord,
If ye'll grant Hughie the Græme to me.’
5
‘O no, no, no, my gude Lord Hume,
For sooth an so it mauna be;
For war there but twae Græms o the name,
They sould be hangit a' for me.’
6
'Twas up than spak her gude Lady Hume,
As she sat by the judge's knee;
‘A peck o white pennies, my gude lord,
If ye'll grant Hughie the Greame to me.’
7
‘O no, O no, my gude Lady Hume,
For sooth an so it sal na be;
For war there but twae Greames of the name,
They soud be hangit a' for me.’
8
‘If I be guilty,’ said Hughie the Graeme,
‘Of me my friends sal hae nae lack;’
An he has luppen fifteen feet an three,
An his hands they war tyed ahint his back.
9
He's lookit oer his left shouther,
To see what he coud see,
An there he saw his auld father commin,
An he was weepin bitterlie.
10
‘O had yer tongue, my father,’ he says,
‘An see that ye dinna weep for me,
For they may ravish me o my life,
But they canna banish me thrae the heavens hie.
11
‘Fare ye weel, Maggie, my wife;
The last time I came oer the muir,
It was you berievt me o my life,
An wi the bishop playd the w[hore].’
