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however, honest Allan is in some degree justified, by the extreme worthlessness of the poetry. A verse or two may be taken as illustrative of the history of Roaring Willie, alluded to in the text.

Now Willie's gane to Jeddart,
And he is for the rude-day[1];
But Stobs and young Falnash[2],
They followed him a' the way,
They followed him a' the way,
They sought him up and down,
In the links of Ousenam water
They fand him sleeping sound.

Stobs lighted aff his horse,
And never a word he spak,
Till he tie'd Willie's hands
Fu' fast behind his back;
Fu' fast behind his back,
And down beneath his knee,
And drink will be dear to Willie,
When sweet milk[3] gars him die.

Ah wae light on ye, Stobs!
An ill death mot ye die!
Ye're the first and foremost man.
That e'er laid hands on me;
That e'er laid hands on me,
And took my mare me frae;
Wae to ye, Sir Gilbert Elliot,
Ye are my mortal fae!

  1. The day of the Rood-fair at Jedburgh.
  2. Sir Gilbert Eliot of Stobs, and Scott of Falnash.
  3. A wretched pun on his antagonist's name.