"Come hitherward, my maidens fair, Come hither unto me; For through this reek, and through this smeek, O through it we must be."
They took wet mantles them about, 105 Their coffers by the band; And through the reek, and through the flame, Alive they all have wan.
When they had got out through the fire, And able all to stand, 110 She sent a maid to Wise William, To bruik Reedisdale's land.
"Your lands is mine, now, Reedisdale, For I have won them free:" "If there is a good woman in the world, 115 Your one sister is she."
76. _Unwashen hands and unwashen feet._--Alluding to the custom of washing and dressing dead bodies. S.
"Geordie, an old Ballad," was first printed in Johnson's _Museum_, from a copy furnished by Burns. The occasion of the ballad has not been satisfactorily determined. In the opinion of Mr. Kinloch, it is to be found in the factions of the family of Huntly during the reign of Queen Mary. George Gordon, Earl of Huntly, having been sent by the Queen to apprehend a notorious robber, was thought not to have been faithful to his trust. He returned without accomplishing the object of his expedition, and was committed to prison because of his failure. Some of the Queen's council were in favor of banishing him to France, others of putting him to death, but he was released, on condition of paying a fine and performing certain other stipulations. Motherwell states that there is much variation in the recited copies of this piece, and mentions one styled _Geordie Luklie_. Kinloch prints a version not materially different from that of the _Museum_. Allan Cunningham has reprinted the Museum copy with less change than is customary with him; _Songs of Scotland_, ii. 186. We give in the Appendix a ballad from Buchan, called _Gight's Lady_, which contains a story widely diverse from that which follows. In Ritson's _Northumberland Garland_, p. 43, there is a "lamentable ditty" on the death of one George Stoole, which appears to be an imitation of the Scottish ballad.
There was a battle in the north, And nobles there was many, And they hae kill'd Sir Charlie Hay, And they laid the wyte on Geordie.
O he has written a lang letter, 5 He sent it to his lady; "Ye maun cum up to Enbrugh town, To see what word's o' Geordie."