15. 'But since nae war's between the lands, And there is peace, and peace should be, I'll neither harm English lad or lass, And yet the Kinmont freed shall be!'
16. He has call'd him forty marchmen bauld, I trow they were of his ain name, Except Sir Gilbert Elliot, call'd The Laird of Stobs, I mean the same.
17. He has call'd him forty marchmen bauld, Were kinsmen to the bauld Buccleuch, With spur on heel, and splent on spauld, And gleuves of green, and feathers blue.
18. They were five and five before them a', Wi' hunting-horns and bugles bright; And five and five came wi' Buccleuch, Like Warden's men, arrayed for fight.
19. And five and five like a mason-gang, That carried the ladders lang and hie; And five and five like broken men; And so they reached the Woodhouselee.
20. And as we cross'd the Bateable Land, When to the English side we held, The first o' men that we met wi', Whae should it be but fause Sakelde!
21. 'Where be ye gaun, ye hunters keen?' Quo' fause Sakelde; 'come tell to me!' 'We go to hunt an English stag, Has trespass'd on the Scots countrie.'
22. 'Where be ye gaun, ye marshal-men?' Quo' fause Sakelde; 'come tell me true!' 'We go to catch a rank reiver, Has broken faith wi' the bauld Buccleuch.
23. 'Where are ye gaun, ye mason-lads, Wi' a' your ladders lang and hie?' 'We gang to herry a corbie's nest, That wons not far frae Woodhouselee.'
24. 'Where be ye gaun, ye broken men?' Quo' fause Sakelde; 'come tell to me!' Now Dickie of Dryhope led that band, And the nevir a word o' lear had he.
25. 'Why trespass ye on the English side? Row-footed outlaws, stand!' quo' he; The neer a word had Dickie to say, Sae he thrust the lance thro' his fause bodie.
26. Then on we held for Carlisle toun, And at Staneshaw-bank the Eden we cross'd; The water was great, and meikle of spait, But the nevir a horse nor man we lost.
27. And when we reach'd the Staneshaw-bank, The wind was rising loud and hie; And there the laird garr'd leave our steeds, For fear that they should stamp and nie.
28. And when we left the Staneshaw-bank, The wind began full loud to blaw; But 'twas wind and weet, and fire and sleet, When we came beneath the castel-wa'.
29. We crept on knees, and held our breath, Till we placed the ladders against the wa'; And sae ready was Buccleuch himsell To mount the first before us a'.