Like two huge rocks on Bramor’s brow, When loossen’d fra’ their bed, That thunder down and overthrow The pines which crown the glade.
Thus they, thro’ ranks, the Earl of March And the bold Percies fought, And bluid and carnage mark’d their path Where’er they step’d and fought.
At length they’re wi’ their gallant train By numbers compass’d round, And fighting fall on heaps of slain, And stain with gore the ground.
Thus did these valiant cheiftains fall Who liv’d in mortal strife, But lock’d in one another’s arms, Dear friendship clos’d their life.
And now the Scottish lines were broke Wi’ rout and disarray, And many a man was lost in [Tweed] That strove to flee that day.
The mighty Douglas too was ta’en For ne’er a foot he’d flee, But first five greevous wounds he got And also lost an eye.
With Gordon and with Swinton fell Sir John of Callender, Sir Ramsay of Dalhousie too, And Sir Walter Sinclair.
And Roger Gordon likewise died, Wi’ Walter Scot sae brave, And many more of note beside Whom valour cou’d not save.
But past all count, the pris’ners were Wi’ doughty Douglas ta’en, Fife, Murray, Angus, Orkney Earls, Lord Graham and Erskine.
With eighty Knights and many more Than can ee’ now be told, All captives led, for ransome sett By Harry Hotspur bold.
Fra’ Forth to Tweed, a swankie blade Was then a sight to see, The co’uter left in half plough’d lidge Lay rusting in the lee.
God prosper Scotland, let us say, And grant our wars be done, And may we ne’er see sic a day As that of Humbledown.[45]
[45] In the plain beneath the hill and village of Humbledown or Humbleton is a stone pillar, denoting the ground where 10,000 of the Scots, under Earl Douglas, in the reign of King Henry IV, on Holyrood-day, 1402, had a great overthrow, by Henry Lord Percy and George Earl of March. Douglas had entered England about the middle of August, and destroyed and plundered the country as far as Newcastle. On his return to Scotland he was intercepted by Earl Percy, and was obliged to engage on this plain: the battle was so bloody that the lands gained the name of Redriggs, from the slaughter with which they were stained. Among the prisoners were the Earls of Fife, Murray, Angus, Athol, Orkney, and Monteath, the Lords Montgomery and Erskine, and about 80 knights. Douglas received five wounds and lost an eye. Being hotly pursued, in the flight 500 Scots were drowned in the Tweed, the most of their army on this fatal day were left dead, or taken prisoners.