2, 3. Leslie had come up from Berwick along the eastern coast as far as
Tranent, and then suddenly turned south. His numbers are put too low,
and Montrose’s, in 10, about nine times too high.
4. The Shaw burn is a small stream that flows into the Ettrick from the
south, a little north of the town.
5. Lingly burn falls into the Ettrick from the north, a little above the
Shaw burn.
The ‘aged father,’ 6, to accept a tradition reported by Sir Walter
Scott, was one “Brydone, ancestor to several families in the parish of
Ettrick.” This is probably the personage elsewhere called Will, upon
whose advice Leslie (according to tradition again) “sent a strong body
of horse over a dip in the bank that separated his advanced guard from
the river Ettrick, and still known as “Will’s Nick,” with instructions
to follow their guide up Netley burn, wheel to the left round Linglee
hill, and then fall upon the flank of Montrose’s army at
Philiphaugh.”[59] It does not appear that Leslie adopted that portion of
the aged father’s recommendation which is conveyed in stanzas 11, 12,
notwithstanding the venerable man’s unusual experience, which, as Scott
points out, extended from Solway Moss, 1542, to Dunbar, where, in 1650,
five years after Philiphaugh, Leslie was defeated by Cromwell.
Other pieces of popular verse relating, in part or wholly, to Montrose
are ‘The Gallant Grahams,’ Roxburghe collection, III, 380, Douce, III,
39 back, Ebsworth, Roxburghe Ballads, VI, 587, Scott’s Minstrelsy, III,
371, 1803, II, 183, 1833; ‘The Haughs o Cromdale,’ Ritson’s Scotish
Songs, 1794, II, 40, Johnson’s Museum, No 488, Maidment’s Scotish
Ballads and Songs, 1868, I, 299, Hogg’s Jacobite Relics, I, 157 ff; ‘The
Battle of Alford,’ Laing’s Thistle of Scotland, p. 68.
* * * * *
1
On Philiphaugh a fray began,
At Hairheadwood it ended;
The Scots outoer the Græmes they ran,
Sae merrily they bended.
2
Sir David frae the Border came,
Wi heart an hand came he;
Wi him three thousand bonny Scots,
To bear him company.
3
Wi him three thousand valiant men,
A noble sight to see!
A cloud o mist them weel conceald,
As close as eer might be.
4
When they came to the Shaw burn,
Said he, Sae weel we frame,
I think it is convenient
That we should sing a psalm.
5
When they came to the Lingly burn,
As daylight did appear,
They spy’d an aged father,
And he did draw them near.
6
‘Come hither, aged father,’
Sir David he did cry,
‘And tell me where Montrose lies,
With all his great army.’
7
‘But first you must come tell to me,
If friends or foes you be;
I fear you are Montrose’s men,
Come frae the north country.’
8
‘No, we are nane o Montrose’s men,
Nor eer intend to be;
I am Sir David Lesly,
That’s speaking unto thee.’
9
‘If you’re Sir David Lesly,
As I think weel ye be,
I am sorry ye hae brought so few
Into your company.
10
‘There’s fifteen thousand armed men
Encamped on yon lee;
Ye’ll never be a bite to them,
For aught that I can see.
11
‘But halve your men in equal parts,
Your purpose to fulfill;
Let ae half keep the
water-side,
The rest gae round the hill.
12
‘Your nether party fire must,
Then beat a flying drum;
And then they’ll think the day’s their ain,
And frae the trench they’ll come.
13
‘Then, those that are behind them maun
Gie shot, baith grit and sma;
And so, between your armies twa,
Ye may make them to fa.’
14
‘O were ye ever a soldier?’
Sir David Lesly said;
‘O yes; I was at Solway Flow,
Where we were all betrayd.
15
‘Again I was at curst Dunbar,
And was a prisner taen,
And many weary night and day
In prison I hae lien.’
16
‘If ye will lead these men aright,
Rewarded shall ye be;
But, if that ye a traitor prove,
I’ll hang thee on a tree.’
17
‘Sir, I will not a traitor prove;
Montrose has plunderd me;
I’ll do my best to banish him
Away frae this country.’
18
He halvd his men in equal parts,
His purpose to fulfill;
The one part kept the water-side,
The other gaed round the hill.
19
The nether party fired brisk,
Then turnd and seemd to rin;
And then they a’ came frae the trench,
And cry’d, The day’s our ain!
20
The rest then ran into the trench,
And loosd their cannons a’:
And thus, between his armies twa,
He made them fast to fa.
21
Now let us a’ for Lesly pray,
And his brave company,
For they hae vanquishd great Montrose,
Our cruel enemy.
* * * * *
4^4. _Var._ That we should take a dram: _Scott. Probably a jocose
suggestion._
203