THE HAMILTCN ASSOCIATION. 67 
The poor fellow ran ten miles through the sprinkled snow to 
Gibby Elliot, the only man who refused him help, saying : 
** Gae seek you succor where you paid black-mail, 
For, man ! ye ne’er paid money to me.” 
He next carries the fray to auld Jock Grieve, who is married to 
his wife’s sister; so he sat Jamie on the back of a weel fed 
bonny black and sped him on his way io give the fray to William’s 
Wat, who with two sons joined him and took the fray to Branksome 
Ha’. His chief, bauld Buccleuch, heard the story, and said : 
‘* Alack for wae !” quoth the gude auld lord, 
‘« And ever my heart is wae for thee! 
But fye, gar cry on Willie, my son 
And see that he comes to me speedilie ! 
‘* Gar warn the water, braid and wide, 
Gar warn it soon and hastily ! 
They that winna ride for Telfer’s kye, 
Let them never look in the face 0’ me!” 
The country side was warned : 
“ And aye the ower-word o’ the thrang 
Was :-‘ Rise for Branksome readilie !’” 
The raiders are overtaken with the cattle; there is a fight, with 
slaughter, in which the captain was wounded and the cattle rescued. 
When they were ready to go back, one of the party hinted that it 
would be poetic justice to take back with them a few of Bewcastle’s 
kye, so: 
“«* When they came back to the fair Dodhead, 
They were a welcome sight to see ! 
For instead of his ain ten milk-kye 
Jamie Telfer has gotten thirty and three.” 
From a border foray, to remembrance of Rob Roy, and the 
passing stave chanted by Wordsworth at his grave, is an easy 
transition : 
‘© Heaven gave Rob Roy a dauntless heart, 
And wondrous length and strength of arm ; 
Nor craved he more to quell his foes, 
Or keep his friends from harm. 
Yet was Rob Roy as wise as brave ; 
Forgive me if the phrase be strong ; 
A poet worthy of Rob Roy 
Must scorn a timid song. 
Say then that he was wise as brave ; 
As wise in thought, as bold in deed : 
For in the principles of things 
He sought his moral creed. 
