The Raiders W.H. Ogilvie

This atmospheric work sounds really good when sung to the tune "Roslin Castle"

Last night, a wind from Lammermuir came roaring up the glen,

With the tramp of trooping horsemen and the laugh of reckless men,

Struck a mailed hand on the gate and cried in rebel glee –

“Come forth! Come forth! My Borderer, and ride the march with me!”

I said “O wind of Lammermuir, the night’s too dark to ride,

And all the men that fill the glen are ghosts of men that died.

The floods are down in Bowmont Burn, the moss is fetlock-deep,

Go back, wild wind of Lammermuir, to Lauderdale, and sleep!”.

Up spoke the wind of Lammermuir “We know the road right well,

The road that runs by Kale and Jed, across the Carter Fell,

There is no man of all the men in this grey troop of mine,

But blind might ride the Borderside from Teviothead to Tyne”.

The horses fretted on their bits and pawed the flints on fire,

The riders turned them to the south, full-faced to their desire,

“Come” said the wind of Lammermuir, and spoke right scornfully,

“Have you no pride to mount and ride your father’s road with me?”

A roan horse to the gate they led, foam-flecked and travelled far,

A snorting roan that tossed his head and flashed his forehead star,

Then came the sound of clashing steel and hoof tramp up the glen,

As, two by two, we cantered through, a troop of ghostly men.

I know not if the farms we fired are burned to ashes yet,

I know not if the stirks grew tired before the stars were set,

I only know that, late last night, when the northern winds blew free,

A troop of men rode up the glen, and brought a horse for me!