It fell aboot the Lama’s tide when muirmen whin their hay
The doughty Douglas bound him ride in tae England tae drive a prey
He chose the Gordons and the Grahams the Lindsay’s light and gay
But the Jardines wad’ not wi’ him ride and they rue it to this day

Now they burned all the dales o’ Tyne and part o’ Bambershire
Three tall towers on Reedswire fells they left him all on fire
They marched up tae New Castle and laid it roond aboot Sayin’
 “Wha’s the Lord o’ this castle and wha’s the Lady oot?”

Then up bespake proud Percy there and oh but he spake high
“I am the Laird o’ this castle my wife’s the lady gay”
“If thou art the Laird o’ this castle sae weel it pleases me
For ere I cross the border fells then ane o’ us shall dee”

He took a lang spear in his hand shod wi’ a metal free
For tae meet the Douglas there he rade right furiously
But oh how pale his lady looked frae off the castle wall
When down before the Scottish spear she saw proud Percy fall

Footnote: Verses taken from the famous Border Ballad ‘The Battle of Otterbourne’ which took place on 14 August 1388. Following the taking of Harry ‘Hotspur’ Percy’s pennon at Newcastle, the invading Scottish army defeated the English at Otterbourne but their leader Sir James Douglas, 2^nd Earl of Douglas and Mar, was killed. He was buried at Melrose Abbey where years later the English defiled his grave prior to their defeat at Ancrum Moor.