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The Baron o' Brackley

Melody -

Down Deeside cam' Inverey, whistlin' and playin',
He's lichted at Brackley yetts at the day dawnin';
Says; "Baron o' Brackley, it's are ye within,
There's sharp swords at your yetts'll gar your bluid spin."

Oot spak the brave baron ower the castle wa',
"Are ye come to spulyie and plunder my ha'?
But gin ye be a gentleman, licht and come in;
Gin ye drink o' my wine ye'll no' gar my bluid spin."

His lady rose up, to the window she went,
She heard her kye lowin' o'er hill and o'er bent;
"O, rise up, bold Brackley and turn back your kye,
For the lads o' Drumwharren are drivin' them by."

"How can I rise, lady, or turn them again!
For where I hae ae man I wat they hae ten."
She's ca'd on her Maries to come to her hand,
Says: "Bring your rocks, lasses, we will them command.

Gin I had a husband as I wat Ihae nane,
He'd no' lie in his bed and see his kye ta'en."
"Now haud your tongue, Peggy, and gie me my gun,
Ye'll see me gang oot but I'll never come in.

Arise, Peggy Gordon and gie my gun,
I will gang oot though I never come in.
Then kiss me, my Peggy, I'll nae longer stay,
For I will gang oot and meet Inverey."

When Brackley was ready and stood in the close,
A bonnier gallant ne'er mounted a horse.
"What'll come o' your lady and bonny young son?
O, what'll come o' them when Brackley is gone."

"Strike, dogs!" cries Inverey, "fecht till you're slain,
For we are four hunder and ye are four men.
Strike, ye proud boaster, your honour is gane,
Your lands we will plunder, your castel we'll burn.

At the head o' the Etnach the battle began,
At little Aucholzie they killed the first man.
First they killed ae man and syne they killed twa,
Then the Baron o' Brackley, the flooer o' them a',

They killed William Gordon and James o' the Knock
And brave Alexander, the flooer o' Glenmuick.
Whit sighin' and moanin' was heard in the glen,
For the Baron o' Brackley wha basely was slain.

Cam' ye by Brackley yetts, cam' ye by there?
And saw ye his Peggy a-tearin' her hair?
O, I was by Brackley yetts, I cam' by there,
And I saw Peggy Gordon a-braidin' her hair.

She was rantin' and dancing and singin' for joy,
She swore that ere nicht she would feast Inverey.
She ate wi' him, drank wi' him, welcomed him in,
Was kin' to the man wha had slain her baron.

O, fye on ye lady, how could ye dae sae?
Ye opened the yetts to the fause Inverey.
There's dule in the kitchen and mirth in the ha',
That the Baron o' Brackley is deid and awa'.

The events described in this ballad took place in Strothdee on the 7th of September 1666. John Gordon of Brackley bought from the Sheriff of Aberdeen fines "exigible from Inverey and others, for killing of blackfish''. According to John Farquharson of Inverey, Brackley refused his offer of a settlement and, with his followers, '' . . . loused severall shotts" against Inverey's party who, in self defence, opened fire in return and killed the Laird of Brackley and his brother William. The account given by Brackley's son of the event is different; according to him, Farquharson of Inverey, with a band of armed followers, came to the house of Brackley and commanded the Laird to restore his cattle which had been impounded. An argument followed during which Brackley and his brother were murdered.