24 Now we'll leave talking of Christy Graham, And talk of him again belive;

But we will talk of bonny Bewick,

Where he was teaching his scholars five.

25 Now when he had learn'd them well to fence,
To handle their swords without any doubt,
He's taken his own sword under his arm,
And walk'd his father's close about.

26 He look'd between him and the sun,
To see what farleys he could see;
There he spy'd a man with armor on,
As he came riding over the lee.

27 "I wonder much what man yon be That so boldly this way does come;

I think it is my nighest friend,

I think it is my bully Graham.

28 "O welcome, O welcome, bully Graham!
O man, thou art my dear, welcome!
O man, thou art my dear, welcome!
For I love thee best in Christendom!"

29 "Away, away, O bully Bewick,

And of thy bullyship let me be!
The day is come I never thought on;
Bully, I'm come here to fight with thee."

30 "O no! not so, O bully Graham!

That e'er such a word should spoken be! I was thy master, thou was my scholar; So well as I have learned thee."

31 "My father he was in Carlisle town,

Where thy father Bewick there met he;
He said I was bad, and he call'd me a lad,
And a baffled man by thou I be."

32 "Away, away, O bully Graham,

And of all that talk, man, let us be!
We'll take three men of either side,
To see if we can our fathers agree."

33 "Away, away, O bully Bewick,

And of thy bullyship let me be!
But if thou be a man, as I trow thou art,
Come over this ditch and fight with me.”

34 "O no! not so, my bully Graham!

That e'er such a word should spoken be! Shall I venture my body in field to fight With a man that's faith and troth to me?"

35 "Away, away, O bully Bewick,

And of all that care, man, let us be!

If thou be a man, as I trow thou art,
Come over this ditch and fight with me."

36 "Now, if it be my fortune thee, Graham, to kill, As God's will's, man, it all must be;

But if it be my fortune thee, Graham, to kill, "T is home again I'll never gae."

37 "Thou art of my mind then, bully Bewick, And sworn-brethren will we be;

If thou be a man, as I trow thou art,

Come over this ditch and fight with me."

38 He flang his coat off his shoulder,

His psalm-book out of his hand flang he,
He clapp'd his hand upon the hedge,
And o'er lap he right wantonly.

39 When Graham did see his bully come, The salt tear stood long in his eye:

"Now needs must I say that thou art a man, That dare venture thy body to fight with me.

40 "Now I have a harness on my back;
I know that thou hath none on thine;
But as little as thou hath on thy back,
Sure as little shall there be on mine."

41 He flang his jack from off his back,
His steel cap from his head flang he;
He's taken his sword into his hand,
He's tied his horse unto a tree.

42 Now they fell to it with two broad swords,
For two long hours fought Bewick and he;
Much sweat was to be seen on them both,
But never a drop of blood to see.

43 Now Graham gave Bewick an ackward stroke, An ackward stroke surely struck he;

He struck him now under the left breast,
Then down to the ground as dead fell he.

44 "Arise, arise, O bully Bewick,

Arise, and speak three words to me! Whether this be thy deadly wound,

Or God and good surgeons will mend thee."

45 "O horse, O horse, O bully Graham,
And pray do get thee far from me!

Thy sword is sharp, it hath wounded my heart,
And so no further can I gae.

46 "O horse, O horse, O bully Graham,
And get thee far from me with speed!
And get thee out of this country quite!
That none may know who's done the deed.”

47 "O if this be true, my bully dear,

The words that thou dost tell to me,
The vow I made, and the vow I'll keep:
I swear I'll be the first that die.”

48 Then he stuck his sword in a moody-hill, Where he lap thirty good foot and three; First he bequeathed his soul to God,

And upon his own sword-point lap he.

49 Now Graham he was the first that died, And then came Robin Bewick to see:

“Arise, arise, O son!" he said,

"For I see thou's won the victory.

50 "Arise, arise, O son!" he said,

"For I see thou's won the victory."

“Father, could ye not drunk your wine at home, And letten me and my brother be?

51 “Nay, dig a grave both low and wide,
And in it us two pray bury;

But bury my bully Graham on the sun-side,
For I'm sure he's won the victory.”

52 Now we'll leave talking of these two brethren, In Carlisle town where they lie slain, And talk of these two good old men,

Where they were making a pitiful moan.

53 With that bespoke now Robin Bewick: "O man, was I not much to blame? I have lost one of the liveliest lads That ever was bred unto my name."

54 With that bespoke my good lord Graham:
"O man, I have lost the better block;
I have lost my comfort and my joy,

I have lost my key, I have lost my lock.,

55 "Had I gone through all Ladderdale,
And forty horses had set on me,
Had Christy Graham been at my back,
So well as he would guarded me."

56 I have no more of my song to sing,

But two or three words to you I'll name;

But 't will be talk'd in Carlisle town

That these two old men were all the blame.

YOUNG WATERS

1 ABOUT Yule, when the wind blew cule
And the round tables began,