all that agony might extort from him concerning his real accomplices.  He was sent, first, to Edinburgh castle, and, afterwards, to a prison upon the Bass island; although the privy council more than once deliberated upon appointing his immediate death.  On 22d August, 1684, Earlstoun was sent for from the Bass, and ordered for execution, 4th November, 1684.  He endeavoured to prevent his doom by escape; but was discovered and taken, after he had gained the roof of the prison.  The council deliberated, whether, in consideration of this attempt, he was not liable to instant execution.  Finally, however, they were satisfied to imprison him in Blackness castle, where he remained till after the Revolution, when he was set at liberty, and his doom of forfeiture reversed by act of parliament.—­See FOUNTAINHALL, Vol.  I. pp. 238, 240, 245, 250, 301, 302.

THE BATTLE OF BOTHWELL-BRIDGE.

  “O Billie, billie, bonny billie,
    “Will ye go to the wood wi’ me? 
  “We’ll ca’ our horse hame masterless,
    “An’ gar them trow slain men are we.”

  “O no, O no!” says Earlstoun,
    “For that’s the thing that mauna be;
  “For I am sworn to Bothwell Hill,
    “Where I maun either gae or die.”

  So Earlstoun rose in the morning,
    An’ mounted by the break o’ day;
  An’ he has joined our Scottish lads,
    As they were marching out the way.

  “Now, farewell father, and farewell mother,
    “An’ fare ye weel my sisters three;
  “An’ fare ye weel my Earlstoun,
    “For thee again I’ll never see!”

  So they’re awa’ to Bothwell Hill,
    An waly[A] they rode bonnily! 
  When the duke o’ Monmouth saw them comin’,
    He went to view their company.

  “Ye’re welcome, lads,” then Monmouth said,
    “Ye’re welcome, brave Scots lads, to me;
  “And sae are ye, brave Earlstoun,
    “The foremost o’ your company!

  “But yield your weapons ane an’ a’;
    “O yield your weapons, lads, to me;
  “For, gin ye’ll yield your weapons up,
    “Ye’se a’ gae hame to your country.”

  Out up then spak a Lennox lad,
    And waly but he spak bonnily! 
  “I winna yield my weapons up,
    “To you nor nae man that I see.”

  Then he set up the flag o’ red,
    A’ set about wi’ bonny blue;
  “Since ye’ll no cease, and be at peace,
    “See that ye stand by ither true.”

  They stell’d[B] their cannons on the height,
    And showr’d their shot down in the how;[C]
  An’ beat our Scots lads even down,
    Thick they lay slain on every know.[D]

  As e’er you saw the rain down fa’,
    Or yet the arrow frae the bow,—­
  Sae our Scottish lads fell even down,
    An’ they lay slain on every know.

  “O, hold your hand,” then Monmouth cry’d,
    “Gie quarters to yon men for me!”
  But wicked Claver’se swore an oath,
    His cornet’s death reveng’d sud be.