Ancient Scottish ballads, recovered from tradition, and never before ...

101
he should be pressed to subscribe the covenant,
whether he would or not, whilk by fleeing the
land he resolved to eschew as well as he could,
and left his eldest son, the Lord Ogilvie, a brave
young nobleman, behind him at home. The
estates or tables hearing of his departure, di-
rected the Earls of Montrose and Kinghorn to
go to the place of Airly, and to take in the same,
and for that effect to carry cartows [cannon]
with them ; who went and summoned the Lord
Ogilvie to render the house, (being an impreg-
nable strength by nature, well manned with all
sort of munition and provision necessary,) who
answered, his father was absent, and he left no
such commission with him as to render his house
to any subjects, and that he would defend the
samen to his power, till his father returned from
England. There were some shots shot the
house, and same from the house; but the assail-
ants finding the place unwinnable, by nature of
great strength, without great skaith, left the
place without meikle loss on either side; then
departed therefrae in June,
./