Border Spirit
Lock the Door Lariston – Jackie Latin
Gramham Pirt, Janet Russell, John Wright, Linda Adams
Border Memories; or, Sketches of Promint Men and Women of the Border, by the late Walter Riddell Carre, Esq. of Cavers Carre pages 140-1
There were heroes among them and the following verses in imitation
of an ancient ballad from the pen of a learned and honoured friend
of mine the Rev James Grey of Dumfries and Edinburgh who became a
clergyman and missionary of the Church of England in India depicts
one of the Larriston chieftains in a spirited manner Another
authority states the author was the Ettrick Shepherd.
Lock the door Larriston, (Gorranberry Version)
Lock the door Larriston, Lion of Liddesdale,
Lock the door Larriston, Lowther comes on;
The Armstrongs are flying,
The widows are crying,
The Castleton’s burning and Oliver’s gone.
Lock the door Larriston; high in the weather gleam,
See how the Saxon plumes bob in the sky;
Yeoman and carbineer,
Billman and halberdier,
Fierce is the foray and far is the cry.
Bewcastle brandishing high his proud scymitar.
Ridley is riding his fleet footed grey;
Hedley and Howard there.
Wandale and Windermere,
Lock the door Larriston, hold them at bay.
Why dost thou smile noble Elliot of Larriston?
Why does the joy candle gleam in thine eye?
Thou bold Border ranger
Beware of this danger,
Thy foes are relentless, determin’d and nigh.
Jock Elliot raised up bis steel bonnet and lookit,
His hand grasp d the sword with a nervous embrace;
Ah welcome brave foemen,
On earth there are no men
More gallant to meet in the fray or chase!
I Little know’st thou of the hearts I have hidden here,
Little know’st thou of our mosstroopers’ might;
Linhope and Sorby true,
Sundope and Mill burn too,
Gentle in manner but lions in fight!
I’ve Mangerton, Gorranberry, Raeburn, and Netherby,
Old Sim of Whitram,and all his array;
Come all Northumberland,
Teesdale and Cumberland,
Here at the Breaken Tower, end shall the fray.
Scowl’d the broad sun o’er the links of green Liddesdale,
Red as the beacon light tipt he the wold;
Many a bold martial eye,
Mirror’d that morning sky,
Never more op’d on his orbit of gold.
Shrill was the bugle’s note dreadful the warrior shout,
Lances and halberts in splinters were borne;
Helmet and hauberk, then,
Brav’d the claymore in vain,
Buckler and armlet in shivers were shorn
See how they wane the proud files of the Windermere!
Howard ah woe to thy hopes of the day;
Hear the wide welkin rend,
While the Scots shouts ascend,
Elliot of Larriston! Elliot for aye!
5/21/2018 MSE
Traditional, Folk and old songs – Sheet Music and Mandolin Tab, song:Lock The Door, Larriston
5/22/2018 MSE