It fell aboot the Lammas-tide when muir men win their hay
The doughty Douglas bound him ride tae England tae catch a prey
He's ta'en the Gordons and the Graemes and the Lindsays light and gay
The Jardines would not wi' him ride, they rue it tae this day
And he has burnt the dales o' Tyne and hairried Bambroughshire
The Otterdale he's burnt it hale and set it a' on fire
And he rade up tae Newcastle and rode it roond aboot
Sayin', Wha's the laird o' this castle, and wha's the lady o't
Then up spake proud Lord Percy then, and oh but he spak' high
I am the lord o' this castle, my wife's the lady gay
If thou'rt the lord o' this castle, sae weel it pleases me
For ere I cross the border fells the tane o' us shall dee (tane - one)
They lichted high on Otterburn upon the bent sae broon (lichted - set down, camped; bent - grass)
They lichted high on Otterburn and threw their broadswords doon
But up there spoke a bonnie boy before the break o' dawn
Sayin', Wake ye now, my good lords a', Lord Percy's near at han'
When Percy wi' the Douglas met I wat he was fu' fain (wat - know)
They swappit swords and sair they swat, the blood ran doon between
But Percy wi' his good broadsword that could sae sharply wound
Has wounded Douglas on the brow till he fell tae the ground
Oh, bury me 'neath the bracken bush that grows by yonder brier
Let never a living mortal ken that Douglas he lies here (ken - know)
They've lifted up that noble lord wi' the salt tear in their e'e
They've buried him 'neath the bracken bush that his merry men might not see
When Percy wi' Montgomery met that either of other were fain
They swappit swords and sair they swat, the blood ran doon like rain
This deed was done at Otterburn before the break of day
