21
To do you justice, sure will try.
Then mark me weel, the Ghaist replied,
And you shall soon be satisfied;
Frae this aback near forty years,
I of this place was overseer,
When this Laird's father had the land
A' thing was then at my command,
Wi' power to do as I thought fit,
In ilka cause I chief did sit;
The Laird paid great respect to me,
But I an ill return did gie:
The Title deeds of his estate,
Out of the same I did him cheat,
And staw them frae where they did lye;
Some days before the Laird did die.
His son, at that time, was in France,
And sae I thought I'd hae a chance,
Gif he should never come again,
That the estate would be my ain.
But scarcely three bare weeks were past,
When death did come and grip me fast,
Sae sudden that I hadna power
The charter back for to restore.
Soon after that hame came the heir,
And syne got up the reefu' rair,
What sorrow was come o' the Rights?
They sought them several days and nights
But never yet hae they been seen,
As I aneath a meikle stane,
Did hide them, i' this chamber wa',
We'll shewed up in a leather ba',
But I was ne'er allowed to rest,
Until that I the same confest;
But this to do I hadna power,
Frae yon time to this verra hour,
That I've reveal'd it a' to you:
And now I'll tell you what to do.
Till nae langsyne nae mony kent,
