[
  {
    "title": "520. Ballad on Mr. Heron’s Election—No. 3",
    "author": "Robert Burns",
    "lines": [
      "’TWAS in the seventeen hunder year",
      "  O’ grace, and ninety-five,",
      "That year I was the wae’est man",
      "  Of ony man alive.",
      "",
      "",
      "In March the three-an’-twentieth morn,",
      "  The sun raise clear an’ bright;",
      "But oh! I was a waefu’ man,",
      "  Ere to-fa’ o’ the night.",
      "",
      "",
      "Yerl Galloway lang did rule this land,",
      "  Wi’ equal right and fame,",
      "And thereto was his kinsmen join’d,",
      "  The Murray’s noble name.",
      "",
      "",
      "Yerl Galloway’s man o’ men was I,",
      "  And chief o’ Broughton’s host;",
      "So twa blind beggars, on a string,",
      "  The faithfu’ tyke will trust.",
      "",
      "",
      "But now Yerl Galloway’s sceptre’s broke,",
      "  And Broughton’s wi’ the slain,",
      "And I my ancient craft may try,",
      "  Sin’ honesty is gane.",
      "",
      "",
      "’Twas by the banks o’ bonie Dee,",
      "  Beside Kirkcudbright’s towers,",
      "The Stewart and the Murray there,",
      "  Did muster a’ their powers.",
      "",
      "",
      "Then Murray on the auld grey yaud,",
      "  Wi’ winged spurs did ride,",
      "That auld grey yaud a’ Nidsdale rade,",
      "  He staw upon Nidside.",
      "",
      "",
      "And there had na been the Yerl himsel,",
      "  O there had been nae play;",
      "But Garlies was to London gane,",
      "  And sae the kye might stray.",
      "",
      "",
      "And there was Balmaghie, I ween,",
      "  In front rank he wad shine;",
      "But Balmaghie had better been",
      "  Drinkin’ Madeira wine.",
      "",
      "",
      "And frae Glenkens cam to our aid",
      "  A chief o’ doughty deed;",
      "In case that worth should wanted be,",
      "  O’ Kenmure we had need.",
      "",
      "",
      "And by our banners march’d Muirhead,",
      "  And Buittle was na slack;",
      "Whase haly priesthood nane could stain,",
      "  For wha could dye the black?",
      "",
      "",
      "And there was grave squire Cardoness,",
      "  Look’d on till a’ was done;",
      "Sae in the tower o’ Cardoness",
      "  A howlet sits at noon.",
      "",
      "",
      "And there led I the Bushby clan,",
      "  My gamesome billie, Will,",
      "And my son Maitland, wise as brave,",
      "  My footsteps follow’d still.",
      "",
      "",
      "The Douglas and the Heron’s name,",
      "  We set nought to their score;",
      "The Douglas and the Heron’s name,",
      "  Had felt our weight before.",
      "",
      "",
      "But Douglasses o’ weight had we,",
      "  The pair o’ lusty lairds,",
      "For building cot-houses sae fam’d,",
      "  And christenin’ kail-yards.",
      "",
      "",
      "And there Redcastle drew his sword,",
      "  That ne’er was stain’d wi’ gore,",
      "Save on a wand’rer lame and blind,",
      "  To drive him frae his door.",
      "",
      "",
      "And last cam creepin’ Collieston,",
      "  Was mair in fear than wrath;",
      "Ae knave was constant in his mind—",
      "  To keep that knave frae scaith."
    ],
    "linecount": "68"
  }
]