As I cam on, and further on, And doun and by Harlaw, They fell fu' close on ilka side, 35 Sic straiks ye never saw.
They fell fu' close on ilka side, Sic straiks ye never saw; For ilka sword gaed clash for clash, At the battle o' Harlaw. 40
The Hielandmen wi' their lang swords, They laid on as fu' sair, And they drave back our merry men, Three acres breadth and mair.
Brave Forbes to his brother did say, 45 "O brother, dinna ye see?
They beat us back on ilka side, And we'll be forced to flee."
"O na! O na! my brother dear, O na! that mauna be! 50 You'll tak your gude sword in your hand, And ye'll gang in wi' me."
Then back to back the brothers brave Gaed in amang the thrang, And they swept doun the Hielandmen, 55 Wi' swords baith sharp and lang.
The first ae straik that Forbes strack, He gar'd Mac Donnell reel; And the neist ae straik that Forbes strack, The brave Mac Donnell fell. 60
And siccan a Pitlarichie I'm sure ye never saw, As was amang the Hielandmen, When they saw Mac Donnell fa'.
And when they saw that he was dead, 65 They turn'd and ran awa', And they buried him in Legate's Den, A large mile frae Harlaw.
Some rade, some ran, and some did gang, They were o' sma' record, 70 But Forbes and his merry men They slew them a' the road.
On Mononday at morning, The battle it began; On Saturday at gloamin', 75 Ye'd scarce ken'd wha had wan.
And sic a weary buryin'
I'm sure ye never saw, As was the Sunday after that, On the muirs aneath Harlaw. 80
Gin onybody speer at ye For them we took awa', Ye may tell them plain, and very plain, They're sleeping at Harlaw.