One has come hither who says that a few days since the Kerrs, with a following of their own retainers, came down to the village.

Having heard that some of us had followed you to the wars, they took a list of all that were missing, and Sir John called our fathers up before him.

They all swore, truly enough, that they knew nought of our intentions, and that we had left without saying a word to them.
Sir John refused to believe them, and at first threatened to hang them all.

Then after a time he said they might draw lots, and that two should die.

My father and Allan Cunninghame drew the evil numbers, and Kerr hung them up to the old tree on the green and put fire to the rooftrees of all the others.