THE BONNY EARL OF MURRAY

1. YE Highlands and ye Lawlands,
O where hae ye been?

They hae slain the Earl of Murray,
And hae laid him on the green.

2. Now wae be to thee, Huntley!
And whairfore did ye sae!
I bade you bring him wi' you,
But forbade you him to slay.

3. He was a braw gallant,

And he rid at the ring;
And the bonny Earl of Murray,
O he might hae been a king!

4. He was a braw gallant,

And he play'd at the ba';
And the bonny Earl of Murray
Was the flower amang them a'!

5. He was a braw gallant,

And he play'd at the gluve;
And the bonny Earl of Murray,
O he was the Queen's luve!

6. O lang will his Lady

Look owre the Castle Downe,
Ere she see the Earl of Murray

Come sounding through the town!

BONNY GEORGE CAMPBELL

1. HIE upon Hielands,
And laigh upon Tay,
Bonny George Campbell
Rade out on a day:
Saddled and bridled,

Sae gallant to see,
Hame cam' his gude horse,
But never cam' he.

2. Down ran his auld mither,
Greetin' fu' sair;

Out ran his bonny bride,
Reaving her hair;
'My meadow lies green,

And my corn is unshorn,

My barn is to bigg,

And my babe is unborn.'

3. Saddled and bridled
And booted rade he;
A plume in his helmet,

A sword at his knee;
But toom cam' his saddle

A' bluidy to see,

O hame cam' his gude horse,

But never cam' he!

BOOK IV

ROBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBORNE

I. WHEN shaws beene sheene, and shradds full

fayre,

And leves both large and longe,

Itt is merrye walking in the fayre forrèst
To heare the small birds' songe.

2. The woodweele sang, and wold not cease, Sitting upon the spraye,

Soe lowde, he wakened Robin Hood,
In the grenewood where he lay.

3. 'Now by my faye,' sayd jollye Robin.
'A sweaven I had this night;

I dreamt me of two wight yemen,
That fast with me can fight.

4. 'Methought they did mee beate and binde And tooke my bow mee fro;

If I be Robin alive in this lande,

I'll be wroken on them towe,'

5. 'Sweavens are swift, Master,' quoth John, 'As the wind that blowes ore a hill;

For if itt be never so loude this night,
To-morrow itt may be still.'

6. 'Buske yee, bowne yee, my merry men all,
And John shall goe with mee,
For I'le goe seeke yond wight yemen,
In grenewood where they bee.'

7. They cast on them their gownes of grene,
And tooke theyr bowes each one;
And all away to the grene forrèst
A shooting forth are gone;

8. Until they came to the merry grenewood, Where they had gladdest bee,

There were they ware of a wight yeman,
His body lean'd to a tree.

9. A sword and a dagger he wore by his side, Of manye a man the bane;

And he was clad in his capull-hyde,

Topp and tayll and mayne.

10. 'Stand you still, Master,' quoth Little John, 'Under this trusty tree,

And I will go to yond wight yeoman
To know his meaning trulye.'

II. 'A! John, by me thou settest noe store,
And that's a farley finde.

How offt send I my men beffore,
And tarry my selfe behinde?

12. 'It is noe cunning a knave to ken,
An a man but heare him speake;

An itt were not for bursting of my bowe,
John, I wold thy head breake.'

13. As often wordes they breeden bale,
So they parted Robin and John:
And John is gone to Barnèsdale;
The gates he knoweth eche one.

14. But when he came to Barnèsdale,
Great heavinesse there hee hadd,
For he found two of his owne fellowes
Were slaine both in a slade.

15. And Scarlette à-foote he flyinge was
Fast over stocke and stone,

For the Sheriffe with seven score men
Fast after him is gone.

16. 'Yet one shoote I'le shoote,'quoth Little John, 'With Christ his might and mayne;

I'le make yond fellow that flyes soe fast,
To stopp he shall be fayne.'

17. Then John bent up his good yewe-bowe
And fettl'd him to shoote: