“There the Outlaw keeps five hundred men, He keeps a royal companie! His merrymen in ae livery clad, O' the Linkome green sae gay to see: He and his ladye in purple clad; O gin they live not royallie ! 'He says, yon forest is his own; He wan it frae the Southronie ; Sae as he wan it, sae will he keep it, Contrair all kings in Christendie." "Gar warn me Perthshire, and Angus baith; Fife up and down, and Lothians three, And graith my horse!" said our noble king, For to Ettricke Forest hie will I me." Then word is gane the Outlaw till, In Ettricke Forest, where dwelleth he, That the king was coming to his cuntrie, To conquer baith his lands and he. "I mak a vow," the Outlaw said, "I mak a vow, and that trulie, Were there but three men to tak my pairt, Then messengers he called forth, "Ane of ye gae to Halliday, The laird of the Corehead is he. "He certain is my sister's son ; Bid him come quick and succour me! The king comes on for Ettricke Forest, And landless men we a' will be." "What news? What news?" said Halliday, "I'll meet him wi' five hundred men, The Outlaw call'd a messenger, To Sir James Murray of Traquair, "What news? What news?" James Murray said, 66 Man, frae thy master unto me?" "What needs I tell? for weel ye ken, The king's his mortal enemie; And now he is coming to Ettricke Forest, And, by my troth," James Murray said, "Wi' that Outlaw will I live and die; The king has gifted my lands lang syneIt cannot be nae warse wi' me.' The king was coming thro' Caddon Ford,* Then spak the lord, hight Hamilton, "Desire him meet thee at Permanscore, "And gif he refuses to do that, We'll conquer baith his lands and he; There sall never a Murray, after him, Hold land in Ettricke Forest free.' Then spak the keen laird of Buckscleuth, A stalworth man, and stern was he— "For a king to gang an Outlaw till, Is beneath his state and his dignitie. "The man that wons yon Forest intill, Our borderers sall the onset gie." * A ford on the Tweed, at the mouth of the Caddon Burn, near Yair. Then out and spak the noble king, And round him cast a wilie ee- The king then call'd a gentleman, "Welcome, James Pringle of Torsonse! "Bid him mete me at Permanscore, Gude reason I suld honour'd be. "And, gif he refuses to do that, Bid him look for nae good o' me; There sall never a Murray, after him, Have land in Ettricke Forest free." James cam before the Outlaw keen, And served him in his ain degree"Welcome, James Pringle of Torsonse! What message frae the king to me?" "He bids ye meet him at Permanscore, cr And, gif you refuse to do that, (I freely here upgive wi' thee) He'll cast yon bonny castle down, "He'll loose yon bluidhound borderers, "It stands me hard," the Outlaw said; "Judge gif it stands na hard wi' me, Wha reck not losing of mysell, But a' my offspring after me. "My merrymen's lives, my widow's tears- "Auld Halliday, young Halliday, When that they came before the king, "Siccan like mercie sall ye have; "Our God forebode," quoth the Outlaw then, I hope your grace will better be! Else, ere you come to Edinburgh port, I trow thin guarded sall ye be: |