  IEttrick Forest is a fair forest, In it grows many a seemly tree; There’s hart and hind, and dae and rae, And of a’ wild beasts great plentie. IIThere’s a castle, bigg’d O gif it stands not pleasantlie! In the fore-front o’ that castle fair, Twa unicorns are bra’ to see; There’s the picture of a knight, and a lady bright, And the green hollÌn IIIThere an Outlaw keeps five hundred men, He keeps a royal companie, His merry men are a’ in ae livery clad, O’ the Lincoln green sae gay to see; He and his lady in purple clad, O gin they live not royallie! IVWord is gane to our noble King, In Edinburgh where that he lay, That there was an Outlaw in Ettrick Forest, Counted him nought, nor his courtrie V‘I make a vow,’ then the gude King said, ‘Unto the Man that dear bought me, I’se either be King of Ettrick Forest, Or King of Scotland that Outlaw’s be!’ VIThen spake the Earl hight Hamilton, And to the noble King said he, ‘My sovereign prince, some counsel take, First at your nobles, syne at me. VII‘I rede And see gif your man come will he: Desire him come and be your man, And hold of you yon forest free. VIII‘Gif he refuses to do that, We’ll conquess baith his lands and he! Or else we’ll throw his castle down, And mak’ a widow o’ his gay ladye.’ IXThe King call’d on a gentleman, James Boyd (the Earl of Arran his brother was he); When James he came before the King, He kneel’d before him on his knee. X‘Welcome, James Boyd!’ said our noble King, ‘A message ye maun gang for me: Ye maun hie to Ettrick Forest, To yon OutlÀw, where dwelleth he. XI‘Ask him of whom he holds his lands, Or man wha may his master be, And desire him come and be my man, And hold of me yon forest free. XII‘To Edinburgh to come and gang, A safe warrÀnt I sall him gie; And gif he refuses to do that, We’ll conquess baith his lands and he. XIII‘Thou mayst vow I’ll cast his castle down, And mak’ a widow o’ his gay ladye; I’ll hang his merry men, pair by pair, In ony frith XIVJames Boyd took his leave o’ the noble King, To Ettrick Forest fair cam’ he; Down Birkendale Brae when that he cam’, He saw the fair forest wi’ his e’e. XVBaith dae and rae, and hart and hin’, And of a’ wild beasts great plentie; He heard the bows that boldly ring, And arrows whidderand XVIOf that fair castle he got a sight; The like he ne’er saw wi’ his e’e! On the fore-front o’ that castle fair, Twa unicorns were bra’ to see; The picture of a knight, and lady bright, And the green hollÌn abune their bree. XVIIThereat he spyed five hundred men, Shooting with bows on Newark Lee; They were a’ in ae livery clad, O’ the Lincoln green sae gay to see. XVIIIHis men were a’ clad in the green, The knight was armÈd cap-a-pie, With a bended bow, on a milkwhite steed; And I wot they rank’d right bonnilie. XIXThereby Boyd kend he was master man, And servÈd him in his ain degree: ‘God mote thee save, brave Outlaw Murray! Thy ladye, and all thy chivalrie!’— ‘Marry, thou’s welcome, gentleman, Some king’s messenger thou seems to be.’— XX‘The King of Scotland sent me here, And, gude OutlÀw, I am sent to thee; I wad wot of whom ye hold your lands, Or man wha may thy master be?’— XXI‘Thir lands are mine,’ the Outlaw said; ‘I own nae king in Christentie; Frae Soudron |
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