Chapter LI: Part I

Ettrick 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.

There’s a fair Castle, bigged wi’ lime and stane;
O gin 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 hollin abune their bree.

There an Outlaw keeps five hundred men,
He keeps a royal company;
His merrymen 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!

Word is gane to our noble King,
In Edinburgh where that he lay,
That there was an Outlaw in Ettrick Forest,
Counted him nought, nor a’ his courtrie gay.

“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 sall be!”

Then spake the Lord hight Hamilton,
And to the noble King said he,
“My sovereign Prince, some counsel take,
First at your nobles, syne at me.

“I rede ye, send yon braw Outlaw till,
And see gif your man come will he:
Desire him come and be your man,
And hold of you yon forest free.

“Gif he refuses to do that,
We’ll conquer baith his lands and he!
Or else we’ll throw his Castle down,
And mak’ a widow o’ his gay Ladye.”

The King then called a gentleman,
James Boyd (the Earl of Arran’s brother was he);
When James he came before the King,
He kneeled before him on his knee.

“Welcome, James Boyd!” said our noble King,
“A message ye maun gang for me;
Ye maun hie to Ettrick Forest,
To yon Outlaw, where bideth he.

“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.

“To Edinburgh to come and gang,
His safe warrant I sall gie;
And gif he refuses to do that,
We’ll conquer baith his lands and he.

“Thou mayst vow I’ll cast his Castle down,
And mak’ a widow o’ his gay Ladye;
I’ll hang his merrymen, pair by pair,
In ony frith where I may them see.”