LORD DERWENTWATER
Our King has wrote a lang letter
And sealed it ower with gold;
He sent it to my lord Dunwaters,
To read it if he could.
He has not sent it with a boy, with a boy,
Nor with any Scotch lord;
But hes sent it with the noblest knight
E er Scotland could afford.
The very first line that my lord did read,
He gave a smirkling smile;
Before he had the half of it read,
The tears from his eyes did fall.
"Come saddle to me my horse," he said,
"Come saddle to me with speed;
For I must away to fair London town,
For me there was neer more need."
Out and spoke his lady gay,
In child-bed where she lay:
"I would have you make your will, my lord
Dunwaters,
Before you go away."
"I leave to you, my eldest son,
My houses and my land;
I leave to you, my youngest son,
Ten thousand pounds in hand.
"I leave to you, my lady gay,—
You are my wedded wife,—
I leave to you, the third of my estate,
That'll keep you in a ladys life."
They had not rode a mile but one,
Till his horse fell ower a stane:
"Its a warning good enough," my lord Dunwaters said,
"Alive I'll ne'er come hame."
When they came to fair London town,
Into the courtiers' hall,
The lords and knights in fair London town
Did him a traitor call.
"A traitor! a traitor!" says my lord,
"A traitor! how can that be?
An' it was na for the keeping of five thousand men,
To fight for King Jamie.
"O all you lords and knights in fair London town,
Come out and see me die:
O all you lords and knights in fair Londo town,
Be kind to my lady.
"Theres fifty pounds in my right pocket,
Divide it to the poor;
There's other fifty in my left pocket,
Divide it from door to door."