"Quhair sall I get a bonny boy,
That will win hose and shoen;
That will gae to Lord Barnard's ha',
And bid his lady cum?10
"And ze maun rin my errand, Willie,
And ze may rin wi' pride;
Quhen other boys gae on their foot,
On horseback ze sall ride."
"O no! O no! my master dear!15
I dare nae for my life;
I'll no gae to the bauld barons,
For to triest furth his wife."
"My bird Willie, my boy Willie,
My dear Willie," he sayd:20
"How can ze strive against the stream?
For I sall be obeyd."
"Bot, O my master dear!" he cry'd,
"In grene wod ze're zour lain;
Gi owre sic thochts, I walde ze rede,25
For fear ze should be tain."
"Haste, haste, I say, gae to the ha',
Bid hir cum here wi' speid:
If ze refuse my heigh command,
I'll gar zour body bleid.30
"Gae bid hir take this gay mantel,
'T is a' gowd bot the hem;
Bid hir cum to the gude grene wode,
And bring nane hot hir lain:
"And there it is, a silken sarke,35
Hir ain hand sewd the sleive;
And bid hir cum to Gill Morice,
Speir nae bauld barons leave."
"Yes, I will gae zour black errand,
Though it be to zour cost;40
Sen ze by me will nae be warn'd,
In it ze sall find frost.