"O lady, for your love choicing,
Ye shall win to your will;
The morn, or I eat or drink,
Young Waters I'll gar kill."40
And nevertheless, the king cou'd say,
"Ye might ha'e excepted me;
Yea for yea," the king cou'd say,
"Young Waters he shall die.
"Likewise for your ill-wyled words45
Ye sall ha'e cause to mourn;
Gin ye hadna been sae big wi' child,
Ye on a hill su'd burn."
Young Waters came before the King,
Fell low down on his knee;50
"Win up, win up, young Waters,
What's this I hear o' thee?"
"What ails the king at me," he said,
"What ails the king at me?"
"It is tauld me the day, sir knight,55
Ye've done me treasonie."
"Liars will lie on sell gude men,
Sae will they do on me;
I wudna wish to be the man
That liars on wudna lie."60
Nevertheless, the king cou'd say,
"In prison strang gang ye;
O yea for yea," the king cou'd say,
"Young Waters, ye shall die."
Syne they ha'e ta'en him, young Waters,65
Laid him in prison strang,
And left him there wi' fetters boun',
Making a heavy mane.
"Aft ha'e I ridden thro' Striveling town
Thro' heavy wind and weet;70
But ne'er rade I thro' Striveling town
Wi' fetters on my feet.