The Outlaw call'd a messenger,
And bid him hie him speedilye,
To [Andrew Murray of Cockpool],
"That man's a deir cousin to me;
Desyre him cum, and make me aide,175
With a' the power that he may be."
"It stands me hard," Andrew Murray said,
"Judge gif it stand na hard wi' me;
To enter against a king wi' crown,
And set my landis in jeopardie!180
Yet, if I cum not on the day,
Surely at night he sall me see."
To [Sir James Murray of Traquair],
A message came right speedilye
—
"What news? What news?" James Murray said,185
"Man, frae thy master unto me?"
"What neids I tell? for weel ye ken
The King's his mortal enemie;
And now he is cuming to Ettricke Foreste,
And landless men ye a' will be."190
"And, by my trothe," James Murray said,
"Wi' that Outlaw will I live and die;
The King has gifted my landis lang syne—
It cannot be nae warse wi' me."
The King was cuming thro' [Caddon Ford],195
And full five thousand men was he;
They saw the derke Foreste them before,
They thought it awsome for to see.
Then spak the lord hight Hamilton,
And to the nobil King said he,200
"My sovereign liege, sum council tak,
First at your nobilis, syne at me.
"Desyre him mete thee at Permanscore,
And bring four in his cumpanie;
Five Erles sall gang yoursell befor,205
Gude cause that you suld honour'd be.