1 Lord Barnard's awa to the green wood,
To hunt the fallow deer;
His vassals a' are gane wi him,
His companie to bear.
2 His lady wrate a braid letter,
And seald it wi her hand,
And sent it aff to Wee Messgrove,
To come at her command.
3 When Messgrove lookt the letter on,
A waefu man was he;
Sayin, Gin I'm gript wi Lord Barnard's wife,
Sure hanged I will be.
4 When he came to Lord Barnard's castel
He tinklit at the ring,
And nane was so ready as the lady hersell
To let Wee Messgrove in.
5 'Welcome, welcome, Messgrove,' she said,
'You're welcome here to me;
Lang hae I loed your bonnie face,
And lang hae ye loed me.
6 'Lord Barnard is a hunting gane,
I hope he'll neer return,
And ye sall sleep into his bed,
And keep his lady warm.'
7 'It cannot be,' Messgrove he said,
'I ween it cannot be;
Gin Lord Barnard suld come hame this nicht,
What wuld he do to me?'
8 'Ye naething hae to fear, Messgrove,
Ye naething hae to fear;
I'll set my page without the gate,
To watch till morning clear.'
9 But wae be to the wee fut-page,
And an ill death mat he die!
For he's awa to the green wood,
As hard as he can flee.
10 And whan he to the green wood cam,
'Twas dark as dark could bee,
And he fand his maister and his men
Asleep aneth a tree.