25 'They best and worst, and all in like,
Bidd him cloth them in one liuerye;
And ffor his men, greene is the best,
And greene now lett their liueryes bee.
26 'And clothe himselfe in scarlett redd,
That is soe seemlye ffor to see;
Ffor scarlett is a ffaire coulour,
And pleasant allwayes in a woman's eye.
27 'He must play sixteene games att ball,
Against the men of this countrye,
And if he winn the greater part,
Then I shall love him more tenderlye.'
28 What the lady said, Iohn Stewart writt,
And to Argyle Castle sent it hee;
And [when] Willie Steward saw the letter,
Fforth of care-bed then lope hee.
29 Hee mustered together his merry men all,
Hee mustered them soe louelilye;
Hee thought hee had had scarson halfe a hundred,
Then had hee eleuen score and three.
30 He chose fforth a hundred of the best
That were to be ffound in that countrye,
He cladd them all in one coulour,
And greene i-wis their liueryes bee.
31 He cladd himselfe in scarlett redd,
That is soe seemelye ffor to see;
Ffor scarlett is a ffaire coulor,
And seemlye in a woman's eye.
32 And then towards Patricke Church he went,
With all his men in braue array,
To gett a sight, if he might,
And speake with his lady gay.
33 When they came to Patricke's churche,
Shee kneeled downe by her mother trulye:
'O mother, if itt please you to glue me leaue,
The Stewart's horsse ffaine wold I see.'
34 'I'le giue you leaue, my deere daughter,
And I and my maide will goe with yee:'
The lady had rather haue gone her selfe
Then haue had her mother's companye.