The King call’d on a gentleman,
James Boyd (the Earl of Arran his brother was he);
When James he came before the King,
He kneel’d before him on his knee.
X
‘Welcome, James Boyd!’ said our noble King,
‘A message ye maun gang for me:
Ye maun hie to Ettrick Forest,
To yon Outlàw, where dwelleth he.
XI
‘Ask him of whom he holds his lands,
Or man wha may his master be,
And desire him come and be my man,
And hold of me yon forest free.
XII
‘To Edinburgh to come and gang,
A safe warrànt I sall him gie;
And gif he refuses to do that,
We’ll conquess baith his lands and he.
XIII
‘Thou mayst vow I’ll cast his castle down,
And mak’ a widow o’ his gay ladye;
I’ll hang his merry men, pair by pair,
In ony frith[525] where I may them see.’