He's gi'en to her a jewel fine, Was set with pearl and precious stane; Says, "My love, beware of these savages bold That's in your way as ye gang hame. 20 "Ye'll tak the road, my lady fair, That leads you fair across the lea: That keeps you from wild Hind Soldan, And likewise from base Violentrie." Wi' heavy heart thir twa did pairt, 25 She mintet as she wuld gae hame; Hind Soldan by the Greeks was slain, But to base Violentrie she's gane. When a twelvemonth had expired, John Thomson he thought wondrous lang, 30 And he has written a braid letter, And sealed it weel wi' his ain hand. He sent it with a small vessel That there was quickly gaun to sea; And sent it on to fair Scotland, 35 To see about his gay ladie. But the answer he received again,-- The lines did grieve his heart right sair: Nane of her friends there had her seen, For a twelvemonth and something mair. 40 Then he put on a palmer's weed, And took a pike-staff in his hand; To Violentrie's castell he hied; But slowly, slowly he did gang. When within the hall he came, 45 He jooked and couch'd out ower his tree: "If ye be lady of this hall, Some of your good bountith gie me." "What news, what news, palmer," she said, "And from what countrie cam ye?" 50 "I'm lately come from Grecian plains, Where lies some of the Scots armie." "If ye be come from Grecian plains, Some mair news I will ask of thee,-- Of one of the chieftains that lies there, 55 If he has lately seen his gay ladie." "It is twa months, and something mair, Since we did pairt on yonder plain; And now this knight has began to fear One of his foes he has her ta'en." 60 "He has not ta'en me by force nor slight; It was a' by my ain free will; He may tarry into the fight, For here I mean to tarry still. "And if John Thomson ye do see, 65 Tell him I wish him silent sleep; His head was not so coziely, Nor yet sae weel, as lies at my feet." With that he threw aff his strange disguise, Laid by the mask that he had on; 70 Said, "Hide me now, my lady fair, For Violentrie will soon be hame." "For the love I bore thee ance, I'll strive to hide you, if I can:" Then she put him down in a dark cellar 75 Where there lay many a new slain man. But he hadna in the cellar been, Not an hour but barely three, Then hideous was the noise he heard, When in at the gate cam Violentrie. 80