As soon as he knew it was Montgomery, He struck his sword's point in the ground; The Montgomery was a courteous knight, And quickly took him by the hand. This deed was done at Otterbourne About the breaking of the day; Earl Douglas was buried at the braken bush, And the Percy led captive away. Little is known from history of the story told in "Sir Patrick Spens". It was first published by Bishop Percy in his _Reliques_. Princess Margaret of Scotland was married to Prince Eric of Norway in 1281. The ballad of "Sir Patrick Spens" may possibly have some reference to this historical event, but no one can say so with certainty. We learn from the ballad that Sir Patrick Spens was a splendid seaman, and that the Scots king gave him a commission to sail to Norway and bring home the king's daughter. But it was late in the year. The waters would be stormy; and Sir Patrick knew that he and his men would be in peril of their lives. They sailed to Norway, which is called Noroway in the ballad, and had been there a week only when the lords of Noroway began to complain that the Scots were costly guests. Sir Patrick answered that they had brought white money and good red gold, more than enough to pay for all they cost, but that he would sail immediately. His sailors told him that they had seen signs of a storm. {115} "I saw the new moon late yestreen, Wi' the auld moon in her arm; And if we gang to sea, master, I fear we'll come to harm." They hadna mailed a league, a league, A league but barely three, When the lift grew dark, and the wind blew loud, And gurly grew the sea. The ankers brak, and the topmasts lap, It was sic a deadly storm, And the waves came o'er the broken ship, Till a' her sides were torn. Sir Patrick must have been steering the ship himself, for he asked for a volunteer to take the helm while he went up to the tall topmast, to see if he could spy land. A sailor took the helm, but Sir Patrick had only gone a step when a bolt flew out of the good ship and the salt water came in. They tried to stop the leak but failed, and Sir Patrick and his men were lost. O lang, lang may the ladies sit, Wi' their fans into their hand, Before they see Sir Patrick Spens Come sailing to the strand. And lang, lang may the maidens sit, Wi' their goud kames in their hair, A' waiting for their ain dear loves, For them they'll see nae mair. Half owre, half owre to Aberdour, 'Tis fifty fathoms deep And there lies gude Sir Patrick Spens Wi' the Scots lords at his feet. {116} "Sir Patrick Spens" is a wonderful old ballad. Most of the words, old as they are, you will understand. In the second verse quoted, lift means sky; a gurly sea is a stormy sea. Goud kames in the verse before the last means gold combs.