The well-known ballad of “Young Waters,” however, takes for its theme a Stirling episode. It seems to commemorate the death of Murdoch Duke of Albany’s eldest son, Walter, who was executed on the Heading Hill in 1425 by order of James I. Ballads cannot be relied upon to adhere to the facts of a case. In course of transmission from mouth to mouth they acquire a more and more romantic cast, and romance does not always agree with sober history. The Walter Stewart known to historians was condemned to death by a jury of barons for the crime of robbery or brigandage; but the ballad of “Young Waters” assigns the jealousy of the King as the cause of its hero’s execution. YOUNG WATERS. About Yule when the wind blew cool, And the round tables began, O, there is come to our king’s court Mony a well-favoured man. The queen looked o’er the castle wa’, Beheld baith dale and down, And there she saw young Waters Come riding to the town. * * * * * Out then spake a wily lord, And to the queen said he: “O, tell me, wha’s the fairest face Rides in the company?” “I’ve seen lord, and I’ve seen laird, And knights of high degree; But a fairer face than young Waters’ Mine een did never see.” Out then spake the jealous king, And an angry man was he: “O, if he had been twice as fair, You might have excepted me.” “You’re neither laird nor lord,” she says, “But the king that wears the crown; There is no knight in fair Scotland, But to thee maun bow down.” For a’ that she could do or say, Appeased he wouldna be: And for the words which she had said, Young Waters he maun die. They ha’e ta’en young Waters, Put fetters to his feet; They ha’e ta’en young Waters, And thrown him in dungeon deep. “Aft ha’e I ridden through Stirling town In the wind baith and the weet; But I ne’er rade through Stirling town Wi’ fetters at my feet. “Aft ha’e I ridden through Stirling town In the wind baith and the rain; But I ne’er rade through Stirling town Ne’er to return again.” They ha’e ta’en to the Heading Hill His young son in his cradle; And they ha’e ta’en to the Heading Hill His horse baith and his saddle. They ha’e ta’en to the Heading Hill His lady fair to see; And for the words the queen had spoke Young Waters he did die. The slaughter of the Earl of Douglas by his sovereign has not been commemorated in any ballad, although the Douglas execution at Edinburgh formed the subject of some verses, of which only one has survived: “Edinburgh Castle town and toure God grant thou sink for sin, And that even for the black dinnour Erl Douglas gat therein.”