"The King desires that you come to Edinburgh, and hold the Forest then of him. If you refuse, he will conquer your lands and you, and he has vowed to throw down your castle, make a widow of your gay lady, and hang your knights pair by pair wherever he finds them." "Ay, by my troth! I should indeed be far behind. Before the King should get my fair native land, many of his nobles would be cold, and their ladies right weary." Then spoke the lady of the Outlaw, fair of face. "That an Outlaw should come before the King without my consent makes me fear much that there is treason. Bid him be good to his lords at home, for my lord shall ne’er see Edinburgh." James Boyd took leave of the bold Outlaw and went back to Edinburgh, and when he came to the King, knelt lowly on his knee. "Welcome, James Boyd," said the noble King, "of whom is Ettrick Forest held?" "Ettrick Forest is the fairest forest that ever man saw. There are doe and roe and hart and hind and wild beasts in plenty; there’s a fine castle of lime and stone standing there pleasantly, and in the forefront of the castle two unicorns all fine to see, with a picture of a knight and a lady, and the green holly above their brows. There the Outlaw keeps a royal company—five hundred merry men, all gaily clad in Lincoln green, and the Outlaw and his lady in purple. Surely they live right royally. He says that the forest is his own, that he won it from the English, and that as he won it, so will he keep it against all the Kings in Christendom." "Go warn me Perthshire and Angus," cried the King, "go warn Fife up and down and the three Lothians, and harness my own horse, for I will myself to Ettrick Forest." When the Outlaw heard that the King was coming to his country to conquer him and his lands: "I make a vow," said he. "I make a vow, and that truly, that the King’s coming shall be a dear one." Then he called messengers and sent them in haste hither and thither. "One of you go to Halliday, Laird of Corehead, my sister’s son. Tell him to come quickly to my aid, for that the King comes to Ettrick Forest, and we shall all be landless." "What news? What news, man, from thy master?" said Halliday. "No news thou carest to hear; I come seeking your aid; the King is his mortal enemy." "By my troth, I am sorry for that; if Murray lose fair Ettrick Forest, the King will take Moffatdale from me. I’ll meet him with five hundred men, and more if need be, and before he gets to Ettrick Forest, we will all die on Newark Lee." Another messenger went from the Outlaw to Andrew Murray of Cockpool, his dear cousin, to desire him to come and help him with all the power he could get together. "It is hard," said Andrew Murray, "very hard to go against a crowned King and put my lands in jeopardy; but if I come not by day I shall be there at night." A messenger went also to Sir James Murray of Traquair. "What news? What news, man, from your master to me?" said James Murray.