46 When the king came in oer Loudon edge, Wi three thousand weel teld was he, And when he came in oer ... He viewd that forest wi his ee. 47 The Outlaw and his men were a’ Ranked on the Newark lee; They were a’ clad in the Lincoln green, And he himsell in the taffety. 48 An auld grey-haird knight has taen aff his cap, . . . . . . . ‘Pardon, pardon, my sovereign liege, Two or three words to speak wi you. 49 ‘If you please to send for the Outlaw, To see if he could with you agree, There’s not a man yon Outlaw has But of yours he’ll choose to be.’ 50 The king he has taen af his cap, He held it on his majesty; ‘I’ll meet him the morn at the poor man’s house, In number not above two or three;’ The Outlaw says, I’ll hae as few as thee. 51 ‘There’s Andrew Brown, and Andrew Murray, And Mess James Murray shall gang wi me, . . . . . . . . And nae mae shall my number be.’ 52 And when they came to the poor man’s core They waited two lang hours or three, And they were aware of the noble king coming. And hundreds three in his company. 53 ‘I wonder what the muckle Deel He’ll learned kings to lie, For to fetch me here frae amang my men Even like a dog for to die; But before I gang to Edinbro town Monny toom saddles shall there be.’ 54 The king he has taen aff his cap; . . . . . . ‘It [were] great offence here,’ he says, ‘And great pity to see thee die. 55 ‘For thou shalt be laerd o this forest fair As lang as upwards grows the tree And downward the twa rivers run, If the steads thou can but rightly name to me.’ 56 ‘There’s Hangingshaw high and Hangingshaw laigh, . . . . . . . The Tinis and the Tinis-burn, The Newark and the Newark lee.’ * * * * * * * C “Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy,” No 31, Abbotsford; in the handwriting of William Laidlaw. 1 ‘Gae fetch to me James Pringle wi hast, An see that he come speedilie, For he maun on to Ettrick forest, An see whae pays yon men meat and fee.’ 2 When James Pringle cam down oer Birkendalee, The hawks war yellin right loudlie, The hunds war rinnin oer hill and dale, As the bugle-horn soundit bonnilie. 3 ‘Gae tell yer king this land’s my ain, An to thir men I pay meat and fee; I took it thrae the Souden Turk, When nae sic cuckold king might be. 4 ‘Sae as I wan, sae will I lose, Spite o the kings in Christendie; I never was a king’s subject, Nor a king’s subject will I ever be.’ 5 ‘Outlaw Murray says yon land’s his ain, And to yon men he pays meat and fee; He took it frae the Souden Turk, When you and your men durstna come and see.’