50 ‘Ye are welcome, welcome, landless lord, To my ha’s and my bowers; Ye are welcome hame, ye landless lord, To my lady white like flowers.’ 51 ‘Ye say I am a landless lord, But I think I am nane, Without ye show some love-token Awa frae her ye’ve tane.’ 52 He drew the strings then o his purse, And they were a’ bludie; The ring but and the ring-finger Sae soon as he lat him see. 53 ‘O wae be to you, fause hynde squire, Ane ill death mat ye dee! It was too sair a love-token To take frae my ladie. 54 ‘But ae asking of you, hynde squire, In your won bowers to dine;’ ‘With a’ my heart, my brother dear, Tho ye had asked nine.’ 55 Then he is to his lady’s father, And a sorrow man was he: ‘O judge, O judge, my father dear, This judgment pass for me. 56 ‘What is the thing that shoud be done Unto that gay lady Who woud gar her lord gae landless, And children bastards to be?’ 57 ‘She shoud be brunt upon a hill, Or hangd upon a tree, That woud gar her lord gang landless, And children bastards be.’ 58 ‘Your judgment is too rash, father; Your ain daughter is she That this day has made me landless; Your squire gaind it frae me. 59 ‘Yet nevertheless, my parents dear, Ae favour ye’ll grant me, And gang alang to my lost ha’s, And take your dine wi me.’ 60 He threw the charters ower the table, And kissd the yates o tree; Says, Fare ye well, my lady gay, Your face I’ll never see. 61 Then his lady calld out to him, Come here, my lord, and dine; There’s nae a smith in a’ the land That can ae finger join. 62 ‘I tied my finger in the dark, Whan nae ane did me see; But now I’ll loose it in the light, Amang gude companie. 63 ‘Even my niece, Lady Maisry, The same woman was she; The gude red gowd shall be her hire, And likeways white monie. 64 ‘Five hundred pounds o pennies round Her tocher then shall be, Because she did my wills obey, Beguild the squire for me.’ 65 Then they did call this young hynde squire To come right speedilie, Likeways they calld young Lady Maisry, To pay her down her fee. 66 Then they laid down to Lady Maisry The brand but and the ring; It was to stick him wi the brand, Or wed him wi the ring. 67 Thrice she minted to the brand, But she took up the ring; And a’ the ladies who heard o it Said she was a wise woman. FOOTNOTES: