‘Welcome, James Boyd!’ said our noble King, ‘A message ye maun gang for me: Ye maun hie to Ettrick Forest, To yon Outlàw, where dwelleth he. XI ‘Ask him of whom he holds his lands, Or man wha may his master be, And desire him come and be my man, And hold of me yon forest free. XII ‘To Edinburgh to come and gang, A safe warrànt I sall him gie; And gif he refuses to do that, We’ll conquess baith his lands and he. XIII ‘Thou mayst vow I’ll cast his castle down, And mak’ a widow o’ his gay ladye; I’ll hang his merry men, pair by pair, In ony frith[525] where I may them see.’ XIV James Boyd took his leave o’ the noble King, To Ettrick Forest fair cam’ he; Down Birkendale Brae when that he cam’, He saw the fair forest wi’ his e’e. XV Baith dae and rae, and hart and hin’, And of a’ wild beasts great plentie; He heard the bows that boldly ring, And arrows whidderand[526] him near by. XVI Of that fair castle he got a sight; The like he ne’er saw wi’ his e’e! On the fore-front o’ that castle fair, Twa unicorns were bra’ to see; The picture of a knight, and lady bright, And the green hollìn abune their bree. XVII Thereat he spyed five hundred men, Shooting with bows on Newark Lee; They were a’ in ae livery clad, O’ the Lincoln green sae gay to see. XVIII His men were a’ clad in the green, The knight was armèd cap-a-pie, With a bended bow, on a milkwhite steed; And I wot they rank’d right bonnilie. XIX Thereby Boyd kend he was master man, And servèd him in his ain degree: ‘God mote thee save, brave Outlaw Murray! Thy ladye, and all thy chivalrie!’-- ‘Marry, thou’s welcome, gentleman, Some king’s messenger thou seems to be.’-- XX ‘The King of Scotland sent me here, And, gude Outlàw, I am sent to thee; I wad wot of whom ye hold your lands, Or man wha may thy master be?’-- XXI ‘Thir lands are mine,’ the Outlaw said; ‘I own nae king in Christentie; Frae Soudron[527] I this forest wan, When the King nor his knights were not to see.’-- XXII ‘He desires you’ll come to Edinburgh, And hauld of him this forest free; And, gif ye refuse to do this thing, He’ll conquess baith thy lands and thee. He hath vow’d to cast thy castle down, And mak’ a widow o’ thy gay ladye; XXIII ‘He’ll hang thy merry men, pair by pair, In ony frith where he may them find.’-- ‘Ay, by my troth!’ the Outlaw said, ‘Than wad I think me far behind. XXIV ‘Ere the King my fair country get, This land that’s nativest to me, Mony o’ his nobles sall be cauld, Their ladies sall be right wearíe.’ XXV