"I make a vowe," then the gude king said,
Unto the man that deir bought me,
"I'se either be king of Ettricke Foreste,
Or king of Scotlonde that Outlaw sail be!"
Then spak the lord, hight Hamilton,
And to the nobil king said he,
"My sovereign prince, sum counsell take,
First at your nobilis, syne at me.
"I redd ye, send yon braw Outlaw till,
And see gif your man cum will he:
Desyre him cum and be your man,
And hald of you yon Foreste frie.
"Gif he refuses to do that,
We'll conquess baith his landis and he!
Or else, we'll throw his castell down,
And make a widowe o' his gay ladye."
The king then call'd a gentleman,
James Boyd, (the Earl of Arran his brother was he)
When James he cam befor the king,
He knelit befor him on his kne.
"Wellcum, James Boyd!" said our nobil king;
"A message ye maun gang for me;
Ye maun hye to Ettricke Foreste,
To yon Outlaw, where bydeth he:
"Ask him of whom he haldis his landis,
Or man, wha may his master be,
And desyre him cum, and be my man,
And hald of me yon Foreste frie.
"To Edinburgh to cum and gang,
His safe warrant I sall gie;
And gif he refuses to do that,
We'll conquess baith his landis and he.
"Thou may'st vow I'll cast his castell down,
And mak a widowe o' his gay ladye;
I'll hang his merryemen, payr by payr,
In ony frith where I may them see.
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