Ballads of Robin Hood and other Outlaws Part 39

12.3: 'well-wight,' stalwart.

13.3: 'American leather.' A patent for making morocco from American horsehides was granted c. 1799, but the date of this text is twenty years earlier than that date.

15.1: 'ae' (y in the MS.), one. Cf. 21.3.

18.3: 'belive,' quickly.

19.3: 'wan,' won, reached.

19.4: The MS. gives 'bord (or bood) words.'

20.1, 21.1: The MS. gives 'boy' for 'bird.']

THE OUTLAW MURRAY

+The Text+ is derived, with trivial alterations, from Herd's MSS. In the first edition of the _Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border_, Scott says the princ.i.p.al copy he employed was one 'apparently of considerable antiquity' among the papers of Mrs. c.o.c.kburn; he also made use of Herd's MS. and the Glenriddell MS. In the second edition of the _Minstrelsy_ he made further additions, including one of three stanzas between 52 and 58 of the present version, which makes reference to an earlier Sir Walter Scott.

+The Story+ of this Scots outlaw makes tame reading after those which precede it in this volume. The ballad was inserted at the end of Child's collection only because he preferred 'to err by including rather than excluding.' He adds, 'I am convinced that it did not begin its existence as a popular ballad, and I am not convinced that (as Scott a.s.serts) it has been for ages a popular song in Selkirks.h.i.+re.' Nevertheless, it undoubtedly gained a place in popular tradition; and this, while ent.i.tling it to a place here, renders the elaborate historical investigation, to which it has been submitted since Child's edition, a waste of erudition and ingenuity.

THE OUTLAW MURRAY

1.

Ettrick Forest is a fair forest, In it grows many a seemly tree; The hart, the hynd, the doe, the roe, And of a' wild beastis great plentie.

2.

There's a castell biggit with lime and stane; O gin it stands not pleasantlie!

In the forefront o' that castell fair, Twa unicorns are bra' to see.

3.

There's the picture of a knight, and a ladye bright, And the grene hollin abune their bree; There an Outlaw keeps five hundred men; He keeps a royal companie.

4.

His merry men are in ae liverie clad, Of the Lincoln grene sae fair to see; He and his ladie in purple clad, O gin they live not royallie!

5.

Word is gane to our n.o.ble king, In Edinburgh, where that he lay, That there was an Outlaw in Ettrick Forest Counted him nought and all his courtrie gay.

6.

'I mak a vow,' then the gude king said, 'Unto the man that dear bought me, I'se either be king of Ettrick Forest Or king of Scotland that Outlaw's be.'

7.

Then spak the earl hight Hamilton, And to the n.o.ble king said he, 'My sovereign prince, some counsel take, First of your n.o.bles, syne of me.

8.

'I redd ye, send yon bra' Outlaw till, And see gif your man come will he: Desire him come and be your man, And hold of you yon forest free.

9.

'And gif he refuses to do that, We'll conquer both his lands and he, Or else we'll throw his castell down, And mak a widow o' his gay ladye.'

10.

The king called on a gentleman, James Boyd, Earl of Arran, his brother was he; When James he came before the king, He fell before him on his knee.

11.

'Welcome, James Boyd,' said our n.o.ble king; 'A message ye maun gang for me; Ye maun hie to Ettrick Forest, To yon Outlaw, where dwelleth he;

12.

'Ask him of whom he holds his lands, Or, man, who may his master be, Desire him come and be my man, And hold of me yon forest free.

13.

'To Edinburgh to come and gang, His safe-warrant I sall be; And gif he refuses to do that, We'll conquer baith his lands and he.

14.

'Thou may'st vow I'll cast his castell down, And mak a widow o' his gay ladye; I'll hang his merry men pair by pair In ony frith where I may them see.'

15.

James Boyd took his leave of the n.o.ble king, To Ettrick Forest fair cam he; Down Birkendale Brae when that he cam, He saw the fair forest with his ee.

16.

Baith doe and roe and hart and hind And of a' wild beastis great plentie; He heard the bows that bauldly ring, And arrows whidderand near him by.

17.

Of that fair castell he got a sight; The like he nere saw with his ee; On the forefront o' that castell Twa unicorns were bra' to see.

18.

The picture of a knight, and a lady bright, And the green hollin abune their bree; Thereat he spy'd five hundred men, Shooting with bows upon the lee.

19.

They a' were in ae livery clad, O' the Lincoln green sae fair to see; The knight and his ladye in purple clad; O gif they lived right royallie!

Therefore he kend he was master-man, And served him in his ain degree.

20.

'G.o.d mot thee save, brave Outlaw Murray, Thy ladye and a' thy chivalrie!'

'Marry, thou's welcome, gentleman, Some king's-messenger thou seems to be.'

21.

'The King of Scotland sent me here, And, gude Outlaw, I'm sent to thee; I wad wot of whom ye hold your lands, Or, man, wha may thy master be?'

22.

'Thir landis are mine,' the Outlaw said; 'I own na king in Christentie; Frae Soudron I this forest wan, Whan the king nor 's knights were not to see.'

23.

'He desires you'll come to Edinburgh, And hold of him this forest free; And gif you refuse to do this, He'll conquer baith thy landis and thee; He has vow'd to cast thy castell down, And mak a widow o' thy gay ladye;

24.

'He'll hang thy merry men pair by pair In ony frith where he may them find.'

'Aye, by my troth!' the Outlaw said, 'Than wad I think me far behind.

25.

'Ere the king my fair countrie get, This land that 's nativest to me, Mony o' his n.o.bles sall be cauld, Their ladyes sall be right wearie.'