Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 331, July 19, 1825, "from the recitation
of Agnes Lile, Kilbarchan, a woman verging on
fifty;" learned from her father, who died fourteen years
before, at the age of eighty.
| 1 |
Our king has wrote a lang letter,
And sealed it owre with gold;
He sent to my lord Dunwaters,
To read it if he could. |
| 2 |
He has not sent it with a boy, with a boy,
Nor with anie Scotch lord;
But he's sent it with the noblest knight
Eer Scotland could afford. |
| 3 |
The very first line that my lord did read,
He gave a smirkling smile;
Before he had the half o't read,
The tears from his eyes did fall. |
| 4 |
'Come saddle to me my horse,' he said,
'Come saddle to me with speed;
For I must away to fair London town,
For me was neer more need.' |
| 5 |
Out and spoke his lady gay,
In child-bed where she lay:
'I would have you make your will, my lord Dunwaters,
Before you go away.' |
| 6 |
'I leave to you, my eldest son,
My houses and my land;
I leave to you, my second son,
Ten thousand pounds in hand. |
| 7 |
'I leave to you, my lady gay —
You are my wedded wife —
I leave to you, the third of my estate;
That'll keep you in a lady's life.' |
| 8 |
They had not rode a mile but one,
Till his horse fell owre a stane:
'It's warning gude eneuch,' my lord Dunwaters said,
'Alive I'll neer come hame.' |
| 9 |
When they came into fair London town,
Into the courtiers' hall,
The lords and knichts in fair London town
Did him a traitor call. |
| 10 |
'A traitor! a traitor!' says my lord,
'A traitor! how can that be,
An it was na for the keeping of five thousand men
To fight for King Jamie? |
| 11 |
'O all you lords and knichts in fair London town,
Come out and see me die;
O all you lords and knichts into fair London town,
Be kind to my ladie. |
| 12 |
'There's fifty pounds in my richt pocket,
Divide it to the poor;
There's other fifty pounds in my left pocket,
Divide it from door to door.' |
