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The Outlaw Murray

No: 305; variant: 305C

  1. 'GAE fetch to me James Pringle wi hast, An see that he come speedilie, For he maun on to Ettrick forest, An see whae pays yon men meat and fee.'
  2. When James Pringle cam down oer Birkendalee, The hawks war yellin right loudlie, The hunds war rinnin oer hill and dale, As the bugle-horn soundit bonnilie.
  3. 'Gae tell yer king this land's my ain, An to thir men I pay meat and fee; I took it thrae the Souden Turk, When nae sic cuckold king might be.
  4. 'Sae as I wan, sae will I lose, Spite o the kings in Christendie; I never was a king's subject, Nor a king's subject will I ever be.'
  5. 'Outlaw Murray says yon land's his ain, And to yon men he pays meat and fee; He took it frae the Souden Turk, When you and your men durstna come and see.'
  6. It was than the king he gat up in hast, An wow an angrie man was he! 'I'se either be king o Ettrick forest, Or king o Scotland sal he be.
  7. 'Gar warn me Fife an a' Lothian land, An Perth an Angus, to ride wi me, For gin we war five thousan strang Master and mair I fear he'll be.'
  8. When the king came oer be Birkendalee, He spy'd the forest wi his ee; There war daes an raes an monie wild beast, An a castle stannin right bonnilie.
  9. An in that caslte a unicorn, An, waly, but they war fair to see! A warlike knight and a lady bright, An the green halleen aboon her bree.
  10. An Outlaw Murray an his merry men War a' rankit up i the Newark lee, Well mountit on a milk-white steed; Waly, he rankit them bonnilie!
  11. His men war a clad oer wi green, An he was clad i the taffatie, Wi belt an pistle by his side; O waly, but they war fair to see!
  1. 'Haliday young an Halliday auld, Ye ir the men that man ride wi me; But gin we war five hunder strang Master an mair I fear they'll be.'
  1. 'Philliphaugh it is my ain, An Newark it belangs to me; Lewinshope an Hanginshaw Nae mortal man can claim thrae me.'
  1. It was than James Boyd got up in hast, An to his merry men a' spak he; . . . . . . . . . . . . . .