Lord Derwentwater

Our king has wrote a lang letter,
And sealed it owre with gold;
He sent it to my lord Dunwaters,
To read it if he could.

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.

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.

" 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."

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."

" I leave to you, my eldest son,
My houses and my land;
I leave to you, my second son,
Ten thousand pounds in hand.

" 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."

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."

When they came into fair London town,
Into the courtiers' hall,
The lords and knichts in fair London town
Did him a traitor call.

" 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?

" 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.

" 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."
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