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king has wrote a lang letter, And sealed it owre with gold; He sent 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.' = = king he wrote a love-letter, And he sealed it up with gold, And he sent it to Lord Derwentwater, For to read it if he could. The first two lines that he did read, They made him for to smile; But the next two lines he looked upon Made the tears from his eyes to fall. 'Oh,' then cried out his lady fair, As she in child-bed lay, 'Make your will, make your will, Lord Derwentwater, Before that you go away.' 'Then here's for thee, my lady fair, . . . . A thousand pounds of beaten gold, To lead you a lady's life.' . . . . . . his milk-white steed, The ring dropt from his little finger, And his nose it began to bleed. He rode, and he rode, and he rode along, Till he came to Westminster Hall, Where all the lords of England's court A traitor did him call. 'Oh, why am I a traitor?' said he; 'Indeed, I am no such thing; I have fought the battles valiantly Of James, our noble king.' O then stood up an old gray-headed man, With a pole-axe in his hand: 'Tis your head, 'tis your head, Lord Derwentwater, 'Tis your head that I demand.' . . . . His eyes with weeping sore, He laid his head upon the block, And words spake never more. = = king has written a broad letter, And seald it up with gold, And sent it to the lord of Derwentwater, To read it if he would. He sent it with no boy, no boy, Nor yet with eer a slave, But he sent it with as good a knight As eer a king could have. When he read the three first lines, He then began to smile; And when he read the three next lines The tears began to sile. = = king has written a braid letter, And seald it up wi gowd, And sent it to Lord Derntwater, To read it if he coud. The first lines o't that he read, A blythe, blythe man was he; But ere he had it half read through, The tear blinded his ee. 'Go saddle to me my milk-white horse, Go saddle it with speed; For I maun ride to Lun[n]on town, To answer for my head.' 'Your will, your will, my lord Derntwater, Your will before ye go; For you will leave three dochters fair, And a wife to wail and woe.' 'My will, my will, my lady Derntwater? Ye are my wedded wife; Be kind, be kind to my dochters dear, If I should lose my life.' He set his ae fit on the grund, The tither on the steed; The ring upon his finger burst, And his nose began to bleed. He rode till he cam to Lunnon town, To a place they ca Whiteha; And a' the lords o merry England A traitor him gan ca. 'A traitor! a traitor! O what means this? A traitor! what mean ye?' 'It's a' for the keeping o five hundred men To fecht for bonny Jamie.' Then up started a gray-headed man, Wi a braid axe in his hand: 'Your life, your life, my lord Derntwater, Your life's at my command.' 'My life, my life, ye old gray-headed man, My life I'll freely gie; But before ye tak my life awa Let me speak twa words or three. 'I've fifty pounds in ae pocket, Go deal it frae door to door; I've fifty five i the other pocket, Go gie it to the poor. 'The velvet coat that I hae on, Ye may take it for your fee; And a' ye lords o merry Scotland Be kind to my ladie!' = = king wrote a letter to my lord Derwentwater, And he sealed it with gold; He sent it to my Lord Derwentwater, To read it if he could.