Till the best blood o' his bodie
Came rinning down his hair.

"Now I have slayne ane; slay ye the twa; And that's gude companye ;

And if the twa suld slay you baith,
Ye'se get na help frae me."

But Ethert Lunn, a baited bear,
Had many battles seen;
He set the youngest wonder sair,
Till the eldest he grew keen-

"I am nae king, nor nae sic thing:
My word it shanna stand!
For Ethert sall a buffet bide,
Come he beneath my brand."

He clankit Ethert ower the head,
A deep wound and a sair,
Till the best blood of his bodie
Came rinning ower his hair.

"Now I've slayne twa; slay ye the ane;
Is na that gude companye?
And tho' the ane suld slay you baith,
Ye'se get na help o' me."

The twa-some they hae slayne the ane ;

They maul'd him cruellie;

Then hung them over the draw-brigg,

That all the host might see.

They rade their horse, they ran their horse,

Then hovered on the lee;

"We be three lads o' fair Scotland, That fain wad fighting see."

This boasting, when young Edward heard, An angry man was he!

"I'll tak yon lad, I'll bind yon lad,

And bring him bound to thee!"

"Now God forbid," king Edward said,
"That ever thou suld try!
Three worthy leaders we hae lost,
And thou the fourth wad lie.

"If thou shouldst hang on yon draw-brigg, Blythe wad I never be !”

But, wi' the poll-axe in his hand,
Upon the brigg sprang he.

The first stroke that young Edward gae,
He struck wi' might and mayn;
He clove the Maitlan's helmet stout,
And bit right nigh the brayn.

When Maitland saw his ain blood fa',
An angry man was he!

He let his weapon frae him fa',

And at his throat did flee.

And thrice about he did him swing,
Till on the grund he light,
Where he has halden young Edward,

Tho' he was great in might.

"Now let him up," King Edward cried, "And let him come to me!

And for the deed that thou hast done,
Thou shalt hae erldomes three !"

"It's ne'er be said in France, nor e'er
In Scotland, when I'm hame,
That Edward once lay under me,
And e'er gat up again!"

He pierced him through and through the heart;

He maul'd him cruellie;

Then hung him ower the draw-brigg,

Beside the other three.

"Now, take frae me that feather-bed! Make me a bed o' strae!

I wish I hadna lived this day,

To mak my heart sae wae.'

"If I were ance at London tower,
Where I was wont to be,

I never mair suld gang frae hame,
Till borne on a bier tree."

THE ELFIN KNIGHT.

MR MOTHERWELL states that a version of this ballad, of which he gives a copy, is preserved in the Pepysian collection at Cambridge. Messrs Kinloch and Buchan have recovered copies from recitation, and the following has been framed by collation.

THE Elfin knight stands on yon hill;
(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)
Blawing his horn baith loud and shrill,
(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)

"If I had the horn that I hear blawn;

(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)

And the bonnie knight that blaws the horn,"
(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)

She had na sooner thae words said;
(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)

Than the Elfin knight cam to her side:

(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)

Thou art too young a maid," quoth he,

(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)

"Married wi' me you ill wad be.”

(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)

"I hae a sister younger than me;
(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)
And she was married yesterday."

(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa').

"Married to me ye shall be nane;

(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)

Till ye mak me a sark without a seam ; (And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)

And ye maun shape it, knifeless, sheerless, (Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)

And ye maun sew it, needle, threadless ; (And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)

"And ye maun wash it within a well, (Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)

Whaur dew never wat, nor rain ever fell, (And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)

"And ye maun dry it upon a thorn,

(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)

That never budded sin' Adam was born." (And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)

"O gin that kindness I do for thee; (Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,) There's something ye maun do for me. (And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)

"I hae an acre o' gude lea-land,

(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,) Between the saut sea and the strand; (And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)