He writhe1 a gold ring from his finger,

And gave it to that gay lady: Says, "It was all that I could save,

In Harley woods where I could be.”

"And wilt thou go, thou noble lord?
Then farewell truth and honesty,

And farewell heart, and farewell hand,
For never more I shall thee see."

The wind was fair, the boatmen call'd, And all the sailors were on board; Then William Douglas took to his boat, And with him went that noble lord.

Then he cast up a silver wand,

Says, "Gentle lady, fare thee well!" The lady fett a sigh so deep,

And in a dead swoon down she fell.

"Now let us go back, Douglas," he said, "A sickness hath taken yond fair lady; If aught befall yond lady but good,

Then blamed for ever I shall be."

1[Twisted.]

"Come on, come on, my lord," he says,
"Come on, come on, and let her be ;
There's ladies enow in Lough-leven
For to cheer that gay lady."

Let me go

"If you'll not turn yourself, my lord, with my chamberlain ; We will but comfort that fair lady, And we will return to you again."

"Come on, come on, my lord," he says, "Come on, come on, and let her be; My sister is crafty, and would beguile A thousand such as you and me."

When they had sailed fifty mile,
Now fifty mile upon the sea,
He sent his man to ask the Douglas,
When they should that shooting see.

Fair words," quoth he, "they make fools fain, And that by thee and thy lord is seen;

You may hap to think it soon enough,

Ere you that shooting reach, I ween."

Jamie his hat pulled over his brow,

He thought his lord then was betray'd; And he is to Earl Percy again,

To tell him what the Douglas said.

"Hold up thy head, man," quoth his lord, "Nor therefore let thy courage fail; He did it but to prove thy heart,

To see if he could make it quail."

Lord Percy called to Douglas himself,

Said, "What wilt thou now do with me?"

"Look that your bridle be wight, my lord, And your horse go swift as ship at sea; Look that your spurs be bright and sharp,

That you may prick her while she'll away."

"What needeth this, Douglas?" he saith; "What needest thou to flyte with me?

For I was counted a horseman good

Before that ever I met with thee.

A false Hector hath my horse,

Who dealt with me so treacherously;
A false Armstrong he hath my spurs,
And all the gear belongs to me."

When they had sailed other fifty mile,
the sea,

Other fifty mile upon

They landed low by Berwick side,

A deputed 'laird' landed Lord Percy.

Then he at York was doomed to die,
It was, alas a sorrowful sight;
Thus they betrayed that noble earl,
Who ever was a gallant wight.

This ballad may be considered as the sequel of the preceding. After the unfortunate Earl of Northumberland had seen himself forsaken of his followers, he endeavoured to withdraw into Scotland, but falling into the hands of the thievish borderers, was stript and otherwise ill-treated by them. At length he reached the house of Hector of Harlow, an Armstrong, with whom he hoped to lie concealed; for Hector had engaged his honour to be true to him, and was under great obligations to this unhappy nobleman. But this faithless wretch betrayed his guest for a sum of money to