LORD LIVINGSTON. From TRADITION

'Graith my swiftest steid,' said Livingston, 'But nane of ye gae wi me; 'For I maun awa by mysel alane 'To the foot of the grenewode tree.

Up spak his dame wi meikle speid. "My lord I red ye bide; "I dreimd a dreiry dreim last nicht: "Nae gude sall you betide."

'What freit is this, my lady deir, 'That wald my will gainstand?' "I dreimd that I gaed to my bouir dore, "And a deid man tuke my hand."

'Suith dreims are scant,' said the proud baron, And leuch wi jearing glie; 'But for this sweit kiss my winsum dame 'Neist time dreim better o me.'

'For I hecht to meit with lord Rothmar, 'To chase the fallow deer; 'And speid we weil, by the our o nune, 'We sall return bot feir.'

Frae his fair lady's sicht he strave His ettling sae to hide; But frae the grenewode he came nae back, Sin eir that deidly tide.

For Rothmar met him there bot fail, And bluidy was the strife; Lang eir the nunetide mess was rung, They baith war twin'd o life.

'Forgie, forgie me, Livingston! 'That I lichtly set by your dame; 'For surely in a the warld lives not 'A lady mair free frae blame.

'Accursed be my lawles luve 'That wrocht us baith fic tein!' "As I forgie my freind anes deir, "Sae may I be forgien.

"Thouch ye my counseil sold ha tane "The gait of gyle to eschew; "Yet may my saul receive sic grace "As I now gie to you."

The lady in her mournfu bouir Sat wi richt heavy cheir, In ilka sough that the laigh wind gied She weind her deir lord to heir.

Whan the sun gaed down, and mirk nicht came, O teirfu were her eyne! 'I feir, I feir, it was na for nocht 'My dreims were sae dowie yestrene!'

Lang was the nicht, but whan the morn cam, She said to her menie ilk ane; 'Haste, saddle your steids, and seik the gerenewode, 'For I feir my deir lord is slain.'

Richt sune they fand their lord and Rothmar Deid in ilk ither's arm: 'I guess my deir lord that luve of my name 'Alane brocht thee to sic harm.

'Neir will I forget thy seimly meid, 'Nor yet thy gentle luve; 'For sevin lang yeirs my weids of black 'That I luvd thee as weil sall pruve.'