Douglas has gane to see the King,
He rode to Stirling town;
Douglas he held a higher head
Than James who wore the crown.
As he gaed through the Broad Street
To Stirling Castle hie,
A weird auld man wi' silvery locks
Spake to him earnestly.
"O enter not the Castle gates,
The King he lo'es na thee,
Beware the Stuart's lure, beware
Fause hospitalitie.
"Wi' Scotland's crown baith you and yours
For lang hae been at strife,
In yonder stronghold of the foe
Risk not your precious life.
"To see a mighty Douglas Prince
The Stuart canna thole,
Though he be young, yet proud is he
And passionate of soul.
Then bide awa'; lest harm befa',
Shun Stirling Castle hie,
There's lack of room in yonder bounds
For baith the King and thee."
"Stand back auld man, 'tis not wi' thee
That Douglas wad advise,
A woman or a weakling lad
Your timid words might prize;
For me, I gae to young King James
To meet him face to face,
To share his hospitalitie,
And ask his royal grace-
"To ask for grace and brotherhood
Where I have been at war,
And when the Douglas favour seeks
Let him refuse who daur."
So Douglas passed upon his way,
He and his following
Through Stirling town in proud array
To see the youthful King;
And when he reached the Castle gate
He turned in dauntless pride,
Then from his breast a Missive drew
And to his brothers cried,
"I enter here, withouten fear
At my Liege Lord's behest,
For I am frankly bidden come'
The Stuart's welcome guest.
"But you my brothers James and Hugh
And Archibald and John
Shall stay without, for of the five
"Tis I am called alone;
"And tak' with you this royal Writ,
My safety-conduct sure,
To keep against my coming back
To kith and kin secure.
"And yet nae Bond or Writ need I,
Nor safety-conduct free,
For Scotland kens the Douglas' power
And whae daur meddle wi' me?"
He said, and to his brother James
The royal Missive cast,
Then with a lordly retinue
Into the Castle passed.
Blythe was the King to see the Earl,
He led him to the ha',
And 'mang his nobles set him down
The chief aboon then a'.
To fortalice he led him next,
To battlement and tower,
And showed him frae the highest point
The King of Scotland's power.
Chapel and cell he shewed them a'
Ere they were set to dine;
"Glad am I, Earl, to see thee here
A loyal guest of mine.
"Now that we are forgathered close,
We meet as friends at last,
And Scotland's King shall ne'er recall
The troubles of the past."
So spake the King, who when he saw
The Douglas by his side
Forgot the haughty vassal's power,
His arrogance and pride.
Forgot the noble in the man,
For young he was and free,
Forgot his wrongs, intent alone
On hospitalitie.
And they are at the table set
In royal state to dine,
And after meal time lang they sat
Drinking the ruby wine.
Drinking the wine, but as they quaffed,
The Douglas' haughty soul
Swelled his proud heart, and furious blazed
Impatient of control.
"Ance, Douglas, thou wert governor
And General in the land,
And nane, unless my Council, daured
Dispute thy hie command;
"But feuds arose, and thou didst brave
The Council and the Crown,
Who from thy proud and princely height
Dragged thee ambitious down.
"Swear Douglas, on thy bounden oath
Fidelity to me,
And I shall this command again
Into thy keeping gie.
"Swear to dissolve the triple league
That's formed against the Crown;
For tiger Crawford and the Ross
They maun be hauden down.
"Leave, leave them baith, and act wi' me,
Braid Scotland's lawful King,
And to my cause without reserve
Thy powers together bring,
"Then shall my confidence be thine
Thou shalt be next the Throne,
Nae higher head in a' the realm
Saving the King's alone."
Upsprang the Douglas from his place,
An angry man was he,--
"Presumptuous youth, and would you daur
To say sic like to me?
"The mightiest man in a' the land
Is Lord of Galloway;
For ane to do your bidding, King,
There's ten to own my sway.
"And you would ask me to betray
Earl Beardie and the Ross,
The Douglas wad expect to turn
A traitor to his loss?
"I tell thee Nay, and here I stand
A better king than thou,
My only want a golden band
To set upon my brow.
"There's royal blood within my veins,
Blood better than tine own,
And were I but to say the word
"Tis I might fill the throne."
Then from his place upsprang the King,
The prey to wrathful ire,
Upon his cheek the braid spot swelled,
And glowed like living fire.
He faced Earl Douglas where he stood,
"Dissolve the league," he cried;
"Now art thou mad to threaten me,"
The haughty Lord replied.
"Then this shall break the League," quoth James,
"Break it for ance and aye"--
Then swift as thought the fiery King
His dagger raised on high.
He struck the Douglas in the throat,
The wound was deep and wide,
Than as his victim fell adown
He stabbed him in the side.
In rushed the courtiers and the guard,
In cam' Sir Patrick Gray,
"Now by my saul, but I have pined
For lang to see this day."
With his stout axe Sir Patrick rushed
Upon his ancient foe,
He struck the Douglas on the head
A furious vengeful blow.
"This for Maclellan," cried the Knight,
"This for his cruel fate,
And this my parting-stroke, to end
The rancour of my hate."
Then on his heel Sir Patrick turned,
His bloody task was done,
For now the murder was avenged
Of his dear sister's son.
And next the King's ain bodyguard
Their loyal zeal displayed,
And of the Douglas' senseless corse
A cruel havoc made.
They stabbed the foeman of the King
As he lay on the ground;
And hewed and hacked and better hacked
With oft-repeated wound.
But lang before the bodyguard
Had lift the ready knife
The blow was struck wi' fatal force
That lost the Earl his life.
That blow the Douglas faction broke,
Yet 'twas an evil deed,
And though the King might sair repent--
Death is without remeid.
The Douglas cam' a bidden guest,
The King his Bond forgot;
The Douglas trusted princely faith,
And murder was his lot.
The host who slew his bidden guest,
A traitor king, a coward king,
A false and perjured man;
Ah! foul disaster and disgrace!
A hurl against the Stuart race
My bitter curse and ban.
A king may break his bounden oath,
May sweetly smile, and seek the while
To ruin and betray;
Brief be the ruthless tyrant's life,
His kingdom, anarchy, and strife--
Fell ending to his sway.
The Douglas unsuspecting cam'
To Stirling Tower, into the power
Of James sae frank and free;
And now the sorry coward knave
Has done to death my brother brave.
Alas! and woe is me.
This safety-conduct frae the Crown--
A written lure, a written lure--
My brother's ga't to me;
Thou fause and foul-contrivit thing,
Thou witness 'gainst a perjured king,
What shall I do wi' thee?
I'll tie to a car-jade's tail,
And sen thee roun' through Stirling's town,
That ane and a' may see,
How craven James played fast and loose
Wi' royal faith, and whatten use
He stooped to mak' of thee.
O that I had the King his lane
On some wild moor, on some wild moor,
And nane beside to see;
Revenge wad nerve me for the strife,
And James aneth the ready knife
A bloody weird wad dree.
Black-hearted King, by brother calls
Without respite, by day and night,
For vengeance on thy head;
To meet thee quietly by thysel'
For seven years I'd roast in hell,
Nor rue the price I paid.
I'd tear the tongue frae thy fause throat,
And to the wolves, the prowling wolves,
Wad cast the morsel rare;
Amang the corbies wad I part
The royal flesh and kingly heart
To be their dainty fare.
Accurs'ed be the Stuart race!
Baith ear' and late may hapless Fate
Upon their steps attend;
On every king who bears the name
I call high Heaven to send him shame,
And an inglorious end.
Amang that proud perfidious race
Be troubles rife; may war and strife
Their blood and treasure spend.
Ilk Stuart's day may it be brief,
May evil Destiny and Grief
Ever on them attend,
Till the line wither and decay,
And from the kingdom pass away
To an oblivious end.
I'd love to have you drop by!--Barbara
