There lived a king in fair Scotland
King Malcolm was his name
When ancient history gives record
Of valour words and fame
And it fell out upon the day
The king sat down to dine
And there he missed his favourite knight
Whose name was Sir Colvin
And then upspoke another knight
And one of Sir Colvins kin:
"He's lying in bed right sick a-with love
All for your daughter Jean"
"This shall not be" said the royal king
"I'm sorry for the same
She must take bread and wine so red
To give to Sir Colvin"
So gently did she bear the bread
Her page did carry the wine
And set a table at his bed
Sir Colvin rise and dine
"Oh well I love the wine lady
Come from your lovely hand
But better I love your fair body
Than all of fair Scotland"
"Oh hold your tongue now Sir Colvin
Let all your folly be
My love must be by honour won
Or none shall enjoy me
But on the head of Elrick's hill
Down by the sharp of form
You must go and walk at night
And boldly blow your horn"
Then up arose Sir Colvin
And dressed in armour keen
He has gone to Elrick's hill
Without the light of the moon
At midnight mark the moon upstart
And a knight walked up and down
While loudest cracks of thunder roared
Out over the hill so brown
And in the twinkling of an eye
He spied an armed knight
A gay lady bearing the sword
His armour shining bright
Sir Colvin then he drew his sword
His foe he drew his brand
And there they fought on Elrick's hill
Till they where bloody men
But the Elrick king was great of might
And stiff to the ground did stand
Sir Colvin with an awesome stroke
Cut of from him his hand
"My forebeares here did haunt
Three hundred years and more
I'm safe to swear a solemn oath
We were never beat before"
And Sir Colvin has taken the bloody hand
And set it before the king
And the morn it was on Wednesday
When he married his daughter Jean