Hardyknute (Battle of Largs) Stately stept he East the wa', And stately stept he West; Full sev'nty zeirs he now had seen With skerfs sevin ziers of rest. He livit quhen Birton's breach of faith Wroucht Scotland Meickle wae, And ay his sword tauld to their skaith, He was their deidly fae. Hie on a hill his castle stude, With halls and towers a hicht, And guidly chambers fair to se Quhair he lodgit mony a knight. His dame fae peerlefs anes and fair, For chaft and bewtie deimt, Nae marrow had in all the lands Saif Elenor the queen. Full thirtein fons tea him foho bare, All men of valour frout; In bludy fichf with fword in hand Nyne loft their lives hot doubt; Four zit remain, lang may they live To ftand by liege and land: Hie was their fame, hie was their micht, And hie was their command. Great luve they bare to Fairly-fair, Their fifter faft and deir; Her girdle flawd her middle gimp, And gowden glift her hair. Q chat waefou wae her bewtie bred, Waefou to zung and auld, Waefou I trow to kyth and kiq, As ftory ever tauld! The King of Norfe in fummer tyde, Puft up with powir and micht, Landed iii fair Scotland the yle, With mony a hardy kniclit. The tydings to our gude Scots king Came, as he fat at dyne, With noble chiefs in braif any, Drinking the blude - reid wyne 'To hone, to hark, my royal Leige Zours faes ftand on the ftrand, Foil twenty thousand glittering fears The King of Norfe commands.' 'Bring me my fteed Mage dapple gray Our gude King riafe and cry'd, 'A truftier beaft in all the land A Scots king nevir feyd. Go, little page, tell Hardyknute, That lives on hill fae hie, To draw his fword, the dreid of fats. And halt and follow me.' The little page flew fwift as dirt Flung by his mafters arm: 'Cum clown, cum down, Lord Hardy A-rid rid zour King frae harm.' Then reid reid crew his dark-brown che- Sae did his dark-brown brow; His luiks grew kene, as they were wont. In dangers great, to do. From Songs of Scotland, Vol II - 1877 This ballad is said to commemorate The Battle of Largs (August 1, 1263) between Alexander III of Scotland and Haakon Haakonsson of Norway. The Scots won. Hardyknute had died some 200 years before the battle. The tune "Hardyknute" was published by Oswald in 1742, in the 2nd vol. of his "Curious Collection,.." and again later in Caledonian Pocket Companion. This is followed by the copy in 'The Scots Musical Museum", #280, which gives 15 verses of the song. LN oct00
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