Story #1 – Ettrick Forest’s Robin Hood; the Outlaw Murray

Last updated on August 25, 2023

I’ll be sharing a series of traditional stories through this site on a regular basis over the coming months, starting today. The first is a tale from the Southern Uplands of Scotland; one of the Border Ballads, that recorded in oral form the traditional history of the land. It tells the tale of an outlaw chieftain who held the woods in medieval times; a border reiver of the classic order, who paid no heed at all to central authority. It gives an excellent taste of the character of the land, its people, and its traditional literature – if you enjoy it, follow this site through Facebook, Twitter (X?) or WordPress to be notified of future posts.

This version is compiled from three traditional versions recorded in the Child Ballads, with the language updated into modern English for ease of reading. The slight gaps in those original versions have been filled in to give a consistent, complete tale – I hope it brings back to life a story that was, in its original form, in need of some resuscitation! The narrative it delivers is entirely a traditional one, however – and one that deserves some wider exposure.

The terrain over which the tale plays out lies predominantly along the lower reaches of the Yarrow Valley. Annandale, Tweeddale and Moffatdale are all mentioned too, though. The closing action takes place in a slightly mysterious location, a place named ‘Penman’s Core’. This is believed to have lain somewhere in the vicinity of Minch Moor, but the exact site to which it refers has been forgotten. The name ‘Penman’ might derive from a Brythonic Celtic term meaning ‘summit of the stone’; any suggestions would be welcome.

Now, without further ado, here’s the resultant ballad of the Outlaw Murray – the Robin Hood of Ettrick Forest, and his struggle against the king;

“Ettrick Forest is a fair forest,

In it grows many a seemly tree;

The hart, the hind, the doe, the roe,

Of all wild beasts great plenty.

There’s a castle built with lime and stone,

And it stands most pleasantly,

In the forefront of that castle fair

Two unicorns you’ll see.

There’s the picture of a knight and a lady bright,

And the green holly upon their brow;

There an Outlaw keeps five hundred men,

He keeps a royal retinue in tow.

His merry men are in livery clad,

Of a green so fair to see;

He and his lady in purple dressed,

 Oh they live like royalty!

Now word went forth to the noble king,

In Edinburgh where he rules,

That there was an Outlaw in Ettrick Forest

Counted him nought, and his courtiers fools.

‘I make a vow,’ then said the king,

‘And I swear by the Virgin Mary,

I’ll either be king of Ettrick’s Wood,

Or king of Scotland that Outlaw will be.’

Then spoke the earl named Hamilton,

And to the noble king said he;

‘My sovereign prince, some counsel take,

 First from your nobles, then from me.

I advise you send to that proud Outlaw,

And see if fealty swear will he;

Ask him to come and be your man,

And hold for you that forest free.

If he refuses to do that,

 We’ll conquer both his lands and he,

 Then we’ll throw his castle down,

 And make a widow of his fair lady.’

The king called on a noble man,

James Boyd of Arran – his brother was he;

When James he came before the king

He fell before him on his knee.

‘Welcome James Boyd,’ said our noble king,

‘A message you must take for me;

You must go to Ettrick Forest,

To yon Outlaw, where dwells he.

Ask him of whom he holds his lands,

Or who may his master be;

Ask him to come and be my man,

And hold of me that forest free.

To Edinburgh to come and go

His safe-warrant I shall be;

But, if he refuses to do that,

We’ll conquer both his lands and he.

You may vow I’ll cast his castle down,

And make a widow of his fair lady;

I’ll hang his merry men pair by pair

In any wood where I may them see.’

James Boyd took his leave of the noble king,

To Ettrick Forrest fair rode fast;

Down Birkendale hillside whence he came,

He saw the forest’s trees at last.

Both doe and roe and hart and hind,

 And of all wild beasts great plenty;

 He heard the bows that boldly ring,

 And arrows flying past so swiftly.

Of the fair castle he got a sight,

Such a place he’d never been;

At the forefront of that castle

Two unicorns were seen.

The picture of a knight and a lady bright,

And the green holly upon their brow;

With them he saw five hundred men,

Shooting their bows on the knowe.

They all were in one livery clad,

Of the brightest green, so fair to see;

The knight and his lady in purple dressed;

They were proudly dressed like royalty.

Therefore he knew who was master there,

And addressed him in his right degree.

‘God save you, brave Outlaw Murray,

Your lady and all your chivalry!’

‘You are welcome here, brave noble man,

Someone’s messenger you look to be?’

‘The King of Scotland sent me here,

And good Outlaw, I’m sent to thee;

I would ask from whom you hold your lands,

And who may your master be?’

‘These lands are mine,’ the Outlaw said,

‘I have no king in any Christian land;

From the English I this forest won,

When neither king nor knights were anywhere at hand.’

‘The king desires you’ll come to Edinburgh,

 And hold of him this forest free;

 And if you refuse to do this,

 He’ll conquer both your lands and thee.

He has vowed to cast your castle down,

And make a widow of your fair lady.

He’ll hang your merry men pair by pair,

In any wood where he may catch them;’

‘I’ll tell you my truth,’ the Outlaw said,

‘And I’d be pleased if you could tell him.

Before the king my country gets,

This land that’s native soil to me,

Many of his nobles will lie cold,

Their ladies weep most grievously.’

Then spoke his lady fair of face,

She said, ‘Without consent of me

My Outlaw will not come before the king:

I fear his treachery.

Bid him be good to his lords at home,

For Edinburgh mine shall never see:’

James took his leave of the Outlaw lord,

And to Edinburgh went he.

And when he came before the king,

He fell before him on his knee:

‘Welcome, James Boyd,’ said the noble king,

‘How was the wood to which you’ve been?’

‘Ettrick Forest is the fairest wood

 That ever a man did see;

There’s the doe, the roe, the hart, the hind;

Of all wild beasts great plenty.

The Outlaw says that wood’s his own,

He won it from the English;

And as he won it, so he will keep it,

Against all the kings of Christian lands.’

‘Then prepare my horse,’ said the noble king,

‘To Ettrick Forest we will ride;’

Then he gathered up five thousand men,

And they marched to the wildwood’s side.

 Then word it went to the Outlaw chief,

 In Ettrick Forest where dwelt he,

 That the king was coming to his country,

 To conquer both his lands and he.

‘I make a vow,’ the Outlaw said,

‘I make a vow, and make it truly,

If a mere three men will take my part,

The king’s coming will cost him sorely.’

Then messengers he called up,

And bade them haste right fast:

‘One of you go to Halliday,

The laird of Corehead will be the first.

He is the son of my sister dear,

 Bid him come swift to help me;

 Say we both together need not fear,

 And tell him you say this truly.’

‘What news? What news?’ asked Halliday,

‘Man, from your master have you brought me?’

‘Not as you’d wish; he seeks your help;

The king has sworn him enmity.’

‘I’ll give that help,’ said Halliday,

 ‘Though cause for regret it may yet be;

 For if your lord should lose the forest fair,

 He’ll take fair Moffatdale from me!

I’ll join him with five hundred men,

And more, if more may be.’

The Outlaw then called another messenger,

And bid him ride right speedily.

‘To Andrew Murray of Cockpool,

That man is my dear cousin;

Ask him to come and give me aid,

With all the men that he can summon.’

‘It is hard for me,’ said Andrew Murray,

‘Judge if it is not hard on me,

To rise up against a king with a crown,

And put my lands in jeopardy.

Yet, if I come not this same day,

Then this night he shall us see.’

To Sir James Murray, lord of Traquair,

A message flew most quickly.

‘What news? What news?’ James Murray asked,

 ‘What does your master have to tell me?’

 ‘What need I tell? For well you know,

The king’s sworn him mortal enmity.

He asks you come and give him aid,

With all the men you have nearby.’

‘I pledge him this,’ James Murray said,

‘By his side I’ll live and die.

The king has stolen all my lands away,

It can be no worse for me;

And if the king wins the forest fair

We’ll all die on the Newark Lee.’

The king came down through Caddon ford,

With fifteen thousand men came he;

They saw the forest laid out there,

And thought it an awesome thing to see.

Then spoke the earl named Hamilton,

And to the noble king said he,

My sovereign prince, some counsel take,

First from your nobles, then from me.

Ask him to meet you at Penman’s Core,

And bring four with him in his company;

Five earls shall march with you before,

So that you are honoured rightly.

If he refuses to do that,

With fire and sword we’ll follow thee;

And there shall never after him be a Murray

 Who holds land in Ettrick Forest free.’

The king then called a nobleman,

Royal banner-bearer was he,

James Hope Pringle of Torsonce by name;

He came and knelt on his knee.

‘Welcome, James Pringle of Torsonce;

Be a messenger for me;

Go you to yon Outlaw Murray,

To that place where boldly yet bides he.

Bid him meet me at Penman’s Core,

And bring four of his company;

Five earls shall come there with myself,

So that I am honoured rightly.

If he refuses to do that,

Bid him expect no mercy from me;

There shall never after him be a Murray

Who holds land in Ettrick Forest free.’

James went before the Outlaw chief,

Who addressed him in his right degree:

‘Welcome, Lord Pringle of Torsonce,

What tidings from the king to me?’

‘He bids you meet him at Penman’s Core,

And bring four of your company;

Five earls will come there with the king,

No more in number will you see.

And if you refuse to do that,

He charges me to pledge thee,

That never after you will a Murray

Hold land in Ettrick Forest free.

He’ll cast your bonny castle down,

And make a widow of your fair lady,

He’ll hang your merry men pair by pair

In any wood where he may them see.’

The Outlaw chose to hear his words,

‘Two Hallidays, come with me;

Andrew Murray and Sir James Murray,

Will make the four in my company.’

When they came to Penman’s Core

They waited two long hours or three,

And then they saw the noble king ride up –

With three hundred in his company.

‘I wonder which the great, great devil

That taught noble kings to lie,

To fetch me here from among my men,

Like some poor wild dog to die;

But know you this – and mark it well

For be sure you’ll shortly see,

That before I go to Edinburgh town

Many empty saddles there will be.’

 ‘These lands of Ettrick Forest fair,

I won from the enemy with these hands;

And just as I won them, so shall I lose them,

So take them – if you can!’

All the nobles said, who rode with the king,

‘Shame so brave a man should die

Grant him mercy, sovereign prince,

Don’t slay him here in treachery!’

Said the Outlaw chief ‘I’ll lay down my arms

With the blessing of my fair lady,

If you first make me Sheriff of the Forest

And all my offspring after me.’

‘If you give me the keys to your castle,

With your fair lady’s blessing

I’ll make you Sheriff of the Forest,

If you will not after betray your king.

You shall be lord of this forest fair

As long as upwards grows the tree

and downwards the two rivers run,

If its homesteads you can name for me!’

‘But, prince, what shall happen to my men?

When I go back, traitor they will call me;

I had rather lose my life and land,

Than have my own true men rebuke me.’

‘If your merry men amend their lives

Then all their pardons I will grant you:

Now name your lands wherever they may be –

Name them true and they’ll be rendered to you.’

‘Philliphaugh it is my own,

And Newark it belongs to me;

Lewinshope and Hanginshaw

No mortal man can claim from me.’

The Tinnis and the Tinnis-burn,

Are mine too, truly so,

I have other steadings in the forest deep,

But them by name I do not know.’

The keys of the castle he gave the king,

 With the blessing of his fair lady;

He was made Sheriff of Ettrick Forest,

As long as upward grows the tree;

And, if he never betrayed his king,

Lost it should never be.

Whoever heard, in any times,

Of an Outlaw of any degree,

Who such favour won from the might of a king,

As Outlaw Murray of the forest free?”

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You can also read plenty more on the legends and mythology of the Southern Uplands in my book “The Ghosts of the Forest”.

© William Young and Inter-Celtic, 2023. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to William Young and Inter-Celtic with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.