A collection of ancient and modern Scottish ballads, etc

Our King has written a braid letter.
And sign'd it wi' his hand.
And sent it to Sir Patrick Spens,
Was walking on the strand.
^' To Noroway, to Noroway,
To Noroway o'er the faem ;
The King's daughter o' Noroway,
It's thou maun bring her hame."
The first word that Sir Patrick read,
Sae loud loud laughed he j
The neist word that Sir Patrick readj
The tear blinded his e'e.
^' O wha is this has done this deed.
And tauld the King o me.
To send us out at this time o' the year *
To sail upon the sea ?
*•' Be it wind, be it weet, be it hail, be it sleet.
Our ship maun sail the faem
The King's daughter o' Noroway,
It's we maun fetch her hame."
* At a later period than that which may be supposed the
era of this expedition, so insufficient were the Scottish ships,
so unskilful the mariners and so many shipwrecks happened
from these causes, that James III. enacted a law, prohibiting
all vessels from being navigated "Fra the feast of St Simon's
day and Jude, unto the feast of the purificatfon of our Lady,
called Candehness."— " It is somewhat remarkable," says
Arnot, " tliat there are but three celebrated captains mentioned
in Scottish story, Sir Patrick Spence, Sir Andrew
Wood, and Andrew Barton, of whom the two first perished
in storms, the last in a naval engagement with the English."
— Ilist, of Edinburgh-,
;