Then he tuik aff a gay gold ring,
  Thereat hang signets three;
  “Hae, take thee that, mine ain dear thing,
  And still hae mind o’ me;
  But, if thou take another lord,
  Ere I come ower the sea—­
  His life is but a three day’s lease,
  Tho’ I may not stay wi’ thee.”

  The wind was fair, the ship was clear,
  That good lord went away;
  And most part of his friends were there,
  To give him a fair convey. 
  They drank the wine, they did na spair,
  Even in that gude lord’s sight—­
  Sae now he’s o’er the floods sae gray,
  And Lord Maxwell has ta’en his Goodnight.

[Footnote 197:  Bangisters—­The prevailing party.]

NOTES ON LORD MAXWELL’S GOODNIGHT.

* * * * *

  Adieu!  Drumlanrig, &c.—­P. 268. v. 1.

The reader will perceive, from the Introduction, what connection the bond, subscribed by Douglas of Drumlanrig, Kirkpatrick of Closeburn, and Grierson of Lagg, had with the death of Lord Maxwell’s father.  For the satisfaction of those, who may be curious as to the form of these bonds, I have transcribed a letter of manrent,[198] from a MS. collection of upwards of twenty deeds of that nature, copied from the originals by the late John Syme, Esq. writer to the signet; for the use of which, with many other favours of a similar nature, I am indebted to Dr. Robert Anderson of Edinburgh.  The bond is granted by Thomas Kirkpatrick of Closeburn, to Robert, Lord Maxwell, father of him who was slain at the battle of the Dryffe Sands.

[Footnote 198:  The proper spelling is manred.  Thus, in the romance of Florice and Blancheflour—­

“He wil falle to thi fot, “And bicom thi man gif be mot; “His manred thou schalt afonge, “and the trewthe of his honde.”

BOND OF MANRENT.

“Be it kend till all men be thir present lettres, me Thomas Kirkpatrik of Closburn, to be bundin and oblist, and be the tenor heirof, bindis and oblissis me be the faith and treuth of my body, in manrent and service to ane nobil and mychty lord, Robert Lord Maxwell, induring all the dayis of my lyfe; and byndis and oblissis me, as said is, to be leill and trew man and servand to the said Robert Lord Maxwell, my master, and sall nowthir heir nor se his skaith, but sall lat the samyn at my uter power, an warn him therof.  And I sall conceill it that the said lord schawis to me, and sall gif him agane the best leill and trew counsale that I can, quhen he ony askis at me; and that I sall ryde with my kin, freyndis, servandis, and allies, that wil do for me, or to gang with the said lord; and do to him aefauld, trew, and thankful service, and take aefauld playne part with the said lord, my maister, in all and sindry his actionis, causis, querrellis, leful and honest, movit, or to