ch had reached him during his long confinement.
This led to the discovery of the whole story, but in those disorderly
times it was only laughed at as a fair _ruse de guerre_.[105]

The victim of this extraordinary stratagem was Sir Alexander Gibson,
better known as Lord Durie. He became a Lord of Session in 1621, and died
in 1646, so that the incident here related must have taken place betwixt
these periods.

The version of this incident, given in the well, known ballad "Christie's
Will," if not so romantic as the foregoing, is certainly more amusing. The
balladist represents Lord Traquair as "sitting mournfullie," afraid lest
the vote of the Court of Session would make him bare at once of land and
living--

"But if auld Durie to heaven were flown,
Or if auld Durie to hell were gane,
Or ... if he could be but ten days stoun ...
My bonnie braid lands would still be my ain.

At this juncture Christie's Will offers his services--

"O, mony a time, my Lord," he said,
"I've stown the horse frae the sleeping loun;
But for you I'll steal a beast as braid,
For I'll steal Lord Durie frae Edinburgh toun."

"O, mony a time, my Lord," he said,
"I've stown a kiss frae a sleeping wench;
But for you I'll do as kittle a deed,
For I'll steal an auld lurdane off the bench."

He lighted at Lord Durie's door,
And there he knocked maist manfullie;
And up and spake Lord Durie sae stour,
"What tidings, thou stalwart groom, to me?"

"The fairest lady in Teviotdale,
Has sent, maist reverent sir, for thee.
She pleas at the Session for her land a' hail,
And fain she would plead her cause to thee."

"But how can I to that lady ride
With saving of my dignitie?"
"O a curch and mantle ye may wear,
And in my cloak ye sall muffled be."

Wi' curch on head, and cloak ower face,
He mounted the judge on a palfrey fyne;
He rode away, a right round pace,
And Christie's Will held the bridle reyne.

The Lothian Edge they were not o'er,
When they heard bugles bauldly ring,
And, hunting over Middleton Moor,
They met, I ween, our noble king.

When Willie looked upon our king,
I wot a frightened man was he!
But ever auld Durie was startled more,
For tyning of his dignitie.

The king he crossed himself, I wis,
When as the pair came riding bye--
"An uglier croon, and a sturdier loon,
I think, were never seen with eye."