Scott writes, in a preface to Archie o' Cafield and Jock o' the Side,
that there are, with Kinmont Willie, three ballads of rescues, "the
incidents in which nearly resemble each other; though the poetical
description is so different, that the editor did not feel himself at
liberty to reject any one of them, as borrowed from the others. As,
however, there are several verses, which, in recitation, are common to
all these three songs, the editor, to prevent unnecessary and
disagreeable repetition, has used the freedom of appropriating them to
that in which they have the best poetical effect." {129a}
Consequently the verse quoted from the Percy MS. of Archie o' Cafield
may be improved and placed in the lips of Lord Scrope, in Kinmont
Willie. But there is no evidence that Scott ever saw or even heard of
this Percy MS., and probably he got the verse from recitation.
Now the affair of the rescue of Kinmont Willie was much more important
and resonant than the two other rescues, and was certain to give rise
to a ballad, which would contain much the same formulae as the other
two.
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