Somewhere from the depths I seem to recall that the story in the ballad related to the mother of the so called Maid of Norway. Her father Alexander 111 did not attend the wedding, held in Norway, sending a number of Lords as his representatives in a fine new ship built for the occasion.
Later historians giving dates for the fatal return of this party may have been influenced by the ballad, or there may be written details in old chronicals.
Sir Patrick Spens was to take her hame ie. Norway was to become her home from that time. "The Kings Dochter tae Noroway tis thou mun tak her hame"