Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 213: from the recitation of Mrs.
Thomson, Kilbarchan.
| 1 |
O Johnie's to the hunting gone,
Unto the woods sae wild,
And Earl Percy's old daughter
To Johnie goes with child. |
| 2 |
O word is to the kitchen gone,
And word is to the ha,
And word is to the highest towers,
Amang the nobles a'. |
| 3 |
'If she be with child,' her father said,
'As woe forbid it be,
I'll put her into a prison strong,
And try the veritie.' |
| 4 |
'But if she be with child,' her mother said,
'As woe forbid it be,
I'll put her intil a dungeon dark,
And hunger her till she die.' |
| 5 |
Then she has wrote a braid letter,
And sealed it wi her hand,
And sent T to the merry green wood,
Wi her own boy at command. |
| 6 |
The first line of the letter he read,
His heart was full of joy;
But he had not read a line past two
Till the salt tears blind his eye. |
| 7 |
'O I must up to England go,
What ever me betide,
For to relieve that fair ladie
That lay last by my side.' |
| 8 |
Out and spak his father then,
And he spak all in time:
Johnie, if ye to England go,
I fear ye'll neer return. |
| 9 |
But out and spak his uncle then,
And he spak bitterlie:
Five hundred of my good life-guards
Shall go along with thee. |
| 10 |
When they were mounted on their steeds,
They were comely to behold;
The hair that hung owre Johnie's shoulders
Was like the yellow gold. |
| 11 |
The first town that they came to,
They made the bells to ring;
And when they rode the town all owre,
They made the trumpets sound. |
| 12 |
When they came to Earl Percy's gates,
They rode them round about,
And who saw he but his own true-love,
At a window looking out! |
| 13 |
'The doors they are bolted with iron and steel,
The windows round about;
My feet they are in fetters strong;
And how can I get out? |
| 14 |
'My garters they are of the lead,
And oh but they be cold!
My breast-plate's of the beaten steel,
Instead of beaten gold.' |
| 15 |
But when they came to Earl Percy's yett,
They tirled at the pin;
None was so ready as Earl Percy
To open and let them in. |
| 16 |
'Art thou the King of Aulsberry,
Or art thou the King of Spain?
Or art thou one of our gay Scots lords,
McNachtan by thy name?' |
| 17 |
'I'm not the King of Aulsberry,
Nor yet the King of Spain;
But I am one of our gay Scots lords,
Johnie Scot I am called by name.' |
| 18 |
'If Johnnie Scot be thy name,' he said,
'As I trow weel it be,
The fairest lady in a' our court
Gaes big with child to thee.' |
| 19 |
'If she be with child,' fair Johnie said,
'As I trow weel she be,
I'll make it heir owre a' my land,
And her my gay ladie.' |
| 20 |
'But if she be with child,' her father said,
'As I trow weel she be,
Tomorrow morn again eight o clock
High hanged thou shalt be.' |
| 21 |
But out and spak his uncle then,
And he spak bitterlie:
Before that we see Johnie Scot slain,
We'll a' fight till we die. |
| 22 |
'But is there ever a Tailliant about your court,
That will fight duels three?
Before that I be hanged or slain,
On the Tailliant's sword I'll die.' |
| 23 |
But some is to the good green wood,
And some is to the plain,
Either to see fair Johnie hanged,
Or else to see him slain. |
| 24 |
And they began at eight o clock of the morning,
And they fought on till three,
Till the Tailliant, like a swallow swift,
Owre Johnie's head did flee. |
| 25 |
But Johnie being a clever young boy,
He wheeled him round about,
And on the point of Johnie's broad sword
The Tailliant he slew out. |
| 26 |
'A priest, a priest,' fair Johnie cried,
'To wed my love and me;'
'A clerk, a clerk,' her father cried,
'To sum the tocher free.' |
| 27 |
'I'll have non of your gold,' fair Johnie said,
'Nor none of your white monie;
But I will have my own fair bride,
For I vow that I've bought her dear.' |
| 28 |
He's taen his true-love by the hand,
He led her up the plain:
'Have you any more of your English dogs
You want for to have slain?' |
| 29 |
He took a little horn out of his pocket,
He blew it baith loud and shill,
And honour's into Scotland gone,
In spite of England's skill. |
