Motherwell's Note-Book, p. 35, Motherwell Manuscript, p. 394;
from the singing of Agnes Lyle, of Kilbarchan, 24 August,
1825.
| 1 |
Johnie Scott's a hunting gone,
To England woods so wild,
Until the king's old dochter dear
She goes to him with child. |
| 2 |
'If she be with bairn,' her mother says,
'As I trew weel she be,
We'll put her in a dark dungeon,
And hunger her till she die.' |
| 3 |
'If she be with bairn,' her father says,
'As oh forbid she be!
We'll put her in a prison strong,
And try the veritie.' |
| 4 |
The king did write a long letter,
Sealed it with his own hand,
And he sent it to Johnie Scot,
To speak at his command. |
| 5 |
When Johnie read this letter long,
The tear blindit his ee:
'I must away to Old England;
King Edward writes for me.' |
| 6 |
Out and spak his mother dear,
She spoke aye in time:
Son, if thou go to Old England,
I fear thou'll neer come hame. |
| 7 |
Out and spoke a Scotish prince,
And a weel spoke man was he:
Here's four and twenty o my braw troops,
To bear thee companie. |
| 8 |
Away they gade, awa they rade,
Away they rade so slie;
There was not a maried man that day
In Johnie's companie. |
| 9 |
The first good town that they passed thro,
They made their bells to ring;
The next good town that they passed thro,
They made their music sing. |
| 10 |
The next gude town that they passed thro,
They made their drums beat round,
The king and a' his gay armies
Admiring at the sound. |
| 11 |
When they came to the king's court,
They travelled round about,
And there he spied his own true-love,
At a window looking out. |
| 12 |
'O fain wald I come down,' she says,
'Of that ye needna dout;
But my garters they're of cauld, cauld iron,
And I can no win out. |
| 13 |
'My garters they're of cauld, cauld iron,
And it is very cold;
My breast-plate is of sturdy steel,
Instead o beaten gold.' |
| 14 |
Out and spoke the king himsell,
And an angry man was he:
The fairest lady in a' my court,
She goes with child to thee. |
| 15 |
'If your old doughter be with child,
As I trew weel she be,
I'le make it heir of a' my land,
And her my gay lady.' |
| 16 |
'There is a Talliant in my court,
This day he's killed three;
And gin the morn by ten o'clock
He'll kill thy men and thee.' |
| 17 |
Johnie took sword into his hand,
And walked cross the plain;
There was many a weeping lady there,
To see young Johnie slain. |
| 18 |
The Talliant, never knowing this,
Now he'll be Johnie's dead,
But, like unto a swallow swift,
He flew out owre his head. |
| 19 |
Johnie was a valliant man,
Weel taught in war was he,
And on the point of his broad sword
The Talliant stickit he. |
| 20 |
Johnie took sword into his hand,
And walked cross the plain:
'Are there here any moe of your English dogs
That's wanting to be slain? |
| 21 |
'A priest, a priest,' young Johnie cries,
'To wed my bride and me;'
'A clerk, a clerk,' her father cried,
'To tell her tocher wi.' |
| 22 |
'I'm wanting none of your gold,' he says,
'As little of your gear;
But give me just mine own true-love,
I think I've won her dear.' |
| 23 |
Johnie sets horn into his mouth,
And he blew loud and schrill;
The honour it's to Scotland come,
Sore against England's will. |
