A chap-book of Four New Songs and a Prophecy, 1745?
The Scots Musical Museum, 1853, D. Laing's additions, IV,
458*; Maidment, Scotish Ballads and Songs, 1859, p. 83.
| 1 |
'Had we a king,' said Wallace then,
'That our kind Scots might live by their own!
But betwixt me and the English blood
I think there is an ill seed sown.' |
| 2 |
Wallace him over a river lap,
He lookd low down to a linn;
He was war of a gay lady
Was even at the well washing. |
| 3 |
'Well mot ye fare, fair madam,' he said,
'And ay well mot ye fare and see!
Have ye any tidings me to tell,
I pray you'll show them unto me.' |
| 4 |
'i have no tidings you to tell,
Nor yet no tidings you to ken;
But into that hostler's house
There's fifteen of your Englishmen. |
| 5 |
'And they are seeking Wallace there,
For they've ordained him to be slain:'
'O God forbid!' said Wallace then,
'For he's oer good a kind Scotsman. |
| 6 |
'But had I money me upon,
And evn this day, as I have none,
Then would I to that hostler's house,
And evn as fast as I could gang.' |
| 7 |
She put her hand in her pocket,
She told him twenty shillings oer her knee;
Then he took off both hat and hood,
And thankd the lady most reverently. |
| 8 |
'If eer I come this way again,
Well paid [your] money it shall be;'
Then he took off both hat and hood,
And he thankd the lady most reverently. |
| 9 |
He leand him twofold oer a staff,
So did he threefold oer a tree,
And he's away to the hostler's house,
Even as fast as he might dree. |
| 10 |
When he came to the hostler's house,
He said, Good-ben be here! quoth he:
An English captain, being deep load,
He asked him right cankerdly, |
| 11 |
Where was you born, thou crooked carle,
And in what place, and what country?
'Tis I was born in fair Scotland,
A crooked carle although I be.' |
| 12 |
The English captain swore by th' rood,
'We are Scotsmen as well as thee,
And we are seeking Wallace; then
To have him merry we should be.' |
| 13 |
'The man,' said Wallace, 'ye're looking for,
I seed him within these days three;
And he has slain an English captain,
And ay the fearder the rest may be.' |
| 14 |
'I'd give twenty shillings,' said the captain,
'To such a crooked carle as thee,
If you would take me to the place
Where that I might proud Wallace see.' |
| 15 |
'Hold out your hand,' said Wallace then,
'And show your money and be free,
For tho you'd bid an hundred pound,
I never bade a better bode'[, said he]. |
| 16 |
He struck the captain oer the chafts,
Till that he never chewed more;
He stickd the rest about the board,
And left them all a sprawling there. |
| 17 |
'Rise up, goodwife,' said Wallace then,
'And give me something for to eat;
For it's near two days to an end
Since I tasted one bit of meat.' |
| 18 |
His board was scarce well covered,
Nor yet his dine well scantly dight,
Till fifteen other Englishmen
Down all about the door did light. |
| 19 |
'Come out, come out,' said they, 'Wallace!' then,
'For the day is come that ye must die;'
And they thought so little of his might,
But ay the fearder they might be. |
| 20 |
The wife ran but, the gudeman ran ben,
It put them all into a fever;
Then five he sticked where they stood,
And five he trampled in the gutter. |
| 21 |
And five he chased to yon green wood,
He hanged them all out-oer a grain;
And gainst the morn at twelve o'clock,
He dined with his kind Scottish men. |
