Buchan's Gleanings, p. 114; from a gypsy tinker, p. 199.
| 1 |
Wallace in the high highlans,
Neither meat nor drink got he;
Said, fa me life, or fa me death,
Now to some town I maun be. |
| 2 |
He's put on his short claiding,
And on his short claiding put he;
Says, Fa me life, or fa me death,
Now to Perth-town I maun be. |
| 3 |
He steped oer the river Tay,
I wat he steped on dry land;
He was aware of a well-fared maid,
Was washing there her lilie hands. |
| 4 |
'What news, what news, ye well-fared maid?
What news hae ye this day to me?'
'No news, no news, ye gentle knight,
No news hae I this day to thee,
But fifteen lords in the hostage-house
Waiting Wallace for to see.' |
| 5 |
'If I had but in my pocket
The worth of one single pennie,
I would go to the hostage-house,
And there the gentlemen to see.' |
| 6 |
She put her hand in her pocket,
And she has pulld out half-a-crown;
Says, Take ye that, ye belted knight,
'Twill pay your way till ye come down. |
| 7 |
As he went from the well-fared maid,
A beggar bold I wat met he,
Was coverd wi a clouted cloak,
And in his hand a trusty tree. |
| 8 |
'What news, what news, ye silly auld man?
What news hae ye this day to gie?'
'No news, no news, ye belted knight,
No news hae I this day to thee,
But fifteen lords in the hostage-house
Waiting Wallace for to see.' |
| 9 |
'Ye'll lend me your clouted cloak,
That covers you frae head to shie,
And I'll go to the hostage-house,
Asking there for some supplie.' |
| 10 |
Now he's gone to the West-muir wood,
And there he's pulld a trusty tree;
And then he's on to the hostage gone,
Asking there for charitie. |
| 11 |
n the stair the captain comes,
Aye the poor man for to see:
'If ye be a captain as good as ye look,
Ye'll give a poor man some supplie;
If ye be a captain as good as ye look,
A guinea this day ye'll gie to me.' |
| 12 |
'Where were ye born, ye crooked carle?
Where were ye born, in what countrie?'
In fair Scotland I was born,
Crooked carle that I be.' |
| 13 |
'I would give you fifty pounds,
Of gold and white monie,
I would give you fifty pounds,
If the traitor Wallace ye'd let me see.' |
| 14 |
'Tell down your money,' said Willie Wallace,
'Tell down your money, if it be good;
I'm sure I have it in my power,
And never had a better bode. |
| 15 |
'Tell down your money,' said Willie Wallace,
'And let me see if it be fine;
I'm sure I have it in my Ower
To bring the traitor Wallace in.' |
| 16 |
The money was told on the table,
Silver bright of pounds fiftie;
'Now here I stand,' said Willie Wallace,
'And what hae ye to say to me?' |
| 17 |
He slew the captain where he stood,
The rest they did quack and roar;
He slew the rest around the room,
And askd if there were any more. |
| 18 |
'Come, cover the table,' said Willie Wallace,
'Come, cover the table now, make haste;
For it will soon be three lang days
Sin I a bit o meat did taste.' |
| 19 |
The table was not well covered,
Nor yet was he set down to dine,
Till fifteen more of the English lords
Surrounded the house where he was in. |
| 20 |
The guidwife she ran but the floor,
And aye the guidman he ran ben;
From eight o clock till four at noon
He has killd full thirty man. |
| 21 |
He put the house in sick a swither
That five o them he sticket dead,
Five o them he drownd in the river,
And five hung in the West-muir wood. |
| 22 |
Now he is on to the North-Inch gone,
Where the maid was washing tenderlie;
'Now by my sooth,' said Willie Wallace,
'It's been a sair day's wark to me.' |
| 23 |
He's put his hand in his pocket,
And he has pulld out twenty pounds;
Says, Take ye that, ye weel-fared maid,
For the gude luck of your half-crown. |
