'Lang Johnny Moir,' Buchan's Ballads of
the North of Scotland, I, 248.
| 1 |
There lives a man in Rynie's land,
Anither in Auchindore,
The bravest lad amo them a'
Was lang Johnny Moir. |
| 2 |
Young Johnny was an airy blade,
Fu sturdy, stout, and strang;
The sword that hang by Johnny's side
Was just full ten feet lang. |
| 3 |
Young Johnny was a clever youth,
Fu sturdy, stout, and wight,
Just full three yards around the waist,
And fourteen feet in hight. |
| 4 |
But if a' be true they tell me now,
And a' be true I hear,
Young Johnny's on to Lundan gane,
The king's banner to bear. |
| 5 |
He hadna been in fair Lundan
But twalmonths twa or three
Till the fairest lady in a' Lundan
Fell in love wi young Johnny. |
| 6 |
This news did sound thro Lundan town,
Till it came to the king
That the muckle Scot had fa'in in love
Wi his daughter, Lady Jean. |
| 7 |
Whan the king got word o that,
A solemn oath sware he,
This weighty Scot sall strait a rope,
And hanged he shall be. |
| 8 |
When Johnny heard the sentence past,
A light laugh then gae he:
'While I hae strength to wield my blade,
Ye darena a' hang me.' |
| 9 |
The English dogs were cunning rogues;
About him they did creep,
And gae him draps o lodomy
That laid him fast asleep. |
| 10 |
pwhan Johnny wakend frae his sleep
A sorry heart had he;
His jaws and hands in iron bands,
His feet in fetters three. |
| 11 |
'O whar will I get a little wee boy
Will work for meat and fee,
That will rin on to my uncle,
At the foot of Benachie?' |
| 12 |
'Here am I, a little wee boy
Will work for meat and fee,
That will rin on to your uncle,
At the foot of Benachie.' |
| 13 |
'Whan ye come whar grass grows green,
Slack your shoes and rin;
And whan ye come whar water's strong,
Ye'll bend your bow and swim. |
| 14 |
'And whan ye come to Benachie
Ye'll neither chap nor ca;
Sae well 's ye'll ken auld Johnny there,
Three feet abeen them a'. |
| 15 |
'Ye'll gie to him this braid letter,
Seald wi my faith and troth,
And ye'll bid him bring alang wi him
The body Jock o Noth.' |
| 16 |
Whan he came whar grass grew green,
He slackt his shoes and ran;
And whan he came whar water's strong
He bent his bow and swam. |
| 17 |
And whan he came to Benachie
Did neither chap nor ca;
Sae well 's he kent auld Johnny there,
Three feet abeen them a'. |
| 18 |
'What news, what news, my little wee boy?
Ye never were here before;'
'Nae news, nae news, but a letter from
Your nephew, Johnny Moir. |
| 19 |
'Ye'll take here this braid letter,
Seald wi his faith and troth,
And ye're bidden bring along wi you
The body Jock o Noth.' |
| 20 |
Benachie lyes very low,
The tap o Noth lyes high;
For a' the distance that's between,
He heard auld Johnny cry. |
| 21 |
Whan on the plain these champions met,
Twa grizly ghosts to see,
There were three feet between their brows,
And shoulders were yards three. |
| 22 |
These men they ran ower hills and dales,
And ower mountains high,
Till they came on to Lundan town,
At the dawn o the third day. |
| 23 |
And whan they came to Lundan town
The yetts were lockit wi bands,
And wha were there but a trumpeter,
Wi trumpet in his hands? |
| 24 |
'What is the matter, ye keepers all?
Or what's the matter within
That the drums do beat and bells do ring,
And make sic dolefu din?' |
| 25 |
'There's naething the matter,' the keeper said,
'There's naething the matter to thee,
But a weighty Scot to strait the rope,
And the morn he maun die.' |
| 26 |
'O open the yetts, ye proud keepers,
Ye'll open without delay;'
The trembling keeper, smiling, said,
'O I hae not the key.' |
| 27 |
'Ye'll open the yetts, ye proud keepers,
Ye'll open without dealy,
Or here is a body at my back
Frae Scotland has brought the key.' |
| 28 |
'Ye'll open the yetts,' says Jock o Noth,
'Ye'll open them at my call;'
Then wi his foot he has drove in
Three yards braid o the wall. |
| 29 |
As they gaed in by Drury Lane,
And down by the town's hall,
And there they saw young Johnny Moir
Stand on their English wall |
| 30 |
'Ye're welcome here, my uncle dear,
Ye're welcome unto me;
Ye'll loose the knot, and slack the rope,
And set me frae the tree.' |
| 31 |
'Is it for murder, or for theft?
Or is it for rooberie?
If it is for ony heinous crime,
There's nae remeid for thee.' |
| 32 |
'It's nae for murder, nor for theft,
Nor yet for robberie;
A' is for loving a gay lady
They're gaun to gar me die.' |
| 33 |
'O whar's thy sword,' says Jock o Noth,
Ye brought frae Scotland wi thee?
I never saw a scotsman yet
But coud wield a sword or tree.' |
| 34 |
'A pox upo their lodomy,
On me had sic a sway
Four o their men, the bravest four,
They bore my blade away.' |
| 35 |
'Bring back his blade,' says Jock o Noth,
'And freely to him it gie,
Or I hae sworn a black Scot's oath
I'll gar five million die. |
| 36 |
'Now whar's the lady?' says Jock o Noth,
'Sae fain I woud her see;'
'She's lockd up in her ain chamber,
The king he keeps the key.' |
| 37 |
So they hae gane before the king,
With courage bauld and free;
Their armour bright cast sic a light
That almost dim'd his ee. |
| 38 |
'O whar's the lady?' says Jock o Noth,
'Sae fain as I woud her see;
For we are come to her wedding,
Frae the foot o benachie.' |
| 39 |
'O take the lady,' said the king,
'Ye welcome are for me;
I never thought to see sic men,
Frae the foot o Benachie.' |
| 40 |
'If I had kend,' said Jock o Noth,
'Ye'd wonderd sae muckle at me,
I woud hae brought ane larger far
By sizes three times three. |
| 41 |
'Likewise if I had thought I'd been
Sic a great fright to thee,
I'd brought Sir John o Erskine Park;
He's thretty feet and three.' |
| 42 |
'Wae to the little boy,' said the king,
'Brought tidings unto thee!
Let all England say what they will,
High hang d shall he be.' |
| 43 |
'O if you hang the little wee boy
Brought tidings unto me,
We shall attend his burial,
And rewarded ye shall be.' |
| 44 |
'O take the lady,' said the king,
'And the boy shall be free;'
'A priest, a priest,' then Johnny cried,
'To join my love and me.' |
| 45 |
'A clerk, a clerk,' the king replied,
'To seal her tocher wi thee;'
Out it speaks auld Johnny then,
These words pronounced he: |
| 46 |
'I want nae lands and rents at hame,
I'll ask nae gows frae thee;
I am possessd o riches great,
Hae fifty ploughs and three;
Likewise fa's heir to ane estate
At the foot o Benachie. |
| 47 |
'Hae ye ony masons in this place,
Or ony at your call,
That ye may now send some o them
To build your broken wall?' |
| 48 |
'Yes, there are masons in this place,
And plenty at my call;
But ye may gang frae whence ye came,
Never mind my broken wall.' |
| 49 |
They've taen the lady by the hand
And set her prison-free;
Wi drums beating, and fifes playing,
They spent the night wi glee. |
| 50 |
Now auld Johnny Moir, and young Johnny Moir,
And Jock o Noth, a' three,
The English lady, and little wee boy,
Went a' to Benachie. |
