Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 165.
| 1 |
As Jock the Leg and the merry merchant
Came from yon borrow's town,
They took their budgets on their backs,
And fieldert they were boun. |
| 2 |
But they came to a tavern-house,
Where chapmen used to be:
'Provide, provide,' said Jock the Leg,
'A good supper for me. |
| 3 |
'For the merry merchant shall pay it a',
Tho it were good merks three;'
'But never a penny,' said the merry merchant,
'But shot, as it fa's me. |
| 4 |
'A bed, a bed,' said the merry merchant,
'It's time to go to rest;'
'And that ye shall,' said the good goodwife,
'And your covrings o the best.' |
| 5 |
Then Jock the Leg in one chamber was laid,
The merchant in another,
And lockfast door atween them twa,
That the one might not see the other. |
| 6 |
But the merchant was not well lain down,
Nor yet well fa'en asleep,
Till up it starts him Jock the Leg,
Just at the merchant's feet. |
| 7 |
'Win up, win up,' said Jock the Leg,
'We might hae been miles three;'
'But never a foot,' said the merry merchant,
'Till day that I do see. |
| 8 |
'For I cannot go by Barnisdale,
Nor yet by Coventry;
For Jock the Leg, that common thief,
Would take my pack from me.' |
| 9 |
'I'll hae you in by Barnisdale,
And down by Coventry,
And I'll guard you frae Jock the Leg
Till day that ye do see.' |
| 10 |
When they were in by Barnisdale,
And in by Coventry,
'Repeat, repeat,' said Jock the Leg,
'The words ye ance tauld me.' |
| 11 |
'I never said aught behind your back
But what I'll say to thee;
Are ye that robber, Jock the Leg,
Will take my pack frae me?' |
| 12 |
'O by my sooth,' said Jock the Leg,
'You'll find that man I be;
Surrender that pack that's on your back,
Or then be slain by me.' |
| 13 |
He's ta'en his pack down frae his back,
Set it below yon tree;
Says, I will fight for my good pack
Till day that I may see. |
| 14 |
Then they fought there in good greenwood
Till they were bloody men;
The robber on his knees did fall,
Said, Merchant, hold your hand. |
| 15 |
'An asking, asking,' said Jock the Leg,
'An asking ye'll grant me;'
'Ask on, ask on,' said the merry merchant,
'For men to asking are free.' |
| 16 |
'I've dune little harm to you,' he said,
'More than you'd been my brother;
Give me a blast o my little wee horn,
And I'll give you another.' |
| 17 |
'A blast o your little wee horn,' he said,
'Of this I take no doubt;
I hope you will take such a blast
Ere both your eyes fly out.' |
| 18 |
He set his horn to his mouth,
And he blew loud and shrill,
And four-and-twenty bauld bowmen
Came Jock the Leg until. |
| 19 |
'Ohon, alas!' said the merry merchant,
'Alas! and woe is me!
Sae many, a party o common theifs,
But nane to party me! |
| 20 |
'Ye'll wile out six o your best bowmen,
Yourself the seventh to be,
And, put me one foot frae my pack,
My pack ye shall have free.' |
| 21 |
He wiled six o his best bowmen,
Himslef the seventh to be,
But [him] frae his pack they couldna get,
For all that they could dee. |
| 22 |
He's taen his pack into one hand,
His broadsword in the other,
And he slew five o the best bowmen,
And the sixth he has dung over. |
| 23 |
Then all the rest they gae a shout,
As they stood by the tree;
Some said they would this merchant head,
Some said they'd let him be. |
| 24 |
But Jock the Leg he then replied,
To this I'll not agree;
He is the boldest broadsword-man
That ever I fought wi. |
| 25 |
'If ye could wield the bow, the bow
As ye can do the brand,
I would hae you to good greenwood,
To be my master's man.' |
| 26 |
'Tho I could wield the bow, the bow
As I can do the brand,
I would not gang to good greenwood,
To join a robber-band.' |
| 27 |
'O give me some of your fine linen,
To cleathe my men and me,
And ye'se hae some of my dun deers' skins,
Below yon greenwood-tree.' |
| 28 |
'Ye'se hae nane o my fine linen,
To cleathe your men and thee,
And I'll hae nane o your stown deers' skins,
Below yon greenwood-tree.' |
| 29 |
'Ye'll take your pack upon your back,
And travel by land or sea;
In brough or land, wherever we meet,
Good billies we shall be.' |
| 30 |
'I'll take my pack upon my back,
And go by land or sea;
In brough or land, wherever we meet,
A rank theif I'll call thee.' |
