P. 878 b. Another copy of the Breton ballad,
'Lézobré,' in Quellien, Chansons et Danses des
Bretons, 1889, p. 65.
379 ff.
"Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy," No
4 a, Abbotsford; in the handwriting of William Laidlaw.
| 1 |
Young Johnie's up to England gane
Three quarters of a year;
Young Johnie's up to England gane,
The king's banner for to bear. |
| 2 |
But he had not in England been
The one half of the time
Till the fairest laidy in all the court
Was going with child to him. |
| 3 |
Word unto the kitchen's gane,
And word's to the hall,
And word unto the court has gane,
Among the nobles all. |
| 4 |
And word unto the chamber's gane,
The place where the king sat,
That his only daughter is with child
To Johnie, the little Scott. |
| 5 |
'If this be true,' then sais the king,
'As I true well it be,
I'll put hir in a strong castle,
And hungre hir till she dee.' |
| 6 |
Hir breast-plate was made of iron,
In place of the beaten gold,
A belt of steel about hir waist,
And O but she was cold! |
| 7 |
'O where will I get a pritty little boy,
That will win hoes and shoon,
That will go doun to yonder lee
And tell my Johnie to come?' |
| 8 |
'Here am I, a pritty little boy,
That will win hoes and shoon,
And I'll go doun to yonder lee
And tell young Johnie to come.' |
| 9 |
She has wrote a brod letter,
And seald it tenderly,
And she has sent it to Johnie the Scott,
That lay on yonder lee. |
| 10 |
When Johnie first the letter got,
A blith, blith man was he;
But or he read the half of it
The salt teer blind Johnie's ee. |
| 11 |
'I will go to fair England,' says he,
'What ever may betide,
For to releave that gay laidy
Who last lay by my side.' |
| 12 |
Up then spoke his old mother,
A sorrifull woman was she;
'If you go to England, John,
I'll never see you mare.' |
| 13 |
Up then spoke Johnie's father,
His head was growing gray;
'If you go to England, John,
O fair you well for me!' |
| 14 |
Up then spoke Johnie's uncle,
Our Scottish king was he;
'Five hundred of my merry men
Shall bear you company.' |
| 15 |
When Johnie was mounted on his steed
He looked wondorous bold,
The hair that oer his shouldiers hang
Like threeds of yellow gold. |
| 16 |
'Now come along with me, my men,
O come along with me,
We'l blow thier castles in the air,
And set free my gay laidy.' |
| 17 |
The first gay town that they came to,
Made mass for to be sung;
The nixt gay town that they came to,
Made bells for to be rung. |
| 18 |
But when they came to London town,
They made the drums beat round,
Who made the king and all his court
To wonder at the sound. |
| 19 |
'Is this the Duke of Mulberry,
Or James the Scottish king?
Or is it a young gentleman
To England new come home?' |
| 20 |
'It is not the Duke of Mulberry,
Nor James the Scottish [king];
But it is a young gentleman,
MacNaughten is his name.' |
| 21 |
'If MacNaughten be your name,' says the king,
'As I true well it be,
Before the morn at eight o clock
Dead hanged you shall be.' |
| 22 |
Up bespoke one of Johnie's little boys,
And a well-spoke boy was he;
'Before we see our master hangd,
We'l all fight till we dee.' |
| 23 |
'Well spoke, well spoke, my little boy,
That is well spoke of thee;
But I have a champian in my bower
That will fight you three by three.' |
| 24 |
Up then spoke Johnie himself,
And he spoke manfully;
'If it please your Majesty,
May I this champian see?' |
| 25 |
The king and all his nobles then
Bode down unto the plain,
The queen and all [her] gay marries,
To see young Johnie slain. |
| 26 |
When the champian came out of the bower,
He looked at Johnie with disdain;
But upon the tope of Johnie's brodsword
This champian soon was slain. |
| 27 |
He fought on, and Johnie fought on,
With swords of tempered steel,
And ay the blood like dropes of rain
Came trinkling down thier hiel. |
| 28 |
The very nixt stroke that Johnie gave,
He brought him till his knee;
The nixt stroke that Johnie gave,
He clove his head in twa. |
| 29 |
He swapt his sword on every side,
And turned him on the plain:
'Have you any more of your English dogs
That wants for to be slain?' |
| 30 |
'A clerk, a clerk!' the king he crys,
'I'll seal her taucher free;'
'A priest, a priest!' the queen she crys,
'For weded they shall be.' |
| 31 |
'I'll have none of your [gold],' say[s] he,
'Nor any of your white money;
But I will have my ain true-love;
This day she has cost me dear.' |
"Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy," No 37,
Abbotsford, Manuscript of Thomas Wilkie, p. 11; from Miss Nancy
Brockie, Bemerside. Another copy, "Scotch Ballads," etc., No 139,
in the handwriting of T. Wilkie, and somewhat retouched by
him.
| 1 |
Lord Jonnie's up to England gone
Three quarters of an year;
Lord Jonnie's up to England gone,
The king's banner to bear. |
| 2 |
He had not been in fair England,
Three quarters he was not,
Till the king's eldest daughter
Goes with child to Lord Jonnie Scott. |
| 3 |
Word is to the kitchen gone,
And word's gone to the hall,
And word's gone to the high, high room,
Among the nobles all. |
| 4 |
Word's gone to the king himsel,
In the chamber where he sat,
That his eldest daughter goes with child
To Lord Jonnie Scott. |
| 5 |
'If that be true,' the king replied,
'As I suppose it be,
I'll put her in a prison strong,
And starve her till she die.' |
| 6 |
'O where will I get a little boy,
That has baith hose and shoon,
That will run into fair Scotland,
And tell my love to come?' |
| 7 |
'O here is a shirt, little boy,
Her own hand sewed the sleeve;
Tell her to come to good greenwood,
Not ask her father's leave.' |
| 8 |
'What news, what news, my little boy?
What news have ye brought to me?'
'No news, no news, my master dear,
But what I will tell thee. |
| 9 |
'O here is a shirt, madam,
Your awn hand sewed the sleeve;
You must gang to good greenwood,
Not ask your parents' leave.' |
| 10 |
'My doors they are all shut, little boy,
My windows round about;
My feet is in the fetters strong,
And I cannot get out. |
| 11 |
'My garters are of the black, black iron,
And O but they are cold!
My breast-plate's o the strong, strong steel,
Instead of beaten gold. |
| 12 |
'But tell him for to bide away,
And not come near to me,
For there's a champion in my father's ha
Will fight him till he dee.' |
| 13 |
'What news, what news, my little boy?
What news have ye to me?'
'No news, no news, my master dear,
But what I will tell thee. |
| 14 |
'Her doors they are all shut, kind sir,
Her windows round about;
Her feet are in the fetters strong,
And she cannot get out. |
| 15 |
'Her garters are of the black, black iron,
And but they are cold!
Her breast-plate's of the strong, strong steel,
Instead of beaten gold. |
| 16 |
'She bids you for to bide away,
And not go near to see,
For there's a champion in her father's house
Will fight you till you die.' |
| 17 |
Then up and spoke Lord Jonnie's mother,
But she spoke out of time;
'O if you go to fair England
I fear you will be slain.' |
| 18 |
But up and spoke a little boy,
Just at Lord Jonnie's knee,
'Before you lose your ain true-love,
We'll a' fight till we die.' |
| 19 |
The first church-town that they came to,
They made the bells be rung;
The next church-town that they came to,
The[y] gard the mass be sung. |
| 20 |
The next church-town that they came to,
They made the drums go through;
The king and all his nobles stood
Amazing for to view. |
| 21 |
'Is this any English gentleman,
Or James our Scottish king?
Or is it a Scottish gentleman,
To England new come in?' |
| 22 |
'No, 't is no English gentleman,
Nor James the Scottish king;
But it is a Scottish gentleman,
Lord Jonnie is my name.' |
| 23 |
'If Lord Jonnie be your name,
As I suppose it be,
I have a champion in my hall
Will fight you till you die.' |
| 24 |
'O go fetch out that gurrley fellow,
Go fetch him out to me;
Before I lose my ain true-love,
We'll all fight till we die.' |
| 25 |
Then out and came that gurrly fellow,
A gurrly fellow was he,
With twa lang sclasps between his eyes,
His shoulders there were three. |
| 26 |
The king and all his nobles stood
To see the battle gained;
The queen and all her maries stood
To see Lord Jonnie slain. |
| 27 |
The first stroke that Lord Jonnie gave,
He wounded very sore;
The next stroke that Lord Jonnie gave,
The champion could fight no more. |
| 28 |
He's taen a whistle out from his side,
He's blawn a blast loud and shill:
'Is there any more of your English dogs
To come here and be killed?' |
| 29 |
'A clerk, a clerk!' the king did say,
'To cry her toucher free;'
'A priest, a priest!' Lord Jonnie [did] cry
'To wed my love and me. |
| 30 |
''T was for none of your monnie I fought,
Nor for none of your world's gear;
But it was for my own true-love;
I think I've bought her dear.' |
"This song (L. Jonnie) I took down from the same
girl who sung Hughie Graeme."
"Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy," No
140, Abbotsford; in the handwriting of James Hogg, who
remarks at the end: "The repeater of the above song called
the hero once or twice Johny Scott, which I ommitted in the
Manuscript, seeing it contradicted in the 22 verse. I thought it
best to apprise you of this, in case you might find any tract
of its being founded on fact, because, if it is not, it hath
little else to reccomend it."
| 1 |
O Johny's up thro England gane
Three quarters of a year,
An Johny's up thro England gane,
The king's banner to bear. |
| 2 |
He had not been in London town
But a very little while
Till the fairest lady in the court
By Johny gaes wi child. |
| 3 |
But word is to the kitchin gane,
An word's gane to the ha,
An word's gane to yon high, high court,
Amang our nobles a'. |
| 4 |
An when the king got wit o that
An angry man was he:
'On the highest tree in a' the wood
High hangit shall he be! |
| 5 |
'An for the lady, if it's true,
As I do fear it be,
I'll put her in yon castle strong,
An starve her till she die.' |
| 6 |
But Johny had a clever boy,
A clever boy was he,
O Johny had a clever boy,
His name was Gregory. |
| 7 |
'O run, my boy, to yon castle,
All windows round about,
An there you'l see a fair lady,
At a window looking out. |
| 8 |
'Ye maun bid her take this silken sark
Her ain hand sewd the gare
An bid her come to the green wood,
For Johny waits her there.' |
| 9 |
Away he ran to yon castle,
All windows round about,
Where he espy'd a lady fair,
At a window looking out.
|
| 10 |
'O madam, there's a silken sark
Your ain hand sewd the gare
An haste ye to the good green wood,
For Johny waits you there.' |
| 11 |
'O I'm confin'd in this castle,
Though lighted round about;
My feet are bound with fetters strong,
That I cannot win out. |
| 12 |
'My gartens are of stubborn era,
Alas! baith stiff and cold;
My breastplate of the sturdy steel,
Instead of beaten gold. |
| 13 |
'Instead of silken stays, my boy,
With steel I'm lac'd about;
My feet are bound with fetters strong,
And how can I get out? |
| 14 |
'But tell him he must stay at home,
Nor venture here for me;
Else an Italian in our court
Must fight him till he die.' |
| 15 |
When Johny he got wit o that,
An angry man was he:
'But I will gae wi a' my men
My dearest dear to see.' |
| 16 |
But up then spake a noble lord,
A noble lord was he;
' The best of a' my merry men
Shall bear you company.' |
| 17 |
But up then spake his auld mother,
I wat wi meikle pain;
' If ye will gae to London, son,
Ye'l neer come back again.' |
| 18 |
But Johny turnd him round about,
I wat wi meikle pride:
' But I will gae to London town,
Whatever may betide.' |
| 19 |
When they were a' on horseback set,
How comely to behold!
For a' the hairs o Johny's head
Did shine like threads o gold. |
| 20 |
The first ae town that they gaed through,
They gart the bells be rung,
But the neist town that they gaed through
They gart the mass be sung. |
| 21 |
But when they gaed to London town
The trumpets loud were blown,
Which made the king and a' his court
To marvel at the sound. |
| 22 |
'Is this the Duke of Morebattle?
Or James the Scottish king?'
'No, sire, I'm a Scottish lord,
McNaughten is my name.' |
| 23 |
'If you be that young Scottish lord,
As I believe you be,
The fairest lady in my court
She gaes wi child by thee.' |
| 24 |
'And if she be with child by me,
As I think sae may be,
It shall be heir of a' my land,
And she my gay lady.' |
| 25 |
'O no, O no,' the king reply'd,
'That thing can never be,
For ere the morn at ten o clock
I'll slay thy men an thee. |
| 26 |
'A bold Italian in my court
Has vanquishd Scotchmen three,
And ere the morn at ten o cloc
I'm sure he will slay thee.' |
| 27 |
But up then spake young Johny's boy,
A clever boy was he;
'O master, ere that you be slain,
There's mae be slain than thee.' |
| 28 |
The king and all his court appeard
Neist morning on the plain,
The queen and all her ladies came
To see youn[g] Johny slain. |
| 29 |
Out then stepd the Italian bold,
And they met on the green;
Between his shoulders was an ell,
A span between his een. |
| 30 |
When Johny in the list appeard,
Sae young and fair to see,
A prayer staw frae ilka heart,
A tear frae ilka ee. |
| 31 |
And lang they fought, and sair they fought,
Wi swords o temperd steel,
Until the blood like draps o rain
Came trickling to their heal. |
| 32 |
But Johny was a wannle youth,
And that he weel did show;
For wi a stroke o his broad sword
He clove his head in two. |
| 33 |
'A priest, a priest!' then Johny cry'd,
'To wed my love and me;'
'A clerk, a clerk!' the king reply'd,
'To write her tocher free.' |
'John, the little Scot;' in the youthful handwriting of Sir
Walter Scott, inserted, as No 4, at the beginning of a Manuscript
volume, in small folio, containing a number of prose pieces,
etc., Abbotsford Library, L. 2.
| 1 |
Johnny 'a gane up to fair England
Three quarters of a year,
And Johny's gane up to fair England,
The king's broad banner to bear. |
| 2 |
He had not been in fair England,
Even but a little while,
When that the king's ae dochter
To Johnny gaes wi child. |
| 3 |
And word is gane to the kitchen,
And word's gane to the ha,
And word 'a gane to the high, high court,
Amang the nobles a'. |
| 4 |
And word is gane unto the king,
In the chair where he sat,
That his ae dochter's wi bairn
To John the little Scott. |
| 5 |
'If that I thought she is wi bairn,
As I true weell she be,
I'll put her up in high prison,
And hunger her till she die.' |
| 6 |
'There is a silken sark, Johnny,
My ain sell sewed the gare,
And if ye come to tak me hence
Ye need nae taken mare. |
| 7 |
'For I am up in high prison,
And but it is cold!
My garters are o the cold, cold iron,
In place o the beaten gold.' |
| 8 |
'Is this the Duke o York?' they said,
'Or James the Scottish king?
Or is it John the little Scott,
Frae Scotland new come hame?' |
| 9 |
'I have an Italian in my bower,
This day he has eaten three;
Before I either eat or sleep
The fourth man ye shall be.' |
| 10 |
. . .
. . .
Between his een there was two spans,
His shoulders ells were three. |
| 11 |
Johnny drew forth his good braid glaive
And slate it on the plain:
'Is there any more of your Italian dogs
That wanteth to be slain?' |
| 12 |
'A clerk, a clerk!' her father cry'd
'To register this deed;'
'A priest, a priest!' her mother cry'd,
'To many them wi speed.' |
