187JOCK O THE SIDE

187JOCK O THE SIDE

A.‘John a Side,’ Percy MS., p. 254; Hales and Furnivall, II, 203.

B.‘Jock o the Side.’a.Caw’s Poetical Museum, 1784, p. 145.b.Campbell, Albyn’s Anthology, II, 28, 1818.

C.‘John o the Side,’ Percy Papers, as collected from the memory of an old person in 1775.

D.Percy Papers, fragment from recitation, 1774.

The copy in Scott’s Minstrelsy, 1802, I, 154, 1833, II, 76, isB b, with the insertion of three stanzas (6, 7, 23) fromB a. Neither Campbell nor Scott has the last stanza ofB a. Campbell says, in a note to his copy: The melody and particularly the words of this Liddesdale song were taken down by the editor from the singing and recitation of Mr Thomas Shortreed, who learnt it from his father. As to the words (except in the omission of four stanzas),bdoes not differ significantly froma, and it may, with little hesitation, be said to have been derived froma. Campbell seems to have given this copy to Scott, who published it sixteen years before it appeared in the Anthology, with the addition already mentioned.[317]The copy in the Campbell MSS, I, 220, isB a.

The earliest appearance of John o the Side is, perhaps, in the list of the marauders against whom complaint was made to the Bishop of Carlisle “presently after” Queen Mary Stuart’s departure for France; not far, therefore, from 1550: “John of the Side (Gleed John).”

Mr R. B. Armstrong has printed two bonds in which John Armstrong of the Syde is a party, with others, of the date 1562 and 1563. History of Liddesdale, etc., Appendix, pp ciii, civ, NosLXV,LXVI.

The earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland, after the failure of the Rising in the North, fled first to Liddesdale, and thence “to one of the Armstrongs,” in the Debateable Land. The Liddesdale men stole the Countess of Northumberland’s horses, and the earls, continuing their flight, left her “on foot, at John of the Syde’s house, a cottage not to be compared to any dog-kennel in England.” At his departing, “my lord of Westmoreland changed his coat of plate and sword with John of the Syde, to be the more unknown:” Sussex to Cecil, December 22, 1569, printed in Sharp’s Memorials of the Rebellion, p. 114 f.

John is nephew to the laird of Mangerton inB1, 3, 4,C1, 3, and therefore cousin to the Laird’s Jock and the Laird’s Wat:[318]but this does not appear inA.

Sir Richard Maitland commemorates both John of the Syde and the Laird’s Jock in his verses on the thieves of Liddesdale:

He is weill kend, Johne of Syde,A greater theife did never ryd:He never tyresFor to brek byres,Our muire and myres our guid ane gyde.(MS., fol. 4, back, line 13.)

He is weill kend, Johne of Syde,A greater theife did never ryd:He never tyresFor to brek byres,Our muire and myres our guid ane gyde.(MS., fol. 4, back, line 13.)

He is weill kend, Johne of Syde,A greater theife did never ryd:He never tyresFor to brek byres,Our muire and myres our guid ane gyde.

He is weill kend, Johne of Syde,

A greater theife did never ryd:

He never tyres

For to brek byres,

Our muire and myres our guid ane gyde.

(MS., fol. 4, back, line 13.)

(MS., fol. 4, back, line 13.)

An Archie Armstrang in Syde is complained of, with others, in 1596, for burning eleven houses (Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, V, 294), and Christie of the Sydeis “mentioned in the list of border clans, 1597” (Scott).

In Blaeu’s map of Liddesdale, “Syid” is on the right bank of the Liddel, nearly opposite Mangerton, but a little higher up the stream.

A.John a Side has been taken in a raid[319]and carried prisoner to Newcastle. Sybill o the Side (his mother, 20) runs by the water with the news to Mangerton, where lords and ladies are ready to sell all their cattle and sheep for John’s ransom. But Hobby Noble says that with five men he would fetch John back. The laird offers five thousand, but Hobby will take only five. They will not go like men of war, but like poor corn-dealers, and their steeds must be barefoot. When they come to Chollerton, on the Tyne, the water is up. Hobby asks an old man the way over the ford. The old man in threescore years and three has never seen horse go over except a horse of tree; meaning, we may suppose, a foot-bridge. In spite of the old man they find a way where they can cross in pairs. In Howbram wood they cut a tree of three-and-thirty foot, and with help of this, or without it, they climb to the top of the castle, where John is making his farewells to his mother, the lord of Mangerton, Much the Miller’s son, and “Lord Clough.” Hobby Noble calls to John to say that he has come to loose him;[320]John fears that it will not be done. Two men keep the horses, and four break the outer door (John himself breaking five doors within) and come to the iron door. The bell strikes twelve. Much the Miller fears they will be taken, and even John despairs of success. Hobby is not daunted; he files down the iron door and takes John out. John in his bolts can neither sit nor stride; Hobby ties the chains to John’s feet, and says John rides like a bride. As they go through Howbram town John’s horse stumbles, and Much is again in a panic, which seems to show that John’s commendation of him in 22 applies rather to his capacity as a thief than to his mettle. In Howbram wood they file off John’s bolts at the feet. Now, says Hobby, leap over a horse! and John leaps over five. They have no difficulty in fording the Tyne on their return, and bring John home to Mangerton without further trouble.

It is Hobby Noble, then, that looses John inA, as he is said to have done in his own ballad, st. 27; but inB,Cthe Laird’s Jock takes the lead, and Hobie plays a subordinate part. The Laird’s Wat replaces the faint-hearted Much (who, however, is again found in the fragmentD); Sybil of the Side becomes Downie (inDDinah); the liberating party is but three instead of six.

The laird inBorders the horses to be shod the wrong way,[321]whereas inAthe shoes were taken off; and the party must not seem to be gentlemen, Heaven save the mark! but look like corn-cadgers, as inA. At Cholerford they cut a tree with fifteen nags,B11,Cwith fifty nags, on each side,Dtwenty snags, and three long ones on the top; but when they come to Newcastle it proves to be too short, as the ladders are in the historical account of the release of Kinmont Willie. The Laird’s Jock says they must force the gate. A proud porter withstands them; they wring his neck, and take his keys,B13, 14,C10 (cf. No 116, st. 65, No 119, 70, 71, and III, 95 note[86]). When they come to the jail, they let Jock know that they mean to free him; he is hopeless; the day is come he is to die; fifteen stone of iron (fifty,C) is laid on him. Work thou within and we without, says the Laird’s Jock. One door they open and one they break. The Laird’s Jock gets John o the Side on his back and takes him down the stair, declining help from Hobie. They put the prisoner on a horse, with thesame jest as before; the night is wet, as it was when Kinmont Willie was loosed, but they hie on merrily. They had no trouble in crossing the Tyne when they were coming, but now it is running like a sea. The old man had never seen it so big; the Laird Wat says they are all dead men. Set the prisoner on behind me, cries the gallant Laird’s Jock, and they all swim through. Hardly have they won the other side when twenty Englishmen who are pursuing them reach the river. The land-sergeant says that the water will not ride, and calls to them to throw him the irons; they may have the rogue. The Laird’s Jock answers that he will keep the irons to shoe his grey mare.[322]They bring John to Liddesdale, and there they free him of his irons,B. Now, John, they say, ‘the day was come thou wast to die;’ but thou’rt as well at thy own fireside.

InD5 they cut their mares’ tails before starting, and never stop running till they come to Hathery Haugh. Tyne is running like a sea when they come to Chollerton, on their way to the rescue, as inA. They cut their tree in Swinburn wood. When they are to re-cross the river, Much says his mare is young and will not swim; the Laird’s Jock (?) says, Take thou mine, and I’ll take thine.

The ballad is one of the best in the world, and enough to make a horse-trooper of any young borderer, had he lacked the impulse. In deference to history, it is put after Kinmont Willie, for it may be a free version of his story.

Percy MS., p. 254; Hales and Furnivall, II, 203.

*       *       *       *       *1Peeter a Whifeild he hath slaine,And Iohn a Side, he is tane,And Iohn is bound both hand and foote,And to the New-castle he is gone.2But tydinges came to the Sybill o the Side,By the water-side as shee rann;Shee tooke her kirtle by the hem,And fast shee runn to Mangerton.3.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .The lord was sett downe at his meate;When these tydings shee did him tell,Neuera morsell might he eate.4But lords, the wrunge their fingars white,Ladyes did pull themselues by the haire,Crying, Alas and weladay!For Iohn o the Side wee shall neuersee more.5‘But wee’le goe sell our droues of kine,And after them our oxen sell,And after them our troopes of sheepe,But wee will loose him out of the New Castell.’6But then bespake him Hobby Noble,And spoke these words wonderous hye;Sayes, Giue me fiue men to my selfe,And I’le feitch Iohn o the Side to thee.7‘Yea, thou’st haue fiue, Hobby Noble,Of the bestthat are in this countrye;I’le giue thee fiue thousand, Hobby Noble,That walke in Tyuidale trulye.’8‘Nay, I’le haue but fiue,’ saies Hobby Noble,‘That shall walke away with mee;Wee will ryde like noe men of warr;But like poore badgers wee wilbe.’9They stuffet vp all their baggs with straw,And their steeds barefoot must bee;‘Come on, my bretheren,’ sayes Hobby Noble,‘Come on your wayes, and goe with mee.’10And when they came to Culerton ford,The water was vp, they cold it not goe;And then they were ware of a good old man,How his boy and hee were at the plowe.11‘But stand you still,’ sayes Hobby Noble,‘Stand you still heere at this shore,And I will ryde to yonder old man,And see w[h]ere the gate it lyes ore.12‘But Christ you saue, father!’ quoth hee,‘Crist both you saue and see!Where is the way ouerthis fford?For Christ’s sake tell itt mee!’13‘But I haue dwelled heere three score yeere,Soe haue I done three score and three;I neuersawe man nor horsse goe ore,Except itt were a horse of tree.’14‘But fare thou well, thou good old man!The devill in hell I leave with thee,Noe better comfort heere this nightThow giues my bretheren heere and me.’15But when he came to his brether againe,And told this tydings full of woe,And then they found a well good gateThey might ryde ore by two and two.16And when they were come ouerthe fforde,All safe gotten att the last,‘Thankes be to God!’ sayes Hobby Nobble,‘The worst of our perill is past.’17And then they came into Howbrame wood,And there then they found a tree,And cutt itt downe then by the roote;The lenght was thirty ffoote and three.18And four of them did take the planke,As light as it had beene a fflee,And carryed itt to the New Castle,Where as Iohn a Side did lye.19And some did climbe vp by the walls,And some did climbe vp by the tree,Vntill they came vpp to the top of the castle,Where Iohn made his moane trulye.20He sayd, God be with thee, Sybill o the Side!My owne mother thou art, quoth hee;If thou knew this night I were here,A woe woman then woldest thou bee.21And fare you well, LordMangerton!And euerI say God be with thee!For if you knew this night I were heere,You wold sell your land for to loose mee.22And fare thou well, Much, Millers sonne!Much, Millars sonne, I say;Thou has beene better att merke midnightThen euerthou was att noone o the day.23And fare thou well, my good Lord Clough!Thou art thy ffathers sonne and heire;Thou neuersaw him in all thy liffeBut with him durst thou breake a speare.24‘Wee are brothers childer nine or ten,And sisters children ten or eleven.We neuercame to the feild to fight,But the worst of us was counted a man.’25But then bespake him Hoby Noble,And spake these words vnto him;Saies, Sleepest thou, wakest thou, Iohn o the Side,Or art thou this castle within?26‘But who is there,’ quoth Iohn oth Side,‘That knowes my name soe right and free?’‘I am a bastard-brother of thine;This night I am comen for to loose thee.’27‘Now nay, now nay,’ quoth Iohn o the Side;‘Itt ffeares me sorethat will not bee;Ffor a pecke of gold and silver,’ Iohn sayd,‘In faith this night will not loose mee.’28But then bespake him Hobby Noble,And till his brother thus sayd hee;Sayes, Four shall take this matter in hand,And two shall tent our geldings ffree.29Four did breake one dore without,Then Iohn brake fiue himsell;But when they came to the iron dore,It smote twelue vpon the bell.30‘Itt ffeares me sore,’ sayd Much, the Miller,‘That heere taken wee all shalbee;’‘But goe away, bretheren,’ sayd Iohn a Side,‘For eueralas! this will not bee.’31‘But ffye vpon thee!’ sayd Hobby Noble;‘Much, the Miller, fye vpon thee!‘It sore feares me,’ said Hobby Noble,‘Manthat thou wilt neuerbee.’32But then he had Fflanders files two or three,And hee fyled downethat iron dore,And tooke Iohn out of the New Castle,And sayd, Looke thou neuercome heere more!33When he had him fforth of the New Castle,‘Away with me, Iohn, thou shalt ryde:’But eueralas! itt cold not bee;For Iohn cold neither sitt nor stryde.34But then he had sheets two or three,And bound Iohns boults fast to his ffeete,And sett him on a well good steede,Himselfe on another by him seete.35Then Hobby Noble smiled and loug[h]e,And spoke these worde in mickle pryde:Thou sitts soe finely on thy geldingeThat, Iohn, thou rydes like a bryde.36And when they came thorrow Howbrame towne,Iohns horsse there stumbled at a stone;‘Out and alas!’ cryed Much, the Miller,‘Iohn, thou’le make vs all be tane.’37‘But fye vpon thee!’ saies Hobby Noble,‘Much, the Millar, fye on thee!I know full well,’ sayes Hobby Noble,‘Manthat thou wilt neuerbee.’38And when the came into Howbrame wood,He had Fflanders files two or threeTo file Iohns bolts beside his ffeete,That hee might ryde more easilye.39Sayes, ‘Iohn, now leape ouera steede!’And Iohn then hee lope ouerfiue:‘I know well,’ sayes Hobby Noble,‘Iohn, thy ffellow is not aliue.’40Then he brought him home to Mangerton;The lordthen he was att his meate;But when Iohn o the Side he there did see,For faine hee cold noe more eate.41He sayes, Blest be thou, Hobby Noble,That euer thou wast man borne!Thou hast feitched vs home good Iohn oth Side,That was now cleane ffrom vs gone.

*       *       *       *       *1Peeter a Whifeild he hath slaine,And Iohn a Side, he is tane,And Iohn is bound both hand and foote,And to the New-castle he is gone.2But tydinges came to the Sybill o the Side,By the water-side as shee rann;Shee tooke her kirtle by the hem,And fast shee runn to Mangerton.3.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .The lord was sett downe at his meate;When these tydings shee did him tell,Neuera morsell might he eate.4But lords, the wrunge their fingars white,Ladyes did pull themselues by the haire,Crying, Alas and weladay!For Iohn o the Side wee shall neuersee more.5‘But wee’le goe sell our droues of kine,And after them our oxen sell,And after them our troopes of sheepe,But wee will loose him out of the New Castell.’6But then bespake him Hobby Noble,And spoke these words wonderous hye;Sayes, Giue me fiue men to my selfe,And I’le feitch Iohn o the Side to thee.7‘Yea, thou’st haue fiue, Hobby Noble,Of the bestthat are in this countrye;I’le giue thee fiue thousand, Hobby Noble,That walke in Tyuidale trulye.’8‘Nay, I’le haue but fiue,’ saies Hobby Noble,‘That shall walke away with mee;Wee will ryde like noe men of warr;But like poore badgers wee wilbe.’9They stuffet vp all their baggs with straw,And their steeds barefoot must bee;‘Come on, my bretheren,’ sayes Hobby Noble,‘Come on your wayes, and goe with mee.’10And when they came to Culerton ford,The water was vp, they cold it not goe;And then they were ware of a good old man,How his boy and hee were at the plowe.11‘But stand you still,’ sayes Hobby Noble,‘Stand you still heere at this shore,And I will ryde to yonder old man,And see w[h]ere the gate it lyes ore.12‘But Christ you saue, father!’ quoth hee,‘Crist both you saue and see!Where is the way ouerthis fford?For Christ’s sake tell itt mee!’13‘But I haue dwelled heere three score yeere,Soe haue I done three score and three;I neuersawe man nor horsse goe ore,Except itt were a horse of tree.’14‘But fare thou well, thou good old man!The devill in hell I leave with thee,Noe better comfort heere this nightThow giues my bretheren heere and me.’15But when he came to his brether againe,And told this tydings full of woe,And then they found a well good gateThey might ryde ore by two and two.16And when they were come ouerthe fforde,All safe gotten att the last,‘Thankes be to God!’ sayes Hobby Nobble,‘The worst of our perill is past.’17And then they came into Howbrame wood,And there then they found a tree,And cutt itt downe then by the roote;The lenght was thirty ffoote and three.18And four of them did take the planke,As light as it had beene a fflee,And carryed itt to the New Castle,Where as Iohn a Side did lye.19And some did climbe vp by the walls,And some did climbe vp by the tree,Vntill they came vpp to the top of the castle,Where Iohn made his moane trulye.20He sayd, God be with thee, Sybill o the Side!My owne mother thou art, quoth hee;If thou knew this night I were here,A woe woman then woldest thou bee.21And fare you well, LordMangerton!And euerI say God be with thee!For if you knew this night I were heere,You wold sell your land for to loose mee.22And fare thou well, Much, Millers sonne!Much, Millars sonne, I say;Thou has beene better att merke midnightThen euerthou was att noone o the day.23And fare thou well, my good Lord Clough!Thou art thy ffathers sonne and heire;Thou neuersaw him in all thy liffeBut with him durst thou breake a speare.24‘Wee are brothers childer nine or ten,And sisters children ten or eleven.We neuercame to the feild to fight,But the worst of us was counted a man.’25But then bespake him Hoby Noble,And spake these words vnto him;Saies, Sleepest thou, wakest thou, Iohn o the Side,Or art thou this castle within?26‘But who is there,’ quoth Iohn oth Side,‘That knowes my name soe right and free?’‘I am a bastard-brother of thine;This night I am comen for to loose thee.’27‘Now nay, now nay,’ quoth Iohn o the Side;‘Itt ffeares me sorethat will not bee;Ffor a pecke of gold and silver,’ Iohn sayd,‘In faith this night will not loose mee.’28But then bespake him Hobby Noble,And till his brother thus sayd hee;Sayes, Four shall take this matter in hand,And two shall tent our geldings ffree.29Four did breake one dore without,Then Iohn brake fiue himsell;But when they came to the iron dore,It smote twelue vpon the bell.30‘Itt ffeares me sore,’ sayd Much, the Miller,‘That heere taken wee all shalbee;’‘But goe away, bretheren,’ sayd Iohn a Side,‘For eueralas! this will not bee.’31‘But ffye vpon thee!’ sayd Hobby Noble;‘Much, the Miller, fye vpon thee!‘It sore feares me,’ said Hobby Noble,‘Manthat thou wilt neuerbee.’32But then he had Fflanders files two or three,And hee fyled downethat iron dore,And tooke Iohn out of the New Castle,And sayd, Looke thou neuercome heere more!33When he had him fforth of the New Castle,‘Away with me, Iohn, thou shalt ryde:’But eueralas! itt cold not bee;For Iohn cold neither sitt nor stryde.34But then he had sheets two or three,And bound Iohns boults fast to his ffeete,And sett him on a well good steede,Himselfe on another by him seete.35Then Hobby Noble smiled and loug[h]e,And spoke these worde in mickle pryde:Thou sitts soe finely on thy geldingeThat, Iohn, thou rydes like a bryde.36And when they came thorrow Howbrame towne,Iohns horsse there stumbled at a stone;‘Out and alas!’ cryed Much, the Miller,‘Iohn, thou’le make vs all be tane.’37‘But fye vpon thee!’ saies Hobby Noble,‘Much, the Millar, fye on thee!I know full well,’ sayes Hobby Noble,‘Manthat thou wilt neuerbee.’38And when the came into Howbrame wood,He had Fflanders files two or threeTo file Iohns bolts beside his ffeete,That hee might ryde more easilye.39Sayes, ‘Iohn, now leape ouera steede!’And Iohn then hee lope ouerfiue:‘I know well,’ sayes Hobby Noble,‘Iohn, thy ffellow is not aliue.’40Then he brought him home to Mangerton;The lordthen he was att his meate;But when Iohn o the Side he there did see,For faine hee cold noe more eate.41He sayes, Blest be thou, Hobby Noble,That euer thou wast man borne!Thou hast feitched vs home good Iohn oth Side,That was now cleane ffrom vs gone.

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1Peeter a Whifeild he hath slaine,And Iohn a Side, he is tane,And Iohn is bound both hand and foote,And to the New-castle he is gone.

1

Peeter a Whifeild he hath slaine,

And Iohn a Side, he is tane,

And Iohn is bound both hand and foote,

And to the New-castle he is gone.

2But tydinges came to the Sybill o the Side,By the water-side as shee rann;Shee tooke her kirtle by the hem,And fast shee runn to Mangerton.

2

But tydinges came to the Sybill o the Side,

By the water-side as shee rann;

Shee tooke her kirtle by the hem,

And fast shee runn to Mangerton.

3.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .The lord was sett downe at his meate;When these tydings shee did him tell,Neuera morsell might he eate.

3

.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .

The lord was sett downe at his meate;

When these tydings shee did him tell,

Neuera morsell might he eate.

4But lords, the wrunge their fingars white,Ladyes did pull themselues by the haire,Crying, Alas and weladay!For Iohn o the Side wee shall neuersee more.

4

But lords, the wrunge their fingars white,

Ladyes did pull themselues by the haire,

Crying, Alas and weladay!

For Iohn o the Side wee shall neuersee more.

5‘But wee’le goe sell our droues of kine,And after them our oxen sell,And after them our troopes of sheepe,But wee will loose him out of the New Castell.’

5

‘But wee’le goe sell our droues of kine,

And after them our oxen sell,

And after them our troopes of sheepe,

But wee will loose him out of the New Castell.’

6But then bespake him Hobby Noble,And spoke these words wonderous hye;Sayes, Giue me fiue men to my selfe,And I’le feitch Iohn o the Side to thee.

6

But then bespake him Hobby Noble,

And spoke these words wonderous hye;

Sayes, Giue me fiue men to my selfe,

And I’le feitch Iohn o the Side to thee.

7‘Yea, thou’st haue fiue, Hobby Noble,Of the bestthat are in this countrye;I’le giue thee fiue thousand, Hobby Noble,That walke in Tyuidale trulye.’

7

‘Yea, thou’st haue fiue, Hobby Noble,

Of the bestthat are in this countrye;

I’le giue thee fiue thousand, Hobby Noble,

That walke in Tyuidale trulye.’

8‘Nay, I’le haue but fiue,’ saies Hobby Noble,‘That shall walke away with mee;Wee will ryde like noe men of warr;But like poore badgers wee wilbe.’

8

‘Nay, I’le haue but fiue,’ saies Hobby Noble,

‘That shall walke away with mee;

Wee will ryde like noe men of warr;

But like poore badgers wee wilbe.’

9They stuffet vp all their baggs with straw,And their steeds barefoot must bee;‘Come on, my bretheren,’ sayes Hobby Noble,‘Come on your wayes, and goe with mee.’

9

They stuffet vp all their baggs with straw,

And their steeds barefoot must bee;

‘Come on, my bretheren,’ sayes Hobby Noble,

‘Come on your wayes, and goe with mee.’

10And when they came to Culerton ford,The water was vp, they cold it not goe;And then they were ware of a good old man,How his boy and hee were at the plowe.

10

And when they came to Culerton ford,

The water was vp, they cold it not goe;

And then they were ware of a good old man,

How his boy and hee were at the plowe.

11‘But stand you still,’ sayes Hobby Noble,‘Stand you still heere at this shore,And I will ryde to yonder old man,And see w[h]ere the gate it lyes ore.

11

‘But stand you still,’ sayes Hobby Noble,

‘Stand you still heere at this shore,

And I will ryde to yonder old man,

And see w[h]ere the gate it lyes ore.

12‘But Christ you saue, father!’ quoth hee,‘Crist both you saue and see!Where is the way ouerthis fford?For Christ’s sake tell itt mee!’

12

‘But Christ you saue, father!’ quoth hee,

‘Crist both you saue and see!

Where is the way ouerthis fford?

For Christ’s sake tell itt mee!’

13‘But I haue dwelled heere three score yeere,Soe haue I done three score and three;I neuersawe man nor horsse goe ore,Except itt were a horse of tree.’

13

‘But I haue dwelled heere three score yeere,

Soe haue I done three score and three;

I neuersawe man nor horsse goe ore,

Except itt were a horse of tree.’

14‘But fare thou well, thou good old man!The devill in hell I leave with thee,Noe better comfort heere this nightThow giues my bretheren heere and me.’

14

‘But fare thou well, thou good old man!

The devill in hell I leave with thee,

Noe better comfort heere this night

Thow giues my bretheren heere and me.’

15But when he came to his brether againe,And told this tydings full of woe,And then they found a well good gateThey might ryde ore by two and two.

15

But when he came to his brether againe,

And told this tydings full of woe,

And then they found a well good gate

They might ryde ore by two and two.

16And when they were come ouerthe fforde,All safe gotten att the last,‘Thankes be to God!’ sayes Hobby Nobble,‘The worst of our perill is past.’

16

And when they were come ouerthe fforde,

All safe gotten att the last,

‘Thankes be to God!’ sayes Hobby Nobble,

‘The worst of our perill is past.’

17And then they came into Howbrame wood,And there then they found a tree,And cutt itt downe then by the roote;The lenght was thirty ffoote and three.

17

And then they came into Howbrame wood,

And there then they found a tree,

And cutt itt downe then by the roote;

The lenght was thirty ffoote and three.

18And four of them did take the planke,As light as it had beene a fflee,And carryed itt to the New Castle,Where as Iohn a Side did lye.

18

And four of them did take the planke,

As light as it had beene a fflee,

And carryed itt to the New Castle,

Where as Iohn a Side did lye.

19And some did climbe vp by the walls,And some did climbe vp by the tree,Vntill they came vpp to the top of the castle,Where Iohn made his moane trulye.

19

And some did climbe vp by the walls,

And some did climbe vp by the tree,

Vntill they came vpp to the top of the castle,

Where Iohn made his moane trulye.

20He sayd, God be with thee, Sybill o the Side!My owne mother thou art, quoth hee;If thou knew this night I were here,A woe woman then woldest thou bee.

20

He sayd, God be with thee, Sybill o the Side!

My owne mother thou art, quoth hee;

If thou knew this night I were here,

A woe woman then woldest thou bee.

21And fare you well, LordMangerton!And euerI say God be with thee!For if you knew this night I were heere,You wold sell your land for to loose mee.

21

And fare you well, LordMangerton!

And euerI say God be with thee!

For if you knew this night I were heere,

You wold sell your land for to loose mee.

22And fare thou well, Much, Millers sonne!Much, Millars sonne, I say;Thou has beene better att merke midnightThen euerthou was att noone o the day.

22

And fare thou well, Much, Millers sonne!

Much, Millars sonne, I say;

Thou has beene better att merke midnight

Then euerthou was att noone o the day.

23And fare thou well, my good Lord Clough!Thou art thy ffathers sonne and heire;Thou neuersaw him in all thy liffeBut with him durst thou breake a speare.

23

And fare thou well, my good Lord Clough!

Thou art thy ffathers sonne and heire;

Thou neuersaw him in all thy liffe

But with him durst thou breake a speare.

24‘Wee are brothers childer nine or ten,And sisters children ten or eleven.We neuercame to the feild to fight,But the worst of us was counted a man.’

24

‘Wee are brothers childer nine or ten,

And sisters children ten or eleven.

We neuercame to the feild to fight,

But the worst of us was counted a man.’

25But then bespake him Hoby Noble,And spake these words vnto him;Saies, Sleepest thou, wakest thou, Iohn o the Side,Or art thou this castle within?

25

But then bespake him Hoby Noble,

And spake these words vnto him;

Saies, Sleepest thou, wakest thou, Iohn o the Side,

Or art thou this castle within?

26‘But who is there,’ quoth Iohn oth Side,‘That knowes my name soe right and free?’‘I am a bastard-brother of thine;This night I am comen for to loose thee.’

26

‘But who is there,’ quoth Iohn oth Side,

‘That knowes my name soe right and free?’

‘I am a bastard-brother of thine;

This night I am comen for to loose thee.’

27‘Now nay, now nay,’ quoth Iohn o the Side;‘Itt ffeares me sorethat will not bee;Ffor a pecke of gold and silver,’ Iohn sayd,‘In faith this night will not loose mee.’

27

‘Now nay, now nay,’ quoth Iohn o the Side;

‘Itt ffeares me sorethat will not bee;

Ffor a pecke of gold and silver,’ Iohn sayd,

‘In faith this night will not loose mee.’

28But then bespake him Hobby Noble,And till his brother thus sayd hee;Sayes, Four shall take this matter in hand,And two shall tent our geldings ffree.

28

But then bespake him Hobby Noble,

And till his brother thus sayd hee;

Sayes, Four shall take this matter in hand,

And two shall tent our geldings ffree.

29Four did breake one dore without,Then Iohn brake fiue himsell;But when they came to the iron dore,It smote twelue vpon the bell.

29

Four did breake one dore without,

Then Iohn brake fiue himsell;

But when they came to the iron dore,

It smote twelue vpon the bell.

30‘Itt ffeares me sore,’ sayd Much, the Miller,‘That heere taken wee all shalbee;’‘But goe away, bretheren,’ sayd Iohn a Side,‘For eueralas! this will not bee.’

30

‘Itt ffeares me sore,’ sayd Much, the Miller,

‘That heere taken wee all shalbee;’

‘But goe away, bretheren,’ sayd Iohn a Side,

‘For eueralas! this will not bee.’

31‘But ffye vpon thee!’ sayd Hobby Noble;‘Much, the Miller, fye vpon thee!‘It sore feares me,’ said Hobby Noble,‘Manthat thou wilt neuerbee.’

31

‘But ffye vpon thee!’ sayd Hobby Noble;

‘Much, the Miller, fye vpon thee!

‘It sore feares me,’ said Hobby Noble,

‘Manthat thou wilt neuerbee.’

32But then he had Fflanders files two or three,And hee fyled downethat iron dore,And tooke Iohn out of the New Castle,And sayd, Looke thou neuercome heere more!

32

But then he had Fflanders files two or three,

And hee fyled downethat iron dore,

And tooke Iohn out of the New Castle,

And sayd, Looke thou neuercome heere more!

33When he had him fforth of the New Castle,‘Away with me, Iohn, thou shalt ryde:’But eueralas! itt cold not bee;For Iohn cold neither sitt nor stryde.

33

When he had him fforth of the New Castle,

‘Away with me, Iohn, thou shalt ryde:’

But eueralas! itt cold not bee;

For Iohn cold neither sitt nor stryde.

34But then he had sheets two or three,And bound Iohns boults fast to his ffeete,And sett him on a well good steede,Himselfe on another by him seete.

34

But then he had sheets two or three,

And bound Iohns boults fast to his ffeete,

And sett him on a well good steede,

Himselfe on another by him seete.

35Then Hobby Noble smiled and loug[h]e,And spoke these worde in mickle pryde:Thou sitts soe finely on thy geldingeThat, Iohn, thou rydes like a bryde.

35

Then Hobby Noble smiled and loug[h]e,

And spoke these worde in mickle pryde:

Thou sitts soe finely on thy geldinge

That, Iohn, thou rydes like a bryde.

36And when they came thorrow Howbrame towne,Iohns horsse there stumbled at a stone;‘Out and alas!’ cryed Much, the Miller,‘Iohn, thou’le make vs all be tane.’

36

And when they came thorrow Howbrame towne,

Iohns horsse there stumbled at a stone;

‘Out and alas!’ cryed Much, the Miller,

‘Iohn, thou’le make vs all be tane.’

37‘But fye vpon thee!’ saies Hobby Noble,‘Much, the Millar, fye on thee!I know full well,’ sayes Hobby Noble,‘Manthat thou wilt neuerbee.’

37

‘But fye vpon thee!’ saies Hobby Noble,

‘Much, the Millar, fye on thee!

I know full well,’ sayes Hobby Noble,

‘Manthat thou wilt neuerbee.’

38And when the came into Howbrame wood,He had Fflanders files two or threeTo file Iohns bolts beside his ffeete,That hee might ryde more easilye.

38

And when the came into Howbrame wood,

He had Fflanders files two or three

To file Iohns bolts beside his ffeete,

That hee might ryde more easilye.

39Sayes, ‘Iohn, now leape ouera steede!’And Iohn then hee lope ouerfiue:‘I know well,’ sayes Hobby Noble,‘Iohn, thy ffellow is not aliue.’

39

Sayes, ‘Iohn, now leape ouera steede!’

And Iohn then hee lope ouerfiue:

‘I know well,’ sayes Hobby Noble,

‘Iohn, thy ffellow is not aliue.’

40Then he brought him home to Mangerton;The lordthen he was att his meate;But when Iohn o the Side he there did see,For faine hee cold noe more eate.

40

Then he brought him home to Mangerton;

The lordthen he was att his meate;

But when Iohn o the Side he there did see,

For faine hee cold noe more eate.

41He sayes, Blest be thou, Hobby Noble,That euer thou wast man borne!Thou hast feitched vs home good Iohn oth Side,That was now cleane ffrom vs gone.

41

He sayes, Blest be thou, Hobby Noble,

That euer thou wast man borne!

Thou hast feitched vs home good Iohn oth Side,

That was now cleane ffrom vs gone.

a.Caw’s Poetical Museum, 1784, p. 145; “from an old manuscript copy.”b.Campbell’s Albyn’s Anthology, II, 28; “taken down from the recitation of Mr Thomas Shortreed,” of Jedburgh, “who learnt it from his father.”

1‘Now Liddisdale has ridden a raid,But I wat they had better staid at hame;For Mitchel o Winfield he is dead,And my son Johnie is prisner tane.’With my fa ding diddle, la la dow diddle.2For Mangerton House auld Downie is gane;Her coats she has kilted up to her knee,And down the water wi speed she rins,While tears in spaits fa fast frae her eie.3Then up and bespake the lord Mangerton:‘What news, what news, sister Downie, to me?’‘Bad news, bad news, my lord Mangerton;Mitchel is killd, and tane they hae my son Johnie.’4‘Neer fear, sister Downie,’ quo Mangerton;‘I hae yokes of oxen four and twentie,My barns, my byres, and my faulds, a’weel filld,And I’ll part wi them a’ere Johnie shall die.5‘Three men I’ll take to set him free,Weel harnessd a’wi best o steel;The English rogues may hear, and drieThe weight o their braid swords to feel.6‘The Laird’s Jock ane, the Laird’s Wat twa,Oh, Hobie Noble, thou ane maun be;Thy coat is blue, thou has been true,Since England banishd thee, to me.’7Now Hobie was an English man,In Bewcastle-dale was bred and born;But his misdeeds they were sae great,They banishd him neer to return.8Lord Mangerton them orders gave,‘Your horses the wrang way maun a’ be shod;Like gentlemen ye must not seem,But look like corn-caugers gawn ae road.9‘Your armour gude ye maunna shaw,Nor ance appear like men o weir;As country lads be all arrayd,Wi branks and brecham on ilk mare.’10Sae now a’their horses are shod the wrang way,And Hobie has mounted his grey sae fine,Jock his lively bay, Wat’s on his white horse behind,And on they rode for the water o Tyne.11At the Choler-ford they a’light down,And there, wi the help o the light o the moon,A tree they cut, wi fifteen naggs upo ilk side,To climb up the wa o Newcastle town.12But when they cam to Newcastle town,And were alighted at the wa,They fand their tree three ells oer laigh,They fand their stick baith short and sma.13Then up and spake the Laird’s ain Jock,‘There’s naething for’t, the gates we maun force;’But when they cam the gates unto,A proud porter withstood baith men and horse.14His neck in twa I wat they hae wrung,Wi hand or foot he neer playd paw;His life and his keys at anes they hae tane,And cast his body ahind the wa.15Now soon they reach Newcastle jail,And to the prisner thus they call:‘Sleips thou, wakes thou, Jock o the Side?Or is thou wearied o thy thrall?’16Jock answers thus, wi dolefu tone:Aft, aft I wake, I seldom sleip;But wha’s this kens my name sae weel,And thus to hear my waes do[es] seik?17Then up and spake the good Laird’s Jock,‘Neer fear ye now, my billie,’ quo he;‘For here’s the Laird’s Jock, the Laird’s Wat,And Hobie Noble, come to set thee free.’18‘Oh, had thy tongue, and speak nae mair,And o thy tawk now let me be!For if a’Liddisdale were here the night,The morn’s the day that I maun die.19‘Full fifteen stane o Spanish ironThey hae laid a’right sair on me;Wi locks and keys I am fast boundInto this dungeon mirk and drearie.’20‘Fear ye no that,’ quo the Laird’s Jock;‘A faint heart neer wan a fair ladie;Work thou within, we’ll work without,And I’ll be bound we set thee free.’21The first strong dore that they came at,They loosed it without a key;The next chaind dore that they cam at,They gard it a’in flinders flee.22The prisner now, upo his back,The Laird’s Jock’s gotten up fu hie;And down the stair him, irons and a’,Wi nae sma speed and joy brings he.23‘Now, Jock, I wat,’ quo Hobie Noble,‘Part o the weight ye may lay on me;’‘I wat weel no,’ quo the Laird’s Jock,‘I count him lighter than a flee.’24Sae out at the gates they a’ are gane,The prisner’s set on horseback hie;And now wi speed they’ve tane the gate,While ilk ane jokes fu wantonlie.25‘O Jock, sae winsomely’s ye ride,Wi baith your feet upo ae side!Sae weel’s ye’re harnessd, and sae trig!In troth ye sit like ony bride.’26The night, tho wat, they didna mind,But hied them on fu mirrilie,Until they cam to Cholerford brae,Where the water ran like mountains hie.27But when they came to Cholerford,There they met with an auld man;Says, Honest man, will the water ride?Tell us in haste, if that ye can.28‘I wat weel no,’ quo the good auld man;‘Here I hae livd this threty yeirs and three,And I neer yet saw the Tyne sae big,Nor rinning ance sae like a sea.’29 Then up and spake the Laird’s saft Wat,The greatest coward in the company;‘Now halt, now halt, we needna try’t;The day is comd we a’maun die!’30‘Poor faint-hearted thief!’ quo the Laird’s Jock,‘There’ll nae man die but he that’s fie;I’ll lead ye a’right safely through;Lift ye the prisner on ahint me.’31Sae now the water they a’hae tane,By anes and twas they a’swam through;‘Here are we a’safe,’ says the Laird’s Jock,‘And, poor faint Wat, what think ye now?’32They scarce the ither side had won,When twenty men they saw pursue;Frae Newcastle town they had been sent,A’English lads, right good and true.33But when the land-sergeant the water saw,‘It winna ride, my lads,’ quo he;Then out he cries, Ye the prisner may take,But leave the irons, I pray, to me.34‘I wat weel no,’ cryd the Laird’s Jock,‘I’ll keep them a’, shoon to my mare they’ll be;My good grey mare, for I am sure.She’s bought them a’ fu dear frae thee.’35Sae now they’re away for Liddisdale,Een as fast as they coud them hie;The prisner’s brought to his ain fire-side,And there o’s aims they make him free.36‘Now, Jock, my billie,’ quo a’the three,‘The day was comd thou was to die;But thou’s as weel at thy ain fire-side,Now sitting, I think, tween thee and me.’37They hae gard fill up ae punch-bowl,And after it they maun hae anither,And thus the night they a’hae spent,Just as they had been brither and brither.

1‘Now Liddisdale has ridden a raid,But I wat they had better staid at hame;For Mitchel o Winfield he is dead,And my son Johnie is prisner tane.’With my fa ding diddle, la la dow diddle.2For Mangerton House auld Downie is gane;Her coats she has kilted up to her knee,And down the water wi speed she rins,While tears in spaits fa fast frae her eie.3Then up and bespake the lord Mangerton:‘What news, what news, sister Downie, to me?’‘Bad news, bad news, my lord Mangerton;Mitchel is killd, and tane they hae my son Johnie.’4‘Neer fear, sister Downie,’ quo Mangerton;‘I hae yokes of oxen four and twentie,My barns, my byres, and my faulds, a’weel filld,And I’ll part wi them a’ere Johnie shall die.5‘Three men I’ll take to set him free,Weel harnessd a’wi best o steel;The English rogues may hear, and drieThe weight o their braid swords to feel.6‘The Laird’s Jock ane, the Laird’s Wat twa,Oh, Hobie Noble, thou ane maun be;Thy coat is blue, thou has been true,Since England banishd thee, to me.’7Now Hobie was an English man,In Bewcastle-dale was bred and born;But his misdeeds they were sae great,They banishd him neer to return.8Lord Mangerton them orders gave,‘Your horses the wrang way maun a’ be shod;Like gentlemen ye must not seem,But look like corn-caugers gawn ae road.9‘Your armour gude ye maunna shaw,Nor ance appear like men o weir;As country lads be all arrayd,Wi branks and brecham on ilk mare.’10Sae now a’their horses are shod the wrang way,And Hobie has mounted his grey sae fine,Jock his lively bay, Wat’s on his white horse behind,And on they rode for the water o Tyne.11At the Choler-ford they a’light down,And there, wi the help o the light o the moon,A tree they cut, wi fifteen naggs upo ilk side,To climb up the wa o Newcastle town.12But when they cam to Newcastle town,And were alighted at the wa,They fand their tree three ells oer laigh,They fand their stick baith short and sma.13Then up and spake the Laird’s ain Jock,‘There’s naething for’t, the gates we maun force;’But when they cam the gates unto,A proud porter withstood baith men and horse.14His neck in twa I wat they hae wrung,Wi hand or foot he neer playd paw;His life and his keys at anes they hae tane,And cast his body ahind the wa.15Now soon they reach Newcastle jail,And to the prisner thus they call:‘Sleips thou, wakes thou, Jock o the Side?Or is thou wearied o thy thrall?’16Jock answers thus, wi dolefu tone:Aft, aft I wake, I seldom sleip;But wha’s this kens my name sae weel,And thus to hear my waes do[es] seik?17Then up and spake the good Laird’s Jock,‘Neer fear ye now, my billie,’ quo he;‘For here’s the Laird’s Jock, the Laird’s Wat,And Hobie Noble, come to set thee free.’18‘Oh, had thy tongue, and speak nae mair,And o thy tawk now let me be!For if a’Liddisdale were here the night,The morn’s the day that I maun die.19‘Full fifteen stane o Spanish ironThey hae laid a’right sair on me;Wi locks and keys I am fast boundInto this dungeon mirk and drearie.’20‘Fear ye no that,’ quo the Laird’s Jock;‘A faint heart neer wan a fair ladie;Work thou within, we’ll work without,And I’ll be bound we set thee free.’21The first strong dore that they came at,They loosed it without a key;The next chaind dore that they cam at,They gard it a’in flinders flee.22The prisner now, upo his back,The Laird’s Jock’s gotten up fu hie;And down the stair him, irons and a’,Wi nae sma speed and joy brings he.23‘Now, Jock, I wat,’ quo Hobie Noble,‘Part o the weight ye may lay on me;’‘I wat weel no,’ quo the Laird’s Jock,‘I count him lighter than a flee.’24Sae out at the gates they a’ are gane,The prisner’s set on horseback hie;And now wi speed they’ve tane the gate,While ilk ane jokes fu wantonlie.25‘O Jock, sae winsomely’s ye ride,Wi baith your feet upo ae side!Sae weel’s ye’re harnessd, and sae trig!In troth ye sit like ony bride.’26The night, tho wat, they didna mind,But hied them on fu mirrilie,Until they cam to Cholerford brae,Where the water ran like mountains hie.27But when they came to Cholerford,There they met with an auld man;Says, Honest man, will the water ride?Tell us in haste, if that ye can.28‘I wat weel no,’ quo the good auld man;‘Here I hae livd this threty yeirs and three,And I neer yet saw the Tyne sae big,Nor rinning ance sae like a sea.’29 Then up and spake the Laird’s saft Wat,The greatest coward in the company;‘Now halt, now halt, we needna try’t;The day is comd we a’maun die!’30‘Poor faint-hearted thief!’ quo the Laird’s Jock,‘There’ll nae man die but he that’s fie;I’ll lead ye a’right safely through;Lift ye the prisner on ahint me.’31Sae now the water they a’hae tane,By anes and twas they a’swam through;‘Here are we a’safe,’ says the Laird’s Jock,‘And, poor faint Wat, what think ye now?’32They scarce the ither side had won,When twenty men they saw pursue;Frae Newcastle town they had been sent,A’English lads, right good and true.33But when the land-sergeant the water saw,‘It winna ride, my lads,’ quo he;Then out he cries, Ye the prisner may take,But leave the irons, I pray, to me.34‘I wat weel no,’ cryd the Laird’s Jock,‘I’ll keep them a’, shoon to my mare they’ll be;My good grey mare, for I am sure.She’s bought them a’ fu dear frae thee.’35Sae now they’re away for Liddisdale,Een as fast as they coud them hie;The prisner’s brought to his ain fire-side,And there o’s aims they make him free.36‘Now, Jock, my billie,’ quo a’the three,‘The day was comd thou was to die;But thou’s as weel at thy ain fire-side,Now sitting, I think, tween thee and me.’37They hae gard fill up ae punch-bowl,And after it they maun hae anither,And thus the night they a’hae spent,Just as they had been brither and brither.

1‘Now Liddisdale has ridden a raid,But I wat they had better staid at hame;For Mitchel o Winfield he is dead,And my son Johnie is prisner tane.’With my fa ding diddle, la la dow diddle.

1

‘Now Liddisdale has ridden a raid,

But I wat they had better staid at hame;

For Mitchel o Winfield he is dead,

And my son Johnie is prisner tane.’

With my fa ding diddle, la la dow diddle.

2For Mangerton House auld Downie is gane;Her coats she has kilted up to her knee,And down the water wi speed she rins,While tears in spaits fa fast frae her eie.

2

For Mangerton House auld Downie is gane;

Her coats she has kilted up to her knee,

And down the water wi speed she rins,

While tears in spaits fa fast frae her eie.

3Then up and bespake the lord Mangerton:‘What news, what news, sister Downie, to me?’‘Bad news, bad news, my lord Mangerton;Mitchel is killd, and tane they hae my son Johnie.’

3

Then up and bespake the lord Mangerton:

‘What news, what news, sister Downie, to me?’

‘Bad news, bad news, my lord Mangerton;

Mitchel is killd, and tane they hae my son Johnie.’

4‘Neer fear, sister Downie,’ quo Mangerton;‘I hae yokes of oxen four and twentie,My barns, my byres, and my faulds, a’weel filld,And I’ll part wi them a’ere Johnie shall die.

4

‘Neer fear, sister Downie,’ quo Mangerton;

‘I hae yokes of oxen four and twentie,

My barns, my byres, and my faulds, a’weel filld,

And I’ll part wi them a’ere Johnie shall die.

5‘Three men I’ll take to set him free,Weel harnessd a’wi best o steel;The English rogues may hear, and drieThe weight o their braid swords to feel.

5

‘Three men I’ll take to set him free,

Weel harnessd a’wi best o steel;

The English rogues may hear, and drie

The weight o their braid swords to feel.

6‘The Laird’s Jock ane, the Laird’s Wat twa,Oh, Hobie Noble, thou ane maun be;Thy coat is blue, thou has been true,Since England banishd thee, to me.’

6

‘The Laird’s Jock ane, the Laird’s Wat twa,

Oh, Hobie Noble, thou ane maun be;

Thy coat is blue, thou has been true,

Since England banishd thee, to me.’

7Now Hobie was an English man,In Bewcastle-dale was bred and born;But his misdeeds they were sae great,They banishd him neer to return.

7

Now Hobie was an English man,

In Bewcastle-dale was bred and born;

But his misdeeds they were sae great,

They banishd him neer to return.

8Lord Mangerton them orders gave,‘Your horses the wrang way maun a’ be shod;Like gentlemen ye must not seem,But look like corn-caugers gawn ae road.

8

Lord Mangerton them orders gave,

‘Your horses the wrang way maun a’ be shod;

Like gentlemen ye must not seem,

But look like corn-caugers gawn ae road.

9‘Your armour gude ye maunna shaw,Nor ance appear like men o weir;As country lads be all arrayd,Wi branks and brecham on ilk mare.’

9

‘Your armour gude ye maunna shaw,

Nor ance appear like men o weir;

As country lads be all arrayd,

Wi branks and brecham on ilk mare.’

10Sae now a’their horses are shod the wrang way,And Hobie has mounted his grey sae fine,Jock his lively bay, Wat’s on his white horse behind,And on they rode for the water o Tyne.

10

Sae now a’their horses are shod the wrang way,

And Hobie has mounted his grey sae fine,

Jock his lively bay, Wat’s on his white horse behind,

And on they rode for the water o Tyne.

11At the Choler-ford they a’light down,And there, wi the help o the light o the moon,A tree they cut, wi fifteen naggs upo ilk side,To climb up the wa o Newcastle town.

11

At the Choler-ford they a’light down,

And there, wi the help o the light o the moon,

A tree they cut, wi fifteen naggs upo ilk side,

To climb up the wa o Newcastle town.

12But when they cam to Newcastle town,And were alighted at the wa,They fand their tree three ells oer laigh,They fand their stick baith short and sma.

12

But when they cam to Newcastle town,

And were alighted at the wa,

They fand their tree three ells oer laigh,

They fand their stick baith short and sma.

13Then up and spake the Laird’s ain Jock,‘There’s naething for’t, the gates we maun force;’But when they cam the gates unto,A proud porter withstood baith men and horse.

13

Then up and spake the Laird’s ain Jock,

‘There’s naething for’t, the gates we maun force;’

But when they cam the gates unto,

A proud porter withstood baith men and horse.

14His neck in twa I wat they hae wrung,Wi hand or foot he neer playd paw;His life and his keys at anes they hae tane,And cast his body ahind the wa.

14

His neck in twa I wat they hae wrung,

Wi hand or foot he neer playd paw;

His life and his keys at anes they hae tane,

And cast his body ahind the wa.

15Now soon they reach Newcastle jail,And to the prisner thus they call:‘Sleips thou, wakes thou, Jock o the Side?Or is thou wearied o thy thrall?’

15

Now soon they reach Newcastle jail,

And to the prisner thus they call:

‘Sleips thou, wakes thou, Jock o the Side?

Or is thou wearied o thy thrall?’

16Jock answers thus, wi dolefu tone:Aft, aft I wake, I seldom sleip;But wha’s this kens my name sae weel,And thus to hear my waes do[es] seik?

16

Jock answers thus, wi dolefu tone:

Aft, aft I wake, I seldom sleip;

But wha’s this kens my name sae weel,

And thus to hear my waes do[es] seik?

17Then up and spake the good Laird’s Jock,‘Neer fear ye now, my billie,’ quo he;‘For here’s the Laird’s Jock, the Laird’s Wat,And Hobie Noble, come to set thee free.’

17

Then up and spake the good Laird’s Jock,

‘Neer fear ye now, my billie,’ quo he;

‘For here’s the Laird’s Jock, the Laird’s Wat,

And Hobie Noble, come to set thee free.’

18‘Oh, had thy tongue, and speak nae mair,And o thy tawk now let me be!For if a’Liddisdale were here the night,The morn’s the day that I maun die.

18

‘Oh, had thy tongue, and speak nae mair,

And o thy tawk now let me be!

For if a’Liddisdale were here the night,

The morn’s the day that I maun die.

19‘Full fifteen stane o Spanish ironThey hae laid a’right sair on me;Wi locks and keys I am fast boundInto this dungeon mirk and drearie.’

19

‘Full fifteen stane o Spanish iron

They hae laid a’right sair on me;

Wi locks and keys I am fast bound

Into this dungeon mirk and drearie.’

20‘Fear ye no that,’ quo the Laird’s Jock;‘A faint heart neer wan a fair ladie;Work thou within, we’ll work without,And I’ll be bound we set thee free.’

20

‘Fear ye no that,’ quo the Laird’s Jock;

‘A faint heart neer wan a fair ladie;

Work thou within, we’ll work without,

And I’ll be bound we set thee free.’

21The first strong dore that they came at,They loosed it without a key;The next chaind dore that they cam at,They gard it a’in flinders flee.

21

The first strong dore that they came at,

They loosed it without a key;

The next chaind dore that they cam at,

They gard it a’in flinders flee.

22The prisner now, upo his back,The Laird’s Jock’s gotten up fu hie;And down the stair him, irons and a’,Wi nae sma speed and joy brings he.

22

The prisner now, upo his back,

The Laird’s Jock’s gotten up fu hie;

And down the stair him, irons and a’,

Wi nae sma speed and joy brings he.

23‘Now, Jock, I wat,’ quo Hobie Noble,‘Part o the weight ye may lay on me;’‘I wat weel no,’ quo the Laird’s Jock,‘I count him lighter than a flee.’

23

‘Now, Jock, I wat,’ quo Hobie Noble,

‘Part o the weight ye may lay on me;’

‘I wat weel no,’ quo the Laird’s Jock,

‘I count him lighter than a flee.’

24Sae out at the gates they a’ are gane,The prisner’s set on horseback hie;And now wi speed they’ve tane the gate,While ilk ane jokes fu wantonlie.

24

Sae out at the gates they a’ are gane,

The prisner’s set on horseback hie;

And now wi speed they’ve tane the gate,

While ilk ane jokes fu wantonlie.

25‘O Jock, sae winsomely’s ye ride,Wi baith your feet upo ae side!Sae weel’s ye’re harnessd, and sae trig!In troth ye sit like ony bride.’

25

‘O Jock, sae winsomely’s ye ride,

Wi baith your feet upo ae side!

Sae weel’s ye’re harnessd, and sae trig!

In troth ye sit like ony bride.’

26The night, tho wat, they didna mind,But hied them on fu mirrilie,Until they cam to Cholerford brae,Where the water ran like mountains hie.

26

The night, tho wat, they didna mind,

But hied them on fu mirrilie,

Until they cam to Cholerford brae,

Where the water ran like mountains hie.

27But when they came to Cholerford,There they met with an auld man;Says, Honest man, will the water ride?Tell us in haste, if that ye can.

27

But when they came to Cholerford,

There they met with an auld man;

Says, Honest man, will the water ride?

Tell us in haste, if that ye can.

28‘I wat weel no,’ quo the good auld man;‘Here I hae livd this threty yeirs and three,And I neer yet saw the Tyne sae big,Nor rinning ance sae like a sea.’

28

‘I wat weel no,’ quo the good auld man;

‘Here I hae livd this threty yeirs and three,

And I neer yet saw the Tyne sae big,

Nor rinning ance sae like a sea.’

29 Then up and spake the Laird’s saft Wat,The greatest coward in the company;‘Now halt, now halt, we needna try’t;The day is comd we a’maun die!’

29 Then up and spake the Laird’s saft Wat,

The greatest coward in the company;

‘Now halt, now halt, we needna try’t;

The day is comd we a’maun die!’

30‘Poor faint-hearted thief!’ quo the Laird’s Jock,‘There’ll nae man die but he that’s fie;I’ll lead ye a’right safely through;Lift ye the prisner on ahint me.’

30

‘Poor faint-hearted thief!’ quo the Laird’s Jock,

‘There’ll nae man die but he that’s fie;

I’ll lead ye a’right safely through;

Lift ye the prisner on ahint me.’

31Sae now the water they a’hae tane,By anes and twas they a’swam through;‘Here are we a’safe,’ says the Laird’s Jock,‘And, poor faint Wat, what think ye now?’

31

Sae now the water they a’hae tane,

By anes and twas they a’swam through;

‘Here are we a’safe,’ says the Laird’s Jock,

‘And, poor faint Wat, what think ye now?’

32They scarce the ither side had won,When twenty men they saw pursue;Frae Newcastle town they had been sent,A’English lads, right good and true.

32

They scarce the ither side had won,

When twenty men they saw pursue;

Frae Newcastle town they had been sent,

A’English lads, right good and true.

33But when the land-sergeant the water saw,‘It winna ride, my lads,’ quo he;Then out he cries, Ye the prisner may take,But leave the irons, I pray, to me.

33

But when the land-sergeant the water saw,

‘It winna ride, my lads,’ quo he;

Then out he cries, Ye the prisner may take,

But leave the irons, I pray, to me.

34‘I wat weel no,’ cryd the Laird’s Jock,‘I’ll keep them a’, shoon to my mare they’ll be;My good grey mare, for I am sure.She’s bought them a’ fu dear frae thee.’

34

‘I wat weel no,’ cryd the Laird’s Jock,

‘I’ll keep them a’, shoon to my mare they’ll be;

My good grey mare, for I am sure.

She’s bought them a’ fu dear frae thee.’

35Sae now they’re away for Liddisdale,Een as fast as they coud them hie;The prisner’s brought to his ain fire-side,And there o’s aims they make him free.

35

Sae now they’re away for Liddisdale,

Een as fast as they coud them hie;

The prisner’s brought to his ain fire-side,

And there o’s aims they make him free.

36‘Now, Jock, my billie,’ quo a’the three,‘The day was comd thou was to die;But thou’s as weel at thy ain fire-side,Now sitting, I think, tween thee and me.’

36

‘Now, Jock, my billie,’ quo a’the three,

‘The day was comd thou was to die;

But thou’s as weel at thy ain fire-side,

Now sitting, I think, tween thee and me.’

37They hae gard fill up ae punch-bowl,And after it they maun hae anither,And thus the night they a’hae spent,Just as they had been brither and brither.

37

They hae gard fill up ae punch-bowl,

And after it they maun hae anither,

And thus the night they a’hae spent,

Just as they had been brither and brither.

Percy Papers. “The imperfect copy sent me from Keelder, as collected from the memory of an old person by Mr William Hadley, in 1775.”

1‘Now Liddisdale has ridden a rade,But I wat they had a better staid at home;For Michel of Windfield he is slain,And my son Jonny, they have him tane.’With my fa dow diddle, lal la dow didle2Now Downy’s down the water gone,With all her cots unto her arms,And she gave never over swift runningUntill she came to Mengertown.3Up spack Lord Mengertown and says,What news, what news now, sister Downy? what news hast thou to me?‘Bad news, bad news, Lord Mengertown,For Michal of Windfield he is slain, and my son Jonny they have him tain.’4Up speaks Lord Mengertown and says, I have four and twenty yoke of oxen,And four and twenty good milk-ky,And three times as mony sheep,And I’ll gie them a’before my son Jonny die.5I will tak three men unto myself;The Laird’s Jack he shall be ane,The Laird’s Wat another,For, Hobbie Noble, thow must be ane.6.    .    .    .    .    .    .    ..    . thy cot is of the blue;For ever since thou cam to LiddisdaleTo Mengertown thou hast been true.7Now Hobbie hath mounted his frienged gray,And the Laird’s Jack his lively bey,And Watt with the ald horse behind,And they are away as fast as they can ride.8Till they are come to the Cholar foord,And there they lighted down;And there they cut a tree with fifty nags upo each side,For to clim Newcastle wall.9And when they came there .    .    .It wad not reach by ellish three;‘There’s nothing for’t,’ says the Laird’s Jack,‘But forceing o New Castle gate.’10And when they came there,There was a proud porter standing,And I wat they were obliged to wring his neck in twa.11Now they are come to New Castle gile:Says they, Sleep thou, wakes thou, John o the Side?12Says he, Whiles I wake, but seldom sleep;Who is there that knows my name so well?13Up speaks the Laird’s Jack and says,.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .Here is Jack and Watt and Hobby Noble,Come this night to set thee free.14Up speaks John of the Side and says,O hold thy tongue now, billy, and of thy talk now let me be;For if a’Liddisdale were here this night,The morn is the day that I must die.15For their is fifty stone of Spanish ironLaid on me fast wee lock and key,.    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    .16Then up speaks the Laird’s Jack and says,A faint heart neer wan a fair lady;Work thou within and we without,And this night we’el set the free.17The first door that they came atThey lowsed without either lock or key,.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .And the next they brock in flinders three.18Till now Jack has got the prisner on his back,And down the tolbooth stair came he;.    .    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    .19Up spack Hobby Noble and says,O man, I think thou may lay some weight o the prisner upo me;‘I wat weel no,’ says the Laird’s Jack,‘For I do not count him as havy as ane poor flee.’20So now they have set him upo horse back,And says, O now so winsomly as thou dost ride,Just like a bride, wee beth thy feetUnto a side.21Now they are away wee him as fast as they can heye,Till they are come to the Cholar foord brae head;And they met an ald man,And says, Will the water ride?22‘I wat well no,’ says the ald man,‘For I have lived here this thirty years and three,.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .And I think I never saw Tyne running so like a sea.’23Up speaks the Laird’s Watt and says—The greatest coward of the companie—.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .‘Now, dear billies, the day is come that we must a’die.’24Up speaks the Laird’s Jack and says, Poor cowardly thief,They will never one die but him that’s fee;.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .Set the prisner on behind me.25So they have tain the water by ane and two,Till they have got safe swumd through.26Be they wan safe a’through,There were twenty men pursueing them from New Castle town.27Up speaks the land-sergant and says,If you be gone with the rog, cast me my irons.28‘I wat weel no,’ says the Laird’s Jack,‘For I will keep them to shew my good grey mere;.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .For I am sure she has bought them dear.’29‘Good sooth,’ says the Laird’s Jack,‘The worst perel is now past.’30So now they have set him upo hoseback,And away as fast as they could hye,Till they brought him into Liddisdale,And now they have set him down at his own fireside.31And says, now John,The day was come that thou was to die,But thou is full as weel sitting at thy own fireside..    .    .    .    .    .    .    .32And now they are falln to drink,And they drank a whole week one day after another,And if they be not given over,They are all drinking on yet.

1‘Now Liddisdale has ridden a rade,But I wat they had a better staid at home;For Michel of Windfield he is slain,And my son Jonny, they have him tane.’With my fa dow diddle, lal la dow didle2Now Downy’s down the water gone,With all her cots unto her arms,And she gave never over swift runningUntill she came to Mengertown.3Up spack Lord Mengertown and says,What news, what news now, sister Downy? what news hast thou to me?‘Bad news, bad news, Lord Mengertown,For Michal of Windfield he is slain, and my son Jonny they have him tain.’4Up speaks Lord Mengertown and says, I have four and twenty yoke of oxen,And four and twenty good milk-ky,And three times as mony sheep,And I’ll gie them a’before my son Jonny die.5I will tak three men unto myself;The Laird’s Jack he shall be ane,The Laird’s Wat another,For, Hobbie Noble, thow must be ane.6.    .    .    .    .    .    .    ..    . thy cot is of the blue;For ever since thou cam to LiddisdaleTo Mengertown thou hast been true.7Now Hobbie hath mounted his frienged gray,And the Laird’s Jack his lively bey,And Watt with the ald horse behind,And they are away as fast as they can ride.8Till they are come to the Cholar foord,And there they lighted down;And there they cut a tree with fifty nags upo each side,For to clim Newcastle wall.9And when they came there .    .    .It wad not reach by ellish three;‘There’s nothing for’t,’ says the Laird’s Jack,‘But forceing o New Castle gate.’10And when they came there,There was a proud porter standing,And I wat they were obliged to wring his neck in twa.11Now they are come to New Castle gile:Says they, Sleep thou, wakes thou, John o the Side?12Says he, Whiles I wake, but seldom sleep;Who is there that knows my name so well?13Up speaks the Laird’s Jack and says,.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .Here is Jack and Watt and Hobby Noble,Come this night to set thee free.14Up speaks John of the Side and says,O hold thy tongue now, billy, and of thy talk now let me be;For if a’Liddisdale were here this night,The morn is the day that I must die.15For their is fifty stone of Spanish ironLaid on me fast wee lock and key,.    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    .16Then up speaks the Laird’s Jack and says,A faint heart neer wan a fair lady;Work thou within and we without,And this night we’el set the free.17The first door that they came atThey lowsed without either lock or key,.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .And the next they brock in flinders three.18Till now Jack has got the prisner on his back,And down the tolbooth stair came he;.    .    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    .19Up spack Hobby Noble and says,O man, I think thou may lay some weight o the prisner upo me;‘I wat weel no,’ says the Laird’s Jack,‘For I do not count him as havy as ane poor flee.’20So now they have set him upo horse back,And says, O now so winsomly as thou dost ride,Just like a bride, wee beth thy feetUnto a side.21Now they are away wee him as fast as they can heye,Till they are come to the Cholar foord brae head;And they met an ald man,And says, Will the water ride?22‘I wat well no,’ says the ald man,‘For I have lived here this thirty years and three,.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .And I think I never saw Tyne running so like a sea.’23Up speaks the Laird’s Watt and says—The greatest coward of the companie—.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .‘Now, dear billies, the day is come that we must a’die.’24Up speaks the Laird’s Jack and says, Poor cowardly thief,They will never one die but him that’s fee;.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .Set the prisner on behind me.25So they have tain the water by ane and two,Till they have got safe swumd through.26Be they wan safe a’through,There were twenty men pursueing them from New Castle town.27Up speaks the land-sergant and says,If you be gone with the rog, cast me my irons.28‘I wat weel no,’ says the Laird’s Jack,‘For I will keep them to shew my good grey mere;.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .For I am sure she has bought them dear.’29‘Good sooth,’ says the Laird’s Jack,‘The worst perel is now past.’30So now they have set him upo hoseback,And away as fast as they could hye,Till they brought him into Liddisdale,And now they have set him down at his own fireside.31And says, now John,The day was come that thou was to die,But thou is full as weel sitting at thy own fireside..    .    .    .    .    .    .    .32And now they are falln to drink,And they drank a whole week one day after another,And if they be not given over,They are all drinking on yet.

1‘Now Liddisdale has ridden a rade,But I wat they had a better staid at home;For Michel of Windfield he is slain,And my son Jonny, they have him tane.’With my fa dow diddle, lal la dow didle

1

‘Now Liddisdale has ridden a rade,

But I wat they had a better staid at home;

For Michel of Windfield he is slain,

And my son Jonny, they have him tane.’

With my fa dow diddle, lal la dow didle

2Now Downy’s down the water gone,With all her cots unto her arms,And she gave never over swift runningUntill she came to Mengertown.

2

Now Downy’s down the water gone,

With all her cots unto her arms,

And she gave never over swift running

Untill she came to Mengertown.

3Up spack Lord Mengertown and says,What news, what news now, sister Downy? what news hast thou to me?‘Bad news, bad news, Lord Mengertown,For Michal of Windfield he is slain, and my son Jonny they have him tain.’

3

Up spack Lord Mengertown and says,

What news, what news now, sister Downy? what news hast thou to me?

‘Bad news, bad news, Lord Mengertown,

For Michal of Windfield he is slain, and my son Jonny they have him tain.’

4Up speaks Lord Mengertown and says, I have four and twenty yoke of oxen,And four and twenty good milk-ky,And three times as mony sheep,And I’ll gie them a’before my son Jonny die.

4

Up speaks Lord Mengertown and says, I have four and twenty yoke of oxen,

And four and twenty good milk-ky,

And three times as mony sheep,

And I’ll gie them a’before my son Jonny die.

5I will tak three men unto myself;The Laird’s Jack he shall be ane,The Laird’s Wat another,For, Hobbie Noble, thow must be ane.

5

I will tak three men unto myself;

The Laird’s Jack he shall be ane,

The Laird’s Wat another,

For, Hobbie Noble, thow must be ane.

6.    .    .    .    .    .    .    ..    . thy cot is of the blue;For ever since thou cam to LiddisdaleTo Mengertown thou hast been true.

6

.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .

.    . thy cot is of the blue;

For ever since thou cam to Liddisdale

To Mengertown thou hast been true.

7Now Hobbie hath mounted his frienged gray,And the Laird’s Jack his lively bey,And Watt with the ald horse behind,And they are away as fast as they can ride.

7

Now Hobbie hath mounted his frienged gray,

And the Laird’s Jack his lively bey,

And Watt with the ald horse behind,

And they are away as fast as they can ride.

8Till they are come to the Cholar foord,And there they lighted down;And there they cut a tree with fifty nags upo each side,For to clim Newcastle wall.

8

Till they are come to the Cholar foord,

And there they lighted down;

And there they cut a tree with fifty nags upo each side,

For to clim Newcastle wall.

9And when they came there .    .    .It wad not reach by ellish three;‘There’s nothing for’t,’ says the Laird’s Jack,‘But forceing o New Castle gate.’

9

And when they came there .    .    .

It wad not reach by ellish three;

‘There’s nothing for’t,’ says the Laird’s Jack,

‘But forceing o New Castle gate.’

10And when they came there,There was a proud porter standing,And I wat they were obliged to wring his neck in twa.

10

And when they came there,

There was a proud porter standing,

And I wat they were obliged to wring his neck in twa.

11Now they are come to New Castle gile:Says they, Sleep thou, wakes thou, John o the Side?

11

Now they are come to New Castle gile:

Says they, Sleep thou, wakes thou, John o the Side?

12Says he, Whiles I wake, but seldom sleep;Who is there that knows my name so well?

12

Says he, Whiles I wake, but seldom sleep;

Who is there that knows my name so well?

13Up speaks the Laird’s Jack and says,.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .Here is Jack and Watt and Hobby Noble,Come this night to set thee free.

13

Up speaks the Laird’s Jack and says,

.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .

Here is Jack and Watt and Hobby Noble,

Come this night to set thee free.

14Up speaks John of the Side and says,O hold thy tongue now, billy, and of thy talk now let me be;For if a’Liddisdale were here this night,The morn is the day that I must die.

14

Up speaks John of the Side and says,

O hold thy tongue now, billy, and of thy talk now let me be;

For if a’Liddisdale were here this night,

The morn is the day that I must die.

15For their is fifty stone of Spanish ironLaid on me fast wee lock and key,.    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    .

15

For their is fifty stone of Spanish iron

Laid on me fast wee lock and key,

.    .    .    .    .    .    .

.    .    .    .    .    .    .

16Then up speaks the Laird’s Jack and says,A faint heart neer wan a fair lady;Work thou within and we without,And this night we’el set the free.

16

Then up speaks the Laird’s Jack and says,

A faint heart neer wan a fair lady;

Work thou within and we without,

And this night we’el set the free.

17The first door that they came atThey lowsed without either lock or key,.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .And the next they brock in flinders three.

17

The first door that they came at

They lowsed without either lock or key,

.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .

And the next they brock in flinders three.

18Till now Jack has got the prisner on his back,And down the tolbooth stair came he;.    .    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    .

18

Till now Jack has got the prisner on his back,

And down the tolbooth stair came he;

.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .

.    .    .    .    .    .    .

19Up spack Hobby Noble and says,O man, I think thou may lay some weight o the prisner upo me;‘I wat weel no,’ says the Laird’s Jack,‘For I do not count him as havy as ane poor flee.’

19

Up spack Hobby Noble and says,

O man, I think thou may lay some weight o the prisner upo me;

‘I wat weel no,’ says the Laird’s Jack,

‘For I do not count him as havy as ane poor flee.’

20So now they have set him upo horse back,And says, O now so winsomly as thou dost ride,Just like a bride, wee beth thy feetUnto a side.

20

So now they have set him upo horse back,

And says, O now so winsomly as thou dost ride,

Just like a bride, wee beth thy feet

Unto a side.

21Now they are away wee him as fast as they can heye,Till they are come to the Cholar foord brae head;And they met an ald man,And says, Will the water ride?

21

Now they are away wee him as fast as they can heye,

Till they are come to the Cholar foord brae head;

And they met an ald man,

And says, Will the water ride?

22‘I wat well no,’ says the ald man,‘For I have lived here this thirty years and three,.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .And I think I never saw Tyne running so like a sea.’

22

‘I wat well no,’ says the ald man,

‘For I have lived here this thirty years and three,

.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .

And I think I never saw Tyne running so like a sea.’

23Up speaks the Laird’s Watt and says—The greatest coward of the companie—.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .‘Now, dear billies, the day is come that we must a’die.’

23

Up speaks the Laird’s Watt and says—

The greatest coward of the companie—

.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .

‘Now, dear billies, the day is come that we must a’die.’

24Up speaks the Laird’s Jack and says, Poor cowardly thief,They will never one die but him that’s fee;.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .Set the prisner on behind me.

24

Up speaks the Laird’s Jack and says, Poor cowardly thief,

They will never one die but him that’s fee;

.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .

Set the prisner on behind me.

25So they have tain the water by ane and two,Till they have got safe swumd through.

25

So they have tain the water by ane and two,

Till they have got safe swumd through.

26Be they wan safe a’through,There were twenty men pursueing them from New Castle town.

26

Be they wan safe a’through,

There were twenty men pursueing them from New Castle town.

27Up speaks the land-sergant and says,If you be gone with the rog, cast me my irons.

27

Up speaks the land-sergant and says,

If you be gone with the rog, cast me my irons.

28‘I wat weel no,’ says the Laird’s Jack,‘For I will keep them to shew my good grey mere;.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .For I am sure she has bought them dear.’

28

‘I wat weel no,’ says the Laird’s Jack,

‘For I will keep them to shew my good grey mere;

.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .

For I am sure she has bought them dear.’

29‘Good sooth,’ says the Laird’s Jack,‘The worst perel is now past.’

29

‘Good sooth,’ says the Laird’s Jack,

‘The worst perel is now past.’

30So now they have set him upo hoseback,And away as fast as they could hye,Till they brought him into Liddisdale,And now they have set him down at his own fireside.

30

So now they have set him upo hoseback,

And away as fast as they could hye,

Till they brought him into Liddisdale,

And now they have set him down at his own fireside.

31And says, now John,The day was come that thou was to die,But thou is full as weel sitting at thy own fireside..    .    .    .    .    .    .    .

31

And says, now John,

The day was come that thou was to die,

But thou is full as weel sitting at thy own fireside.

.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .

32And now they are falln to drink,And they drank a whole week one day after another,And if they be not given over,They are all drinking on yet.

32

And now they are falln to drink,

And they drank a whole week one day after another,

And if they be not given over,

They are all drinking on yet.

Percy Papers. “These are scraps of the old song repeated to me by Mr Leadbeater, from the neighborhood of Hexham, 1774.”

1Liddisdaill has ridden a raid,But they had better ha staid at hame;For Michael a Wingfield he is slain,And Jock o the Side they hae taen.2Dinah’s down the water gane,Wi a’her coats untill her knes,.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .To Mangerton came she.3.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .How now? how now? What’s your will wi me?.    .    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    .4To the New Castle h[e] is gane.5They have cuttin their yad’s tailes,They’ve cut them a little abune the hough,And they nevir gave oer s....d runningTill they came to Hathery Haugh.6And when they came to Chollerton fordTyne was mair running like a sea..    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    .7And when they came to Swinburne wood,Quickly they ha fellen a tree;Twenty snags on either side,And on the top it had lang three.8‘My mare is young, she wul na swim,’.    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    .9.    .    .    .    .    .    .‘Now Mudge the Miller, fie on thee!Tak thou mine, and I’ll tak thine,And the deel hang down thy yad and thee.’

1Liddisdaill has ridden a raid,But they had better ha staid at hame;For Michael a Wingfield he is slain,And Jock o the Side they hae taen.2Dinah’s down the water gane,Wi a’her coats untill her knes,.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .To Mangerton came she.3.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .How now? how now? What’s your will wi me?.    .    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    .4To the New Castle h[e] is gane.5They have cuttin their yad’s tailes,They’ve cut them a little abune the hough,And they nevir gave oer s....d runningTill they came to Hathery Haugh.6And when they came to Chollerton fordTyne was mair running like a sea..    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    .7And when they came to Swinburne wood,Quickly they ha fellen a tree;Twenty snags on either side,And on the top it had lang three.8‘My mare is young, she wul na swim,’.    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    .9.    .    .    .    .    .    .‘Now Mudge the Miller, fie on thee!Tak thou mine, and I’ll tak thine,And the deel hang down thy yad and thee.’

1Liddisdaill has ridden a raid,But they had better ha staid at hame;For Michael a Wingfield he is slain,And Jock o the Side they hae taen.

1

Liddisdaill has ridden a raid,

But they had better ha staid at hame;

For Michael a Wingfield he is slain,

And Jock o the Side they hae taen.

2Dinah’s down the water gane,Wi a’her coats untill her knes,.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .To Mangerton came she.

2

Dinah’s down the water gane,

Wi a’her coats untill her knes,

.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .

To Mangerton came she.

3.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .How now? how now? What’s your will wi me?.    .    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    .

3

.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .

How now? how now? What’s your will wi me?

.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .

.    .    .    .    .    .    .

4To the New Castle h[e] is gane.

4

To the New Castle h[e] is gane.

5They have cuttin their yad’s tailes,They’ve cut them a little abune the hough,And they nevir gave oer s....d runningTill they came to Hathery Haugh.

5

They have cuttin their yad’s tailes,

They’ve cut them a little abune the hough,

And they nevir gave oer s....d running

Till they came to Hathery Haugh.

6And when they came to Chollerton fordTyne was mair running like a sea..    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    .

6

And when they came to Chollerton ford

Tyne was mair running like a sea.

.    .    .    .    .    .    .

.    .    .    .    .    .    .

7And when they came to Swinburne wood,Quickly they ha fellen a tree;Twenty snags on either side,And on the top it had lang three.

7

And when they came to Swinburne wood,

Quickly they ha fellen a tree;

Twenty snags on either side,

And on the top it had lang three.

8‘My mare is young, she wul na swim,’.    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    ..    .    .    .    .    .    .

8

‘My mare is young, she wul na swim,’

.    .    .    .    .    .    .

.    .    .    .    .    .    .

.    .    .    .    .    .    .

9.    .    .    .    .    .    .‘Now Mudge the Miller, fie on thee!Tak thou mine, and I’ll tak thine,And the deel hang down thy yad and thee.’

9

.    .    .    .    .    .    .

‘Now Mudge the Miller, fie on thee!

Tak thou mine, and I’ll tak thine,

And the deel hang down thy yad and thee.’

A.

11. whifeild:the firstimay bet:Furnivall.

63, 71, 81. 5.

73. 5000.

131, 132. 3.

134. 3:Percy queries, tree?

154. 2 and 2.

174. 30: 3.

181. 4.

192. by.MS. eaten through by ink: Furnivall.

203. knightfornight.

241. 9: or: 10:.

242. 10: or: 11:.The first and the second line might be transposed to the advantage of the rhyme.

251. hobynoble.

274. infaith.

283. 4.

284. 2.

291. for 4.

292. 5.

294. 12.

321, 341, 382. 2 or 3.

392. 5.

B. a.

132. wi’maun.

164. do seik (==dos seik).

343. grey mare,butbayin 103.bhas bay in both.

b.

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