English and Scottish Ballads, Volume IV

Ballads, English -- England -- Texts; Ballads, Scots -- Scotland -- Texts

"My garters they are of the lead,
      And O but they be cold;
    My breast-plate's of the hard, hard steel,                     105
      Instead of beaten gold."

    But when they came to Earl Percy's yett,
      They tirled at the pin;
    None was so ready as Earl Percy himsell
      To open and let them in.                                     110

    "Art thou the King of Aulsberry,
      Or art thou the King of Spain?
    Or art thou one of our gay Scots lords,
      M'Nachton be thy name?"

    "I'm not the King of Aulsberry,                                115
      Nor yet the King of Spain;
    But am one of our gay Scots lords,
      Johnie Scot I am called by name."

    When Johnie came before the king,
      He fell low down on his knee:                                120
    "If Johnie Scot be thy name," he said,
      "As I trew weel it be,
    Then the brawest lady in a' my court
      Gaes big wi' child to thee."

    "If she be with child," fair Johnie said,                      125
      "As I trew weel she be,
    I'll make it heir owre a' my land,
      And her my gay ladie."

    "But if she be wi' child," her father said,
      "As I trew weel she be,                                      130
    To-morrow again eight o'clock,
      High hanged thou shalt be."

    Out and spoke Johnie's uncle then,
      And he spak bitterlie:
    "Before that we see fair Johnie hanged,                        135
      We'll a' fight till we die."

    "But is there ever an Italian about your court,[L137]
      That will fight duels three?
    For before that I be hanged," Johnie said,
      "On the Italian's sword I'll die."                           140

    "Say on, say on," said then the king,
      "It is weel spoken of thee;
    For there is an Italian in my court
      Shall fight you three by three."

    O some is to the good green wood,                              145
      And some is to the plain,
    The queen with all her ladies fair,
      The king with his merry men,
    Either to see fair Johnie flee,
      Or else to see him slain.                                    150

    They fought on, and Johnie fought on,
      Wi' swords o' temper'd steel,
    Until the draps o' red, red blood
      Ran trinkling down the field.

    They fought on, and Johnie fought on,                          155
      They fought right manfullie;
    Till they left not alive, in a' the king's court,
      A man only but three.

    And they begoud at eight of the morn,
      And they fought on till three;                               160
    When the Italian, like a swallow swift,[L161]
      Owre Johnie's head did flee:

    But Johnie being a clever young boy,
      He wheeled him round about;
    And on the point of Johnie's broad-sword,                      165
      The Italian he slew out.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

English and Scottish Ballads, Volume IV

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