17. Mettled John Hall, from the laigh Teviotdale, is perhaps John Hall of Newbigging, mentioned in the list of Border clans as one of the chief men of name residing on the Middle Marches in 1597.--S. 70. The _gold twist_ means the small gilded chains drawn across the chest of a war-horse, as a part of his caparison.--S. BILLIE ARCHIE. Motherwell's _Minstrelsy_, p. 335. A North-Country version of the preceding ballad. There is another copy in Buchan's larger collection, i. 111, _The Three Brothers_. "Seven years have I loved my love, And seven years my love's loved me, But now to-morrow is the day That Billie Archie, my love, must die." Out then spoke him Little Dickie, 5 And still the best fellow was he; "Had I but five men and mysell, Then we would borrow Billie Archie." Out it spoke him Caff o' Lin, And still the worst fellow was he; 10 "Ye shall have five men and yoursell, And I will bear you companie. "We will not go like to dragoons, Nor yet will we like grenadiers; But we will go like corn-dealers, 15 And lay our brechams on our meares. "And twa of us will watch the road, And other twa between will gang, And I will go to jail-house door, And hold the prisoner unthought lang." 20 "Wha is this at the jail-house door, Sa weel as they do ken the gin?" "It's I mysell," said him Little Dickie, "And O sae fain's I would be in!" "Awa, awa, now, Little Dickie, 25 Awa, let all your folly be; If the Lord Lieutenant come on you, Like unto dogs he'll cause you die." "Hold you, hold you, Billy Archie, And now let all your folly be; 30 Though I die without, you'll not die within, For borrowed shall your body be." "Awa, awa, now, Little Dickie, Awa, let all this folly be; An hundred pounds of Spanish irons 35 Is all bound on my fair bodie." Wi' plough coulters and gavelocks They made the jail-house door to flee; "And in God's name," said Little Dickie, "Cast you the prisoner behind me." 40 They had not rade a great way off, With all the haste that ever could be, Till they espied the Lord Lieutenant, With a hundred men in companie. But when they cam to wan water, 45 It now was rumbling like the sea; Then were they got into a strait, As great a strait as well could be. Then out did speak him Caff o' Lin, And aye the warst fellow was he: 50 "Now God be with my wife and bairns, For fatherless my babes will be.