English and Scottish Ballads, Volume VI

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

We were stout-hearted men and true,                              5
      As England it did often say;
    But now we may turn our backs and fly,
      Since brave Noble is seld away.

    Now Hobie he was an English man,
      And born into Bewcastle dale;                                 10
    But his misdeeds they were sae great,
      They banish'd him to Liddisdale.

    At Kershope foot the tryst was set,[L13]
      Kershope of the lily lee;
    And there was traitour Sim o' the Mains,[L15]                   15
      With him a private companie.

    Then Hobie has graith'd his body weel,
      I wat it was wi' baith good iron and steel;
    And he has pull'd out his fringed grey,
      And there, brave Noble, he rade him weel.                     20

    Then Hobie is down the water gane,
      E'en as fast as he may drie;
    Tho' they shoud a' brusten and broken their hearts,
      Frae that tryst Noble he would not be.

    "Weel may ye be, my feiries five!                               25
      And aye, what is your wills wi' me?"
    Then they cry'd a' wi' ae consent,
      "Thou'rt welcome here, brave Noble, to me.

    "Wilt thou with us in England ride,
      And thy safe warrand we will be?                              30
    If we get a horse worth a hundred punds,
      Upon his back that thou shalt be."

    "I dare not with you into England ride,
      The Land-sergeant has me at feid;
    I know not what evil may betide,                                35
      For Peter of Whitfield, his brother, is dead.

    "And Anton Shiel, he loves not me,
      For I gat twa drifts of his sheep;[L38]
    The great Earl of Whitfield loves me not,[L39]
      For nae gear frae me he e'er could keep.                      40

    "But will ye stay till the day gae down,
      Until the night come o'er the grund,
    And I'll be a guide worth ony twa
      That may in Liddisdale be fund.

    "Tho' dark the night as pick and tar,                           45
      I'll guide ye o'er yon hills fu' hie,
    And bring ye a' in safety back,
      If you'll be true and follow me."

    He's guided them o'er moss and muir,
      O'er hill and houp, and mony a down;                          50
    Til they came to the Foulbogshiel,
      And there, brave Noble, he lighted down.

    Then word is gane to the Land-sergeant,
      In Askirton where that he lay--[L54]
    "The deer that ye hae hunted lang                               55
      Is seen into the Waste this day."

    "Then Hobie Noble is that deer!
      I wat he carries the style fu' hie;
    Aft has he beat your slough-hounds back,
      And set yourselves at little lee.                             60

    "Gar warn the bows of Hartlie-burn,
      See they shaft their arrows on the wa'!
    Warn Willeva, and Spear Edom,[L63]
      And see the morn they meet me a'.

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

English and Scottish Ballads, Volume VI

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