Sir John got him an ambling nag, To Scotland for to ride-a, With a hundred horse more, all his own he swore, To guard him on every side-a. No errant-knight ever went to fight 5 With halfe so gay a bravado, Had you seen but his look, you'ld have sworn on a book, Hee'ld have conquer'd a whole armado. The ladies ran all to the windowes to see So gallant and warlike a sight-a, 10 And as he pass'd by, they began to cry, "Sir John, why will you go fight-a?" But he, like a cruel knight, spurr'd on, His heart did not relent-a; For, till he came there, he shew'd no fear;[L15] 15 Till then why should he repent-a? The king (God bless him!) had singular hopes Of him and all his troop-a: The borderers they, as they met him on the way, For joy did hollow and whoop-a. 20 None lik'd him so well as his own colonel, Who took him for John de Weart-a;[L22] But when there were shows of gunning and blows, My gallant was nothing so peart-a. For when the Scots army came within sight, 25 And all men prepared to fight-a, He ran to his tent; they ask'd what he meant; He swore he must needs goe s----- a. The colonel sent for him back agen, To quarter him in the van-a, 30 But Sir John did swear, he came not there To be kill'd the very first man-a. To cure his fear, he was sent to the rere, Some ten miles back, and more-a; Where he did play at tre trip for hay, 35 And ne'er saw the enemy more-a. But now there is peace, he's returned to increase His money, which lately he spent-a; But his lost honor must still lye in the dust; At Barwick away it went-a. 40 15. For till he came there, what had he to fear; Or why should he repent-a? PERCY. 22. John de Wert was a German general of reputation, and the terror of the French in the reign of Louis XIII. Hence his name became proverbial in France, where he was called De Vert. PERCY. THE BATTLE OF PHILIPHAUGH. From _Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border_, ii. 177.