Then out and spak the gude Laird’s Jock, ‘Now fear ye na, my billie[1191],’ quo’ he; ‘For here are the Laird’s Jock, the Laird’s Wat, And Hobbie Noble to set thee free.’-- XIX ‘Now haud thy tongue, my gude Laird’s Jock, For ever, alas! this canna be; For if a’ Liddesdale were here the night, The morn’s the day that I maun dee. XX ‘Full fifteen stane o’ Spanish iron, They hae laid a’ right sair on me; Wi’ locks and keys I am fast bound In this dungeon dark and dreirie.’ XXI ‘Fear ye na that,’ quo’ the Laird’s Jock; ‘A faint heart ne’er wan a fair ladie; Work thou within, we’ll work without, And I’ll be sworn we’ll set thee free.’ XXII The first strong door that they cam at, They loosèd it without a key; The next chain’d door that they cam at, They garr’d it a’ to flinders flee. XXIII The prisoner now upon his back The Laird’s Jock has gotten up fu’ hie; And, airns and a’, down the tolbooth[1192] stair, Wi’ nae sma’ speed and joy brings he. XXIV ‘Now, Jock, my man,’ quo’ Hobbie Noble, ‘Some o’ his weight ye may lay on me.’-- ‘I wat weel no!’ quo’ the Laird’s ain Jock, ‘I count him lighter than a flee.’ XXV Sae out at the gates they a’ are gane, The prisoner’s set on horseback hie; And now wi’ speed they’ve ta’en the gate, While ilk ane jokes fu’ wantonlie: XXVI ‘O Jock! sae winsomely ye sit, Wi’ baith your feet upon ae side; Sae weel ye’re harneist, and sae trig, In troth ye sit like ony bride!’ XXVII The night, tho’ wat, they did na mind, But hied them on fu’ merrilie, Until they cam to Cholerton brae, Where the water ran like mountains hie. XXVIII But when they cam to Cholerton ford, There they met with an auld man; Says--‘Honest man, will the water ride? Tell us in haste, if that ye can.’-- XXIX ‘I wat weel no,’ quo’ the gude auld man; ‘I hae lived here thretty years and three; Nor man nor horse can go ower Tyne, Except it were a horse of tree.’-- XXX Then out and spoke the Laird’s saft Wat, The greatest coward in the companie: ‘Now halt, now halt! we need na try’t; The day is come we a’ maun die!’-- XXXI ‘Puir faint-hearted thief!’ cried the Laird’s ain Jock, ‘There’ll nae man die but him that’s fie[1193]; I’ll guide ye a’ right safely thro’; Lift ye the pris’ner on ahint me.’ XXXII Wi’ that the water they hae ta’en, By ane’s and twa’s they a’ swam thro’; ‘Here are we a’ safe,’ quo’ the Laird’s Jock, ‘And, puir faint Wat, what think ye now?’ XXXIII They scarce the other brae had won, When twenty men they saw pursue; Frae Newcastle toun they had been sent, A’ English lads baith stout and true. XXXIV