English and Scottish Ballads Volume VI Part 9

Then d.i.c.kie's come on for Pudding-burn,[L61]

E'en as fast as he might drie; Now d.i.c.kie's come on for Pudding-burn, Where there were thirty Armstrongs and three.

"O what's this com'd o' me now?" quo' d.i.c.kie; 65 "What meikle wae's this happen'd o' me? quo' he; Where here is but ae innocent fool, And there is thirty Armstrongs and three!"

Yet he's com'd up to the ha' amang them a', Sae weil he's became his curtesie! 70 "Weil may ye be, my good Laird's Jock!

But the de'il bless a' your companie.

"I'm come to 'plain o' your man, fair Johnie Armstrong, And syne o' his billie Willie," quo' he; "How they hae been i' my house the last night, 75 And they hae tane my three ky frae me."

Quo' Johnie Armstrong, "We will him hang;"

"Na then," quo' Willie, "we'll him slae;"

But up and bespake anither young man, "We'll gie 'im his batts, and let him gae." 80

Then up and bespake the good Laird's Jock, The best falla in a' the companie; "Sit thy ways down a little while, d.i.c.kie, And a piece o' thy ain cow's hough I'll gi' thee."

But d.i.c.kie's heart it grew sae great, 85 That ne'er a bit o't he dought to eat; Then d.i.c.kie was ware o' an auld peat-house, Where a' the night he thought for to sleep.

Then d.i.c.kie was ware o' an auld peat-house, Where a' the night he thought for to ly; 90 And a' the prayers the poor fool pray'd, "I wish I had amense for my ain three ky!"

Then it was the use of Pudding-burn, And the house of Mangerton, all haill,[L94]

These that cam na at the first ca', 95 They got nae mair meat t' the neist meal.

The lads, that hungry and weary were, Aboon the door-head they hang the key; d.i.c.kie he took good notice to that, Says--"There's a bootie yonder for me." 100

Then d.i.c.kie into the stable is gane, Where there stood thirty horses and three; He has tied them a' wi' St. Mary's knot,[L103]

A' these horses but barely three.

He has tied them a' wi' St. Mary's knot, 105 A' these horses but barely three; He's loupen on ane, tane anither in hand, And out at the door and gane is d.i.c.kie.

Then on the morn, whan the day grew light, The shouts and cries rose loud and hie-- 110 "O where's that thief?" quo' the good Laird's Jock, "Tell me the truth and the veritie!"

"O where's that thief?" quo' the good Laird's Jock; "See unto me ye dinna lie!"-- "d.i.c.kie's been i' the stable last night, 115 And has my brother's horse and mine frae me."

"Ye wad ne'er be tall'd," quo' the good Laird's Jock; "Have ye not found my tales fu' leel?

Ye wad ne'er out o' England bide, Till crooked, and blind, and a' wad steal." 120

"But lend me thy bay," Johnie Armstrong can say; "There's nae horse loose in the stable but he; And I'll either bring d.i.c.k o' the Cow again, Or the day is come that he shall die."

"To lend thee my bay!" the Laird's Jock can say, 125 "He's worth baith goud and good monie: d.i.c.k o' the Cow has away twa horse: I wish na thou may make him three."

He's tane the laird's jack on his back, A twa-handed sword that hang by his thigh; 130 He's tane the steel cap on his head, And on is he gane to follow d.i.c.kie.

Then d.i.c.kie was na a mile aff the town, I wat a mile but barely three, Till he's o'ertane by Johnie Armstrong, 135 Hand for hand, on Cann.o.bie lee.[L136]

"Abide, abide now, d.i.c.kie, than, The day is come that thou maun die;"

Then d.i.c.kie look'd o'er his left shoulder, "Johnie, has thou any moe in companie? 140

"There is a preacher in our chapel, And a' the lee-lang day teaches he: Whan day is gane and night is come, There's ne'er ae word I mark but three.

"The first and second is--Faith and Conscience; 145 The third--Ne'er let a traitour free: But, Johnie, what faith and conscience hadst thou, Whan thou took my three ky frae me?

"And when thou had tane away my three ky, Thou thought in thy heart thou was no well sped, 150 But sent thy billie Willie o'er the know, And he took three co'erlets aff my wife's bed."

Then Johnie let a spear fa' laigh by his thigh, Thought weil to hae slain the innocent, I trow; But the powers above were mair than he, 155 For he ran but the poor fool's jerkin through.

Together they ran, or ever they blan, This was d.i.c.kie the fool and he; d.i.c.kie coud na win to him wi' the blade o' the sword, But feld 'im wi' the plumet under the eie. 160

Now d.i.c.kie has feld fair Johnie Armstrong, The prettiest man in the south countrie; "Gramercy!" then can d.i.c.kie say, "I had but twa horse, thou has made me three."

He has tane the laird's jack aff his back, 165 The twa-handed sword that hang by his thigh; He has tane the steel cap aff his head-- "Johnie, I'll tell my master I met wi' thee."

When Johnie wakened out o' his dream, I wat a drierie man was he: 170 "And is thou gane, now, d.i.c.kie, than?

The shame gae in thy companie!

"And is thou gane, now, d.i.c.kie, than?

The shame gae in thy companie!

For if I should live this hundred years, 175 I ne'er shall fight wi' a fool after thee."

Then d.i.c.kie's come hame to lord and master, E'en as fast as he may drie; "Now, d.i.c.kie, I'll neither eat nor drink, Till hie hanged thou shalt be." 180

"The shame speed the liars, my lord!" quo' d.i.c.kie; "That was no the promise ye made to me!

For I'd ne'er gane t' Liddisdale t' steal, Till I had got my leave at thee."

"But what gard thou steal the Laird's Jock's horse? 185 And, limmer, what gard thou steal him?" quo' he; "For lang might thou in c.u.mberland dwelt, Ere the Laird's Jock had stawn frae thee."[L188]

"Indeed I wat ye lied, my lord!

And e'en sae loud as I hear ye lie! 190 I wan him frae his man, fair Johnie Armstrong, Hand for hand, on Cann.o.bie lee.

"There's the jack was on his back, This twa-handed sword that hang laigh by his thigh, And there's the steel cap was on his head; 195 I hae a' these takens to let thee see."

"If that be true thou to me tells, (I trow thou dare na tell a lie,) I'll gi' thee twenty punds for the good horse, Weil tel'd in thy cloak lap shall be. 200

"And I'll gi' thee ane o' my best milk-ky, To maintain thy wife and children three; And that may be as good, I think, As ony twa o' thine might be."

"The shame speed the liers, my lord!" quo' d.i.c.kie; 205 "Trow ye aye to make a fool o' me?

I'll either hae thirty punds for the good horse, Or he's gae t' Mortan fair wi' me."

He's gi'en him thirty punds for the good horse, All in goud and good monie; 210 He has gi'en him ane o' his best milk-ky, To maintain his wife and children three.

Then d.i.c.kie's came down through Carlisle town, E'en as fast as he might drie: The first o' men that he met with, 215 Was my Lord's brother, Bayliff Glozenburrie.

"Weil may ye be, my gude Ralph Scroope!"-- "Welcome, my brother's fool!" quo' he: "Where did thou get fair Johnie Armstrong's horse?"

"Where did I get him, but steal him," quo' he. 220

"But wilt thou sell me fair Johnie Armstrong's horse?

And, billie, wilt thou sell him to me?" quo' he: "Aye, and tell me the monie on my cloak lap: For there's no ae fardin I'll trust thee."

"I'll gi' thee fifteen punds for the good horse, 225 Weil tel'd on thy cloak lap shall be; And I'll gi' thee ane o' my best milk-ky, To maintain thy wife and children three."