B
Pieces of Ancient Poetry from Unpublished Manuscripts and Scarce Books, Bristol, 1814, p. 53.
1
Fifteen foresters in the Braid alow,
And they are wondrous fell;
To get a drop of Johnny’s heart-bluid,
They would sink a’ their souls to hell.
2
Johnny Cock has gotten word of this,
And he is wondrous keen;
Heś custan off the red scarlet,
And on the Linkum green.
3
And he is ridden oer muir and muss,
And over mountains high,
Till he came to yon wan water,
And there Johnny Cock did lie.
4
They have ridden oer muir and muss,
And over mountains high,
Till they met wi’ an old palmer,
Was walking along the way.
5
‘What news, what news, old palmer?
What news have you to me?’
‘Yonder is one of the proudest wed sons
That ever my eyes did see.’
* * * * *
6
He’s taen out a horn from his side,
And he blew both loud and shrill,
Till a’ the fifteen foresters
Heard Johnny Cock blaw his horn.
7
They have sworn a bluidy oath,
And they swore all in one,
That there was not a man among them a’
Would blaw such a blast as yon.
8
And they have ridden oer muir and muss,
And over mountains high,
Till they came to yon wan water,
Where Johnny Cock did lie.
9
They have shotten little Johnny Cock,
A little above the ee:
. . . . . . .
‘For doing the like to me.
10
‘There’s not a wolf in a’ the wood
Woud ’ ha’ done the like to me;
‘She’d ha’ dipped her foot in coll water,
And strinkled above my ee,
And if I would not have waked for that,
‘She’d ha’ gane and let me be.
11
‘But fingers five, come here, [come here,]
And faint heart fail me nought,
And silver strings, value me sma things,
Till I get all this vengeance rowght!’
12
He ha shot a’ the fifteen foresters,
Left never a one but one,
And he broke the ribs a that ane’s side,
And let him take tiding home.
13
‘... a bird in a’ the wood
Could sing as I could say,
It would go in to my mother’s bower,
And bid her kiss me, and take me away.’