The first gude town that Johnie came to,85
He made the bells be rung;
And when he rode the town all owre,
He made the psalms be sung.
The next gude town that Johnie came to,
He made the drums beat round;90
And the third gude town that he came to,
He made the trumpets sound,
Till King Henry and all his merry men
A-marvelled at the sound.
And when they came to Earl Percy's yates,95
They rode them round about;
And who saw he but his own true love
At a window looking out?
"O the doors are bolted with iron and steel,
So are the windows about;100
And my feet they are in fetters strong;
And how can I get out?
"My garters they are of the lead,
And O but they be cold;
My breast-plate's of the hard, hard steel,105
Instead of beaten gold."
But when they came to Earl Percy's yett,
They tirled at the pin;
None was so ready as Earl Percy himsell
To open and let them in.110
"Art thou the King of Aulsberry,
Or art thou the King of Spain?
Or art thou one of our gay Scots lords,
M'Nachton be thy name?"
"I'm not the King of Aulsberry,115
Nor yet the King of Spain;
But am one of our gay Scots lords,
Johnie Scot I am called by name."
When Johnie came before the king,
He fell low down on his knee:120
"If Johnie Scot be thy name," he said,
"As I trew weel it be,
Then the brawest lady in a' my court
Gaes big wi' child to thee."