"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 Dick 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:
Dick 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 Dickie.
Then Dickie 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 [Cannobie lee].
"Abide, abide now, Dickie, than,
The day is come that thou maun die;"
Then Dickie 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;
The third—Ne'er let a traitour free:146
But, Johnie, what faith and conscience hadst thou,
Whan thou took my three ky frae me?