So gallant and warlike a sight-a,10
And as he pass'd by, they began to cry,
"Sir John, why will you go fight-a?"
But he, like a cruel knight, spurr'd on,
His heart did not relent-a;
[For, till he came there, he shew'd no fear;]15
Till then why should he repent-a?
The king (God bless him!) had singular hopes
Of him and all his troop-a:
The borderers they, as they met him on the way,
For joy did hollow and whoop-a.20
None lik'd him so well as his own colonel,
Who took him for [John de Weart-a;]
But when there were shows of gunning and blows,
My gallant was nothing so peart-a.
For when the Scots army came within sight,25
And all men prepared to fight-a,
He ran to his tent; they ask'd what he meant;
He swore he must needs goe s——- a.
The colonel sent for him back agen,
To quarter him in the van-a,30
But Sir John did swear, he came not there
To be kill'd the very first man-a.
To cure his fear, he was sent to the rere,
Some ten miles back, and more-a;
Where he did play at tre trip for hay,35
And ne'er saw the enemy more-a.
But now there is peace, he's returned to increase
His money, which lately he spent-a;
But his lost honor must still lye in the dust;
At Barwick away it went-a.40
[15].