2 He had na been in England lang,
But and a little while,
Untill the king's daughter
To Johnny gaes wi child.
3 Word is to the kitchin gane,
And word is to the ha,
And word is to the king's palace,
Amang the nobles a'.
4 Word's gane to the king's palace,
The palace where she sat,
That his ae daughter gaes wi child
To Jock, the Little Scot.
5 'If she be wi child,' he says,
'As I trow well she be,
I'll put her into strang prison,
And hang her till she die.'
6 But up and spak young Johnny,
And O he spake in time:
Is there never a bony boy here
Will rin my errand soon?
7 That will gae to yon castle,
And look it round about?
And there he'll see a fair lady,
The window looking out.
8 Up then spak a bony boy,
And a bony boy was he:
I'll run thy errand, Johnny, he said,
Untill the day I die.
9 'Put on your gown o silk, madam,
And on your hand a glove,
And gang into the good green-wood,
To Johnny, your true-love.'
10 'The fetters they are on my feet,
And O but they are cauld!
My bracelets they are sturdy steel,
Instead of beaten gold.
11 'But I will write a lang letter,
And seal it tenderlie,
And I will send to my true-love,
Before that I do die.'