G
Motherwell's Note-Book, p. 35, Motherwell MS., p. 394; from the singing of Agnes Lyle, of Kilbarchan, 24 August, 1825.
1 Johnie Scott's a hunting gone,
To England woods so wild,
Until the king's old dochter dear
She goes to him with child.
2 'If she be with bairn,' her mother says,
'As I trew weel she be,
We'll put her in a dark dungeon,
And hunger her till she die.'
3 'If she be with bairn,' her father says,
'As oh forbid she be!
We'll put her in a prison strong,
And try the veritie.'
4 The king did write a long letter,
Sealed it with his own hand,
And he sent it to Johnie Scot,
To speak at his command.
5 When Johnie read this letter long,
The tear blindit his ee:
'I must away to Old England;
King Edward writes for me.'
6 Out and spak his mother dear,
She spoke aye in time:
Son, if thou go to Old England,
I fear thou'll neer come hame.
7 Out and spoke a Scotish prince,
And a weel spoke man was he:
Here's four and twenty o my braw troops,
To bear thee companie.
8 Away they gade, awa they rade,
Away they rade so slie;
There was not a maried man that day
In Johnie's companie.