Now sune they reach Newcastle jail,
And to the prisoner thus they call:
‘Sleeps thou, wakes thou, Jock o’ the Side,
Or art thou weary of thy thrall?’
XVII
Jock answers thus, wi’ dolefu’ tone:
‘Aft, aft I wake—I seldom sleep:
But whae’s this kens my name sae weel,
And thus to mese[1190] my waes does seek?’—
XVIII
Then out and spak the gude Laird’s Jock,
‘Now fear ye na, my billie[1191],’ quo’ he;
‘For here are the Laird’s Jock, the Laird’s Wat,
And Hobbie Noble to set thee free.’—
XIX
‘Now haud thy tongue, my gude Laird’s Jock,
For ever, alas! this canna be;
For if a’ Liddesdale were here the night,
The morn’s the day that I maun dee.
XX
‘Full fifteen stane o’ Spanish iron,
They hae laid a’ right sair on me;
Wi’ locks and keys I am fast bound
In this dungeon dark and dreirie.’