‘The first and second is—Faith and Conscience;
The third—Johnie, take heed o’ thee!
But, Johnie, what faith and conscience was thine,
When thou took awa’ my three kye frae me?
XXXVIII
‘And when thou had ta’en awa’ my three kye,
Thou thought in thy heart thou wast no well sped,
Till thou sent thy billie owre the know,
To tak three co’erlets off my wife’s bed!’—
XXXIX
Then Johnie let a spear fa’ laigh[1253] by his thie,
Thought weel to hae run the innocent through,
But the powers above were mair than he,
For he ran but the pure fule’s jerkin through.
XL
Together they ran, or ever they blan[1254];
This was Dickie the fule and he!
Dickie couldna win at him wi’ the blade o’ the sword,
But fell’d him wi’ the plummet[1255] under the ee.
XLI
Thus Dickie has fell’d fair Johnie Armstrong,
The prettiest man in the south country:
‘Gramercy!’ then ’gan Dickie say,
‘I had but twa horse, thou hast made me three!’