  ISum speiks of lords, sum speiks of lairds, And sick lyke men of hie degrie; Of a gentleman I sing a sang, Sum tyme called Laird of Gilnockie. IIThe King he wrytes a luving letter, With his ain hand sae tenderly, And he hath sent it to Johnie Armstrang, To cum and speik with him speedily. IIIThe Eliots and Armstrangs did convene; They were a gallant cumpanie— ‘We’ll ride and meit our lawful King, And bring him safe to Gilnockie.’ IV‘Make kinnen And venison in great plentie; We’ll wellcum here our royal King; I hope he’ll dine at Gilnockie!’— VThey ran their horse on the Langholme howm, And brak their spears wi’ mickle main; The ladies lukit frae their loft windows— ‘God bring our men weel hame agen!’ VIWhen Johnie cam’ before the King, Wi’ a’ his men sae brave to see, The King he movit his bonnet to him; He ween’d he was King as weel as he. VII‘May I find grace, my sovereign liege, Grace for my loyal men and me? For my name it is Johnie Armstrang, And a subject of yours, my liege,’ said he. VIII‘Away, away, thou traitor strang! Out o’ my sight soon mayst thou be! I grantit never a traitor’s life, And now I’ll not begin wi’ thee.’— IX‘Grant me my life, my liege, my King! And a bonny gift I’ll gie to thee: Full four-and-twenty milk-white steids, Were a’ foal’d in ae yeir to me. X‘I’ll gie thee a’ these milk-white steids, That prance and nicker And as mickle gude Inglish gilt As four o’ their braid backs dow XI‘Away, away, thou traitor strang! Out o’ my sight soon mayst thou be! I grantit never a traitor’s life, And now I’ll not begin wi’ thee!’— XII‘Grant me my life, my liege, my King! And a bonny gift I’ll gie to thee: Gude four-and-twenty ganging That gang thro’ a’ the yeir to me. XIII‘These four-and-twenty mills complete Sall gang for thee thro’ a’ the yeir; And as mickle of gude reid wheit, As a’ thair happers XIV‘Away, away, thou traitor strang! Out o’ my sight soon mayst thou be! I grantit never a traitor’s life, And now I’ll not begin wi’ thee.’— XV‘Grant me my life, my liege, my King! And a great great gift I’ll gie to thee: Bauld four-and-twenty sisters’ sons, Sall for thee fetch, tho’ a’ should flee!’— XVI‘Away, away, thou traitor strang! Out o’ my sight soon mayst thou be! I grantit never a traitor’s life, And now I’ll not begin wi’ thee.’— XVII‘Grant me my life, my liege, my King! And a brave gift I’ll gie to thee: All between heir and Newcastle town Sall pay their yeirly rent to thee.’— XVIII‘Away, away, thou traitor strang! Out o’ my sight soon mayst thou be! I grantit never a traitor’s life, And now I’ll not begin wi’ thee.’— XIX‘Ye lied, ye lied, now, King,’ he says, ‘Altho’ a King and Prince ye be! For I’ve luved naething in my life, I weel dare say it, but honesty: XX‘Save a fat horse, and a fair woman, Twa bonny dogs to kill a deir; But England suld have found me meal and mault, Gif I had lived this hundred yeir! XXI‘She suld have found me meal and mault, And beef and mutton in a’ plentie; But never a Scots wyfe could have said That e’er I skaith’d XXII‘To seik het water beneith cauld ice, Surely it is a greit folie— I have asked grace at a graceless face, But there is nane for my men and me! XXIII |
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