John the little Scot
JOHNIE SCOT—T
[_]
in the youthful handwriting of
Sir Walter Scott, inserted, as No 4, at the beginning of a
MS. volume, in small folio, containing a number of prose
pieces, etc., Abbotsford Library, L. 2.
1
Johnny's gane up to fair England
Three quarters of a year,
And Johny's gane up to fair England,
The king's broad banner to bear.
2
He had not been in fair England,
Even but a little while,
When that the king's ae dochter
To Johnny gaes wi child.
3
And word is gane to the kitchen,
And word's gane to the ha,
And word's gane to the high, high court,
Amang the nobles a'.
4
And word is gane unto the king,
In the chair where he sat,
That his ae dochter's wi bairn
To John the little Scott.
5
‘If that I thought she is wi bairn,
As I true weell she be,
I'll put her up in high prison,
And hunger her till she die.’
6
‘There is a silken sark, Johnny,
My ain sell sewed the gare,
And if ye come to tak me hence
Ye need nae taken mare.
7
‘For I am up in high prison,
And O but it is cold!
My garters are o the cold, cold iron,
In place o the beaten gold.’
8
‘Is this the Duke o York?’ they said,
‘Or James the Scottish king?
Or is it John the little Scott,
Frae Scotland new come hame?’
9
‘I have an Italian in my bower,
This day he has eaten three;
Before I either eat or sleep
The fourth man ye shall be.’
10
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
Between his een there was two spans,
His shoulders ells were three.
11
Johnny drew forth his good braid glaive
And slate it on the plain:
‘Is there any more of your Italian dogs
That wanteth to be slain?’
12
‘A clerk, a clerk!’ her father cry'd
‘To register this deed;’
‘A priest, a priest!’ her mother cry'd,
‘To marry them wi speed.’
