# The English and Scottish Popular Ballads/Part 6/Chapter 187

A
PEETER a Whifield he hath slaine, And Iohn a Side, he is tane, And Iohn is bound both hand and foote, And to the New-castle he is gone. But tydinges came to the Sybill o the Side, By the water-side as shee rann; Shee tooke her kirtle by the hem, And fast shee runn to Mangerton. . . . . The lord was sett downe at his meate; When these tydings shee did him tell, Neuer a morsell might he eate. But lords, the wrunge their fingars white, Ladyes did pull themselues by the haire, Crying, Alas and weladay! For Iohn o the Side wee shall neuer see more. 'But wee'le goe sell our droues of kine, And after them our oxen sell, And after them our troopes of sheepe, But wee will loose him out of the New Castell.' But then bespake him Hobby Noble, And spoke these words wonderous hye; Sayes, Giue my fiue men to my selfe, And I'le feitch Iohn o the Side to thee. 'Yea, thou'st haue fiue, Hobby Noble, Of the best that are in this countrye; I'le giue thee fiue thousand, Hobby Noble, Thatwalke in Tyuidale trulye.' 'Nay, I'le haue but fiue,' saies Hobby Noble, 'That shall walke away with mee; Wee will ryde like noe men of warr; But like poore badgers wee wilbe.' They stuffet vp all their baggs with straw, And their steeds barefoot must bee; 'Come on, my bretheren,' sayes Hobby Noble, 'Come on your wayes, and goe with mee.' And when they came to Culerton ford, The water was vp, they cold it not goe; And then they were ware of a good old man, How his boy and hee were at the plowe. 'But stand you still,' sayes Hobby Noble, 'Stand you still heere at this shore, And I will ryde to Yonder old man, And see w[h]ere the gate it lyes ore. 'But Christ you saue, father!' quoth hee, 'Crist both you saue and see! Where is the way ouer this ford? For Christ's sake tell itt mee!' 'But I haue dwelled heere three score yeere, Soe haue I done three score and three; I neuer sawe man nor horsse goe ore, Except itt were a horse of tree.' 'But fare thou well, thou good old man! The devill in hell I leave with thee, Noe better comfort heere this night Thow giues my bretheren heere and me.' But when he came to his brether againe, And told this tydings full of woe, And then they found a well good gate They might ryde ore by two and two. And when they were come ouer the forde, All safe gotten att the last, 'Thankes be to God!' sayes Hobby Nobble, 'The worst of our perill is past.' And then they came into Howbrame wood, And there then they found a tree, And cutt itt downe then by the roote; The lenght was thirty foote and three. And four of them did take the planke, As light as it had beene a flee, And carryed itt to the New Castle, Where as Iohn a Side did lye. And some did climbe vp by the walls, And some did climbe vp by the tree, Vntill they came vpp to the top of the castle, Where Iohn made his moane trulye. He sayd, God be with thee, Sybill o the Side! My owne mother thou art, quoth hee; If thou knew this night I were here, A woe woman then woldest thou bee. And fare you well, Lord Mangerton! And euer I say God be with thee! For if you knew this night I were heere, You wold sell your land for to loose mee. And fare thou well, Much, Millers sonne! Much, Millars sonne, I say; Thou has beene better att merke midnight Then euer thou was att noone o the day. And fare thou well, my good Lord Clough! Thou art thy fathers sonne and heire; Thou neuer saw him in all thy liffe But with him durst thou breake a speare. 'Wee are brothers childer nine or ten, And sisters children ten or eleven. We neuer came to the feild to fight, But the worst of us was counted a man.' But then bespake him Hoby Noble, And spake these words vnto him; Saies, Sleepest thou, wakest thou, Iohn o the Side, Or art thou this castle within? 'But who is there,' quoth Iohn oth Side, 'That knowes my name soe right and free?' 'I am a bastard-brother of thine; This night I am comen for to loose thee.' 'Now nay, now nay,' quoth Iohn o the Side; 'Itt feares me sore that will not bee; Ffor a pecke of gold and silver,' Iohn sayd, 'In faith this night will not loose mee.' But then bespake him Hobby Noble, And till his brother thus sayd hee; Sayes, Four shall take this matter in hand, And two shall tent our geldings free. Four did breake one dore without, Then Iohn brake fiue himsell; But when they came to the iron dore, It smote twelue vpon the bell. 'Itt feares me sore,' sayd Much, the Miller, 'That heere taken wee all shalbee;' 'But goe away, bretheren,' sayd Iohn a Side, 'For euer alas! this will not bee.' 'But fye vpon thee!' sayd Hobby Noble; 'Much, the Miller, fye vpon thee! 'It sore feares me,' said Hobby Noble, 'Man that thou wilt neuer bee.' But then he had Fflanders files two or three, And hee fyled downe that iron dore, And tooke Iohn out of the New Castle, And sayd, Looke thou neuer come heere more! When he had him forth of the New Castle, 'Away with me, Iohn, thou shalt ryde:' But euer alas! itt could not bee; For Iohn cold neither sitt nor stryde. But then he had sheets two or three, And bound Iohns boults fast to his feete, And sett him on a well good steede, Himselfe on another by him seete. Then Hobby Noble smiled and loug[h]e, And spoke these worde in mickle pryde: Thou sitts soe finely on thy geldinge That,Iohn, thou rydes like a bryde. And when they came thorrow Howbrame towne, Iohns horsse there stumbled at a stone; 'Out and alas!' cryed Much, the Miller, 'Iohn, thou'le make vs all be tane.' 'But fye vpon thee!' saies Hobby Noble, 'Much, the Millar, fye on thee! I know full well,' sayes Hobby Noble, 'Man that thou wilt neuer bee.' And when the came into Howbrame wood, He had Fflanders files two or three To file Iohns bolts beside his feete, Thathee might ryde more easilye. Sayes, 'Iohn, now leape ouer a steede!' And Iohn then hee lope ouer fiue: 'I know well,' sayes Hobby Noble, 'Iohn, thy fellow is not aliue.' Then he brought him home to Mangerton; The lord then he was att his meate; But when Iohn o the Side he there did see, For faine hee cold noe more eate. He sayes, Blest be thou, Hobby Noble, Thateuer thou wast man borne! Thou hast feitched vs home good Iohn oth Side, Thatwas now cleane from vs gone.
B
'NOW Liddisdale has ridden a raid, But I wat they had better staid at hame; For Mitchel o Winfield he is dead, And my son Johnie is prisner tane.' With my fa ding diddle, la la dow diddle. For Mangerton House auld Downie is gane; Her coats she has kilted up to her knee, And down the water wi speed she rins, While tears in spaits fa fast frae her eie. Then up and bespake the lord Mangerton: 'What news, what news, sister Downie, to me?' 'Bad news, bad news, my lord Mangerton; Mitchel is killd, and tane they hae my son Johnie.' 'Neer fear, sister Downie,' quo Mangerton; 'I hae yokes of oxen four and twentie, My barns, my byres, and my faulds, a' weel filld, And I'll part wi them a' ere Johnie shall die. 'Three men I'll take to set him free, Weel harnessd a' wi best o steel; The English rogues may hear, and drie The weight o their braid swords to feel. 'The Laird's Jock ane, the Laird's Wat twa, Oh, Hobie Noble, thou ane maun be; Thy coat is blue, thou has been true, Since England banishd thee, to me.' Now Hobie was a English man, In Bewcastle-dale was bred and born; But his misdeeds they were sae great, They banishd him neer to return. Lord Mangerton them orders gave, 'Your horses the wrang way maun a' be shod; Like gentlemen ye must not seem, But look like corn-caugers gawn ae road. 'Your armour gude ye maunna shaw, Nor ance appear like men o weir; As country lads be all arrayd, Wi branks and brecham on ilk mare.' Sae now a' their horses are shod the wrang way, And Hobie has mounted his grey sae fine, Jock his lively bay, Wat's on his white horse behind, And on they rode for the water o Tyne. At the Choler-ford they a' light down, And there, wi the help o the light o the moon, A tree they cut, wi fifteen naggs upo ilk side, To climb up the wa o Newcastle town. But when they cam to Newcastle town, And were alighted at the wa, They fand their tree three ells oer laigh, They fand their stick baith short and sma. Then up and spake the Laird's ain Jock, 'There's naething for 't, the gates we maun force;' But when they cam the gates unto, A proud porter withstood baith men and horse. His neck in twa I wat they hae wrung, Wi hand or foot he neer playd paw; His life and his keys at anes they hae tane, And cast his body ahind the wa. Now soon they reach Newcastle jail, And to the prisner thus they call: 'Sleips thou, wakes thou, Jock o the Side? Or is thou wearied o thy thrall?' Jock answers thus, wi dolefu tone: Aft, aft I wake, I seldom sleip; But wha's this kens my name sae weel, And thus to hear my waes do[es] seik? Then up and spake the good Laird's Jock, 'Neer fear ye now, my billie,' quo he; 'For here's the Laird's Jock, the Laird's Wat, And Hobie Noble, come to set thee free.' 'Oh, had thy tongue, and speak nae mair, And o thy tawk now let me be! For if a' Liddisdale were here the night, The morn's the day that I maun die. 'Full fifteen stane o Spanish iron They hae laid a' right sair on me; Wi locks and keys I am fast bound Into this dungeon mirk and drearie.' 'Fear ye no that,' quo the Laird's Jock; 'A faint heart neer wan a fair ladie; Work thou within, we'll work without, And I'll be bound we set thee free.' The first strong dore that they came at, They loosed it without a key; The next chaind dore that they cam at, They gard it a' in flinders flee. The prisner now, upo his back, The Laird's Jock's gotten up fu hie; And down the stair him, irons and a', Wi nae sma speed and joy brings he. 'Now, Jock, I wat,' quo Hobie Noble, 'Part o the weight ye may lay on me;' 'I wat weel no,' quo the Laird's Jock, 'I count him lighter than a flee.' Sae out at the gates they a' are gane, The prisner's set on horseback hie; And now wi speed they've tane the gate, While ilk ane jokes fu wantonlie. 'O Jock, sae winsomely's ye ride, Wi baith your feet upo ae side! Sae weel's ye're harnessd, and sae trig! In troth ye sit like ony bride.' The night, tho wat, they didna mind, But hied them on fu mirrilie, Until they cam to Cholerford brae, Where the water ran like mountains hie. But when they came to Cholerford, There they met with an auld man; Says, Honest man, will the water ride? Tell us in haste, if that ye can. 'I wat weel no,' quo the good auld man; 'Here I hae livd this threty yeirs and three. And I neer yet saw the Tyne sae big, Nor rinning ance sae like a sea.' Then up and spake the Laird's saft Wat, The greatest coward in the company; 'Now halt, now halt, we needna try't; The day is comd we a' maun die!' 'Poor faint-hearted thief!' quo the Laird's Jock, 'There'll nae man die but he that's fie; I'll lead ye a' right safely through; Lift ye the prisner on ahint me.' Sae now the water they a' hae tane, By anes and twas they a' swam through; 'Here are we a' safe,' says the Laird's Jock, 'And, poor faint Wat, what think ye now?' They scarce the ither side had won, When twenty men they saw pursue; Frae Newcastle town they had been sent, A' English lads, right good and true. But when the land-sergeant the water saw, 'It winna ride, my lads,' quo he; Then out he cries, Ye the prisner may take, But leave the irons, I pray, to me. 'I wat weel no,' cryd the Laird's Jock, 'I'll keep them a', shoon to my mare they'll be; My good grey mare, for I am sure, She's bought them a' fu dear frae thee.' Sae now they're away for Liddisdale, Een as fast as they coud them hie; The prisner's brought to his ain fire-side, And there o's airns they make him free. 'Now, Jock, my billie,' quo a' the three, 'The day was comd thou was to die; But thou's as weel at thy ain fire-side, Now sitting, I think, tween thee and me.' They hae gard fill up ae punch-bowl, And after it they maun hae anither, And thus the night they a' hae spent, Just as they had been brither and brither.
C
'NOW Liddisdale has ridden a rade, But I wat they had a better staid at home; For Michel of Windfield he is slain, And my son Jonny, they have him tane.' With my fa dow diddle, lal la dow didle Now Downy's down the water gone, With all her cots unto her arms, And she gave never over swift running Untill she came to Mengertown. Up spack Lord Mengertown and says, What news, what news now, sister Downy? what news hast thou to me? 'Bad news, bad news, Lord Mengertown, For Michal of Windfield he is slain, and my son Jonny they have him tain.' Up speaks Lord Mengertown and says, I have four and twenty yoke of oxen, And four and twenty good milk-ky, And three times as mony sheep, And I'll gie them a' before my son Jonny die. I will tak three men unto myself; The Laird's Jack he shall be ane, The Laird's Wat another, For, Hobbie Noble, thow must be ane. . . . . . thy cot is of the blue; For ever since thou cam to Liddisdale To Mengertown thou hast been true. Now Hobbie hath mounted his frienged gray, And the Laird's Jack his lively bey, And Watt with the ald horse behind, And they are away as fast as they can ride. Till they are come to the Cholar foord, And there they lighted down; And there they cut a tree with fifty nags upo each side, For to clim Newcastle wall. And when they came there . . It wad not reach by ellish three; 'There's nothing for't,' says the Laird's Jack, 'But forceing o New Castle gate.' And when they came there, There was a proud porter standing, And I wat they were obliged to wring his neck in twa. Now they are come to New Castle gile: Says they, Sleep thou, wakes thou, John o the Side? Says he, Whiles I wake, but seldom sleep; Who is there that knows my name so well? Up speaks the Laird's Jack and says, . . . . Here is Jack and Watt and Hobby Noble, Come this night to set thee free. Up speaks John of the Side and says, O hold thy tongue now, billy, and of thy talk now let me be; For if a' Liddisdale were here this night, The morn is the day that I must die. For their is fifty stone of Spanish iron Laid on me fast wee lock and key, . . . . . . . . Then up speaks the Laird's Jack and says, A faint heart neer wan a fair lady; Work thou within and we without, And this night we'el set thee free. The first door that they came at They lowsed without either lock or key, . . . . And the next they brock in flinders three. Till now Jack has got the prisner on his back, And down the tolbooth stair came he; . . . . . . . . Up spack Hobby Noble and says, O man, I think thou may lay some weight o the prisner upo me; 'I wat weel no,' says the Laird's Jack, 'For I do not count him as havy as ane poor flee.' So now they have set him upo horse back, And says, O now so winsomly as thou dost ride, Just like a bride, wee beth thy feet Unto a side. Now they are away wee him as fast as they can heye, Till they are come to Cholar foord brae head; And they met an ald man, And says, Will the water ride? 'I wat well no,' says the ald man, 'For I have lived here this thirty years and three, . . . . And I think I never saw Tyne running so like a sea.' Up speaks the Laird's Watt and says-+--+- The greatest coward of the companie-+--+- . . . . 'Now, dear billies, the day is come that we must a' die.' Up speaks the Laird's Jack and says, Poor cowardly thief, They will never one die but him that's fee; . . . . Set the prisner on behind me. So they have tain the water by ane and two, Till they have got safe swumd through. Be they wan safe a' through, There were twenty men pursueing them from New Castle town. Up speaks the land-sergeant and says, If you be gone with the rog, cast me my irons. 'I wat weel no,' says the Laird's Jack, 'For I will keep them to shew my good grey mere; . . . . For I am sure she has bought them dear.' 'Good sooth,' says the Laird's Jack, 'The worst perel is now past.' So now they have set him upo hoseback, And away as fast as they could hye, Till they brought him into Liddisdale, And now they have set him down at his own fireside. And says, now John, The day was come that thou was to die, But thou is full as weel sitting at thy own fireside. . . . . And now they are falln to drink, And they drank a whole week one day after another, And if they be not given over, They are all drinking on yet.
D
LIDDISDAILE has ridden a raid, But they had better ha staid at hame; For Michael o Wingfield he is slain, And Jock o the Side they hae taen. Dinah's down the water gane, Wi a' her coats untill her knes, . . . . To Mangerton came she. . . . . . How now? how now? What's your will wi me? . . . . . . . . To the New Castle h[e] is gane. They have cuttin their yad's tailes, They've cut them a little abune the hough, And they nevir gave oer s. . . . d running Till they came to Hathery Haugh. And when they came to Chollerton ford Tyne was mair running like a sea. . . . . . . . . And when they came to Swinburne wood, Quickly they ha fellen a tree; Twenty snags on either side, And on the top it had lang three. 'My mare is young, she wul na swim,' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 'Now Mudge the Miller, fie on thee! Tak thou mine, and I'll tak thine, And the deel hang down thy yad and thee.'