HE following excellent Ballad, is taken from Motherwell's "Ancient and Modern Minstrelsy." Glasgow, 1827. The editor of that work says, he "prepared it for the press, from three recited copies, all obtained from people considerably advanced in years," and that "he has been informed, that it is well known on the Border, a fact of which there is no doubt, as the Border names of Scot and Percy sufficiently identify it with that part of the country." Motherwell also says, that he "has not been able to discover any printed copy or MS. ancient or modern, but supposes it to be the ballad called by Ritson "Jack the little Scot" and contained in a MS. collection of old Ballads, which at the time Ritson wrote, was in the possession of the then Lord Woodhouselee." The MSS. alluded to by Ritson, have not been heard of since the death of Lord Woodhouselee, and there is every reason to suppose that they no longer exist; in fact that they have been fanatically destroyed.

From the general style and character of the Ballad, and from its mentioning King Henry of England, King James of Scotland, and the King of Spain, I consider it to be a composition of the latter portion of the reign of Henry VII, when the above three monarchs, were much mixed up in each others affairs.

Some of the phrases, and even whole verses in the Ballad, bear a striking resemblance to portions of Lord Beichan, (see page 20 vol. ii. of this work), and might lead to the conclusion, that both ballads were the production of the same author, were we not aware, that the phrases and verses in question, are to be met with in the ballads of all the Northern nations, and were evidently considered by the old minstrels as common property.

Motherwell in his book gives a few variorum readings-some of these I have adopted in preference to those of his text-in other respects the ballad, with a trifling alteration in the first, third, and fourth stanzas, is a transcript of his version.

J. H. DIXON.

He rode till he came to Farl Percy's gate,
He tirled at the pin;

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"O wha is there," said the proud porter, "But I dare na let thee in ?"

It's he rode up, and he rode down,
He rode the castle about;

1 i. e., the sleeve.

Until he spied a fair ladie
At a window looking out.

"Here is a silken sark," he said, "Thy ain hand sewed the glove; And ye must gae to the merry green wood To Johnie Scot thy love."

"The castle it is high, my boy,
And walled round about;
My feet are in the fetters strong,
And how can I get out?

My garters are o' the black iron,
And oh but they be cold;
My breast plate's of the sturdy steel,
Instead of the beaten gold.

But had I paper, pen, and ink,
Wi' lamp at my command;
It's I would write a long letter,
To John in fair Scotland."

Then she has written a braid letter,
And sealed it wi' her hand;
And sent it to the merry green wood
Wi' her own boy at command.

The first line o't that Johnie read,
A loud loud laugh laugh'd he;
But he had not read a line or twa,

Till the saut tears did blind his ee.

"Oh I must up to England go,
Whatever me betide;

For to relieve mine own fair ladie,
And mak her my bonny bride."

Then up and spak Johnie's auld mither,
A weel spoke woman was she;

"If you do go to England, Johnie,
I may take fareweel o' thee."

And out and spak his father then,
And he spak weel the same;
"If thou to fair England go,

I fear ye'll ne'er come hame."

And out and spak his uncle then,
And he spak bitterly;

"If ye do to England go,

I will bear thee companie."

And out and spak then gude King James,
And he spak manfullie ;

"Five hundred of my good life guards,
Shall bear him companie."

When they were all on saddle set,

They were comely to behold;

The hair that hung o'er Johnie's neck, shined Like links o' the yellow gold.

When they all were marching away,

Most pleasant they were to see;

There was not so much as a married man,
In Johnie's companie.

Johnie Scot was the foremost man

In the company that did ride;

His uncle was the second man,

Wi' his rapier by his side.

The first gude toun that Johnie came to,
He made the bells be rung;

And when he rode the toun all o'er,
He caused the mass be sung.

The next gude toun that Johnie came to,
He made the drums beat round;

And the third gude toun that he came to,
He made the trumpets sound;

Till King Henry, and all his merry men,
A-marvelled at the sound.

And when they came to Earl Percy's gates, They rode them round about,

And who saw he but his own true love,

At a window looking out!

"Oh the doors are bolted with iron and steel,

So are the windows about;

And my feet they are in fetters strong,

And how can I get out?

"My garters they are of the lead,
And oh! but they be cold;

My breast plate's of the hard hard steel,
Instead of the beaten gold."

But when they came to Earl Percy's gate,

They tirled at the pin;

None was so ready as Earl Percy,
To open, and let them in.

"Art thou the Duke of Mulberry,
Or art thou the King of Spain?
Or art thou one of the gay Scots lords,
Maybe McNachtan be thy name?"

"I'm not the duke of Mulberry,1
Nor yet the King of Spain;

But I am one of your gay Scots lords,
And Johnie Scot I am called by name."

When Johnie came before the King,

He fell low down on his knee:
"If Johnie Scot be thy name, he said,
"As I trow well it be;

Then the bravest lady in a' my court,
Has been [disgraced] by thee."

"If she be "bold Johnie he said,

'As I trow well she be,

Her wene shall be heir owre a' my land,

And her my dear ladie."

1 The Duke of Mulberry, was in all probability, a character in some of the masques of the day. At the time I suppose this ballad to have been written, (see introductory remarks) the name of the King of Spain, would be in every Borderer's mouth, peace between England and Scotland, having been effected through the interference and mediation of Ayala, the Spanish ambassador to Henry VIIth's court.