Johnny Scot- Holt (NB) 1928 Barry B
[From British Ballads from Maine; 1929, Barry Eckstorm, Smyth. See Barry's notes on opening page. Compare with Barry A.
R. Matteson 2015]
JOHNNY SCOT (Child 99)
B. [Johnny Scot] From the singing of Mr. Edward Holt, St. Andrews, New Brunswick, September 27, 1928. The air was recorded by Mr. George Herzog at the same time. Mr. Holt said this song came down from his great-grandfather William Holt, who came over from Scotland.
[music]
The air is set to stanza 16, which alone has a 1/4 = 62 syllable for every note, as given in Mr. Herzog's MS.
1. O, Johnny Scot is a-hunting gone,
Through the English woods so fair,
The fairest lady in the King's court,
She goes with child by him,
She goes with child by him.
2. O, the news is to the kitchen gone,
O, the news is to the hall,
O, the news is to King Edward's ears,
And that's the worst of all,
And that's the worst of all.
3 Now the King he wrote young John a letter,
And sent it to him so sweet,
O, the first two lines that he look-ed at
He was as happy as a bird upon a tree,
And the next two lines that he look-ed at
The salt tears blinded his eyes,
The salt tears blinded his eyes.
4 O, it's up speaks his old brother then,
And a galliant man was he,
"If it's unto England you must got
I'll bear you company,
I'll bear you company."
5 O, it's up speaks his old father then,
Who ne'er spoke out of time:
"If it's unto England You must go,
I'll doubt your coming home,
I'll doubt your coming home."
6 O, the very first town that they rode through,
They rode it round and round;
And the very next town that they rode through,
They beat tire drums all round,
They beat the drums all round.
7 And the very next town that they rode through,
They rode it round and round,
And"the first one that Young Johnny saw
Was his truelove looking down,
Was his truelove looking down.
8 "Come down, come down, my lover," he says,
"And speak one word unto me."
"I can't come down, or I won't come down,
For here I'm strong-lie hold;
My breastplate is of stubborn steel
And my hands are beat in gold,
And my hands are beat in gold."
9 Away Young Johnny runs then
And tingles at the bell.
There was none so ready as the King himself
To run and let him in,
To run and let him in.
10 "It's are you Lord of Salvary,
Or are you a Scottish king,
Or are you one of my bastard sons
From Flanders now come in,
From Flanders now come in?tt
11 "I'm not Lord of Salvary,
Nor yet a Scottish king,
But I am a brae Scots lad
And Johnny Scot's my name,
And Johnny Scot's my name."
12 "O John, O John, what have you done,
[What have you done] unto me,
For the finest lady in all my court
She goes with child by thee,
She goes with child by thee."
13 . . . .
If that be so, as I take it to be,
I'll make it heir of all my land,
Herself my gay ladye,
Herself my gay ladye."
14 "O no, O no," the King replies,
"That never, never shall be;
For tomorrow morning at eight o'clock,
All hang-ed you shall be,
All hang-ed you shall be."
15 Up speaks his old father,
Who ne'er spake out of time,
"Before we'll all hang like dogs,
We'll fight, lords, till we die,
We'll fight, lords, till we die."
16 "I have a Talian[1] in my court
Will surely kill lords three;
For betwixt his eyebrows are two spans,
And his shoulders are ells three,
And his shoulders are ells three."
17 When they go out on field to fight,
'Twas a dreadful sight to see;
For betwixt his eyebrows were two spans,
And his shoulders were ells three,
And his shoulders were ells three.
18 They fell to work like two mad men,
There was blood came trinkling down,
The Italian found no other way
For to take Young Johnny's life,
For to take Young Johnny's life.
19 Like a swallow, swift and soople[2],
He in Johnny's hair flew.
Johnny being a cunning lad,
Well trained in war was he,
And on the point of his broadsword
The Italian he did die,
The Italian he did die.
20 "O King, O King," Young Johnny said,
t6I want none of your tocherie
And I want none of your store.
But give to me my gay ladye,
For God knows I bought her dear."
21 She rode on a milk-white steed,
And he rode on a grey,
There's land enough in fair Scotland
To ride on a fair summer's day,
To ride 0n a fair summer's day.
1. Itlaian
2. supple?