* * * * *

  Sum speikis of lords, sum speikis of lairds,
  And sick lyke men of hie degrie;
  Of a gentleman I sing a sang,
  Sum tyme called laird of Gilnockie.

  The 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.

  The Eliots and Armstrangs did convene;
  They were a gallant cumpanie—­
  “We’ll ride and meit our lawful king,
  And bring him safe to Gilnockie.”

  “Make kinnen[118] and capon ready then,
  And venison in great plentie;
  We’ll wellcum here our royal king;
  I hope he’ll dine at Gilnockie!”

  They ran their horse on the Langhome howm,
  And brak their speirs wi’ mickle main;
  The ladies lukit frae their loft windows—­
  “God bring our men weel back agen!”

  When 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 a king as well as he.

  “May I find grace, my sovereign liege,
  Grace for my loyal men and me? 
  For my name it is Johnie Armstrang,
  And subject of your’s, my liege,” said he.

  “Away, away, thou traitor strang! 
  Out o’ my sight soon may’st thou be! 
  I grantit nevir a traitor’s life,
  And now I’ll not begin wi’ thee.”

  “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’ foaled in ae yeir to me.

  “I’ll gie thee a’ these milk-white steids,
  “That prance and nicker[119] at a speir;
  “And as mickle gude Inglish gilt[120],
  “As four of their braid backs dow[121] bear.”

  “Away, away, thou traitor strang! 
  “Out o’ my sight soon may’st thou be! 
  “I grantit never a traitor’s life,
  “And now I’ll not begin wi’ thee!”

  “Grant me my life, my liege, my king! 
  “And a bonny gift I’ll gie to thee—­
  “Gude four and twenty ganging[122] mills,
  “That gang thro’ a’ the yeir to me.

  “These four and twenty mills complete,
  “Sall gang for thee thro’ a’ the yeir;
  “And as mickle of gude reid wheit,
  “As a’ their happers dow to bear.”

  “Away, away, thou traitor strang! 
  “Out o’ my sight soon may’st thou be! 
  “I grantit nevir a traitor’s life,
  “And now I’ll not begin wi’ thee.”

  “Grant me my life, my liege, my king! 
  “And a great gift I’ll gie to thee—­
  “Bauld four and twenty sister’s sons,
  “Sall for thee fecht, tho’ a’ should flee!”

  “Away, away, thou traitor strang! 
  “Out o’ my sight soon may’st thou be! 
  “I grantit nevir a traitor’s life,
  “And now I’ll not begin wi’ thee.”

  “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.”