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Gude Wallace

No: 157; variant: 157A

  1. 'HAD we a king,' said Wallace then, 'That our kind Scots might live by their own! But betwixt me and the English blood I think there is an ill seed sown.'
  2. Wallace him over a river lap, He lookd low down to a linn; He was war of a gay lady Was even at the well washing.
  3. 'Well mot ye fare, fair madam,' he said, 'And ay well mot ye fare and see! Have ye any tidings me to tell, I pray you'll show them unto me.'
  4. 'i have no tidings you to tell, Nor yet no tidings you to ken; But into that hostler's house There's fifteen of your Englishmen.
  5. 'And they are seeking Wallace there, For they've ordained him to be slain:' 'O God forbid!' said Wallace then, 'For he's oer good a kind Scotsman.
  6. 'But had I money me upon, And evn this day, as I have none, Then would I to that hostler's house, And evn as fast as I could gang.'
  7. She put her hand in her pocket, She told him twenty shillings oer her knee; Then he took off both hat and hood, And thankd the lady most reverently.
  8. 'If eer I come this way again, Well paid [your] money it shall be;' Then he took off both hat and hood, And he thankd the lady most reverently.
  9. He leand him twofold oer a staff, So did he threefold oer a tree, And he's away to the hostler's house, Even as fast as he might dree.
  10. When he came to the hostler's house, He said, Good-ben be here! quoth he: An English captain, being deep load, He asked him right cankerdly,
  11. Where was you born, thou crooked carle, And in what place, and what country? 'Tis I was born in fair Scotland, A crooked carle although I be.'
  12. The English captain swore by th' rood, 'We are Scotsmen as well as thee, And we are seeking Wallace; then To have him merry we should be.'
  13. 'The man,' said Wallace, 'ye're looking for, I seed him within these days three; And he has slain an English captain, And ay the fearder the rest may be.'
  14. 'I'd give twenty shillings,' said the captain, 'To such a crooked carle as thee, If you would take me to the place Where that I might proud Wallace see.'
  15. 'Hold out your hand,' said Wallace then, 'And show your money and be free, For tho you'd bid an hundred pound, I never bade a better bode'[, said he].
  16. He struck the captain oer the chafts, Till that he never chewed more; He stickd the rest about the board, And left them all a sprawling there.
  17. 'Rise up, goodwife,' said Wallace then, 'And give me something for to eat; For it's near two days to an end Since I tasted one bit of meat.'
  18. His board was scarce well covered, Nor yet his dine well scantly dight, Till fifteen other Englishmen Down all about the door did light.
  19. 'Come out, come out,' said they, 'Wallace!' then, 'For the day is come that ye must die;' And they thought so little of his might, But ay the fearder they might be.
  20. The wife ran but, the gudeman ran ben, It put them all into a fever; Then five he sticked where they stood, And five he trampled in the gutter.
  21. And five he chased to yon green wood, He hanged them all out-oer a grain; And gainst the morn at twelve o'clock, He dined with his kind Scottish men.