He is weil kend, Johne of the Syde,
  A greater theif did never ryde;
  He never tyris
  For to brek byris. 
  Our muir and myris
  Ouir gude ane guide.

The land-serjeant, mentioned in this ballad, and also in that of Hobble Noble, was an officer under the warden, to whom was committed the apprehending of delinquents, and the care of the public peace.

JOCK O’ THE SIDE.

  Now Liddesdale has ridden a raid,
  But I wat they had better hae staid at hame;
  For Michael o’ Winfield he is dead,
  And Jock o’ the Side is prisoner ta’en.

  For Mangerton house Lady Downie has gane,
  Her coats she has kilted up to her knee;
  And down the water wi’ speed she rins,
  While tears in spaits[174] fa’ fast frae her e’e.

  Then up and spoke our gude auld lord—­
  “What news, what news, sister Downie, to me?”
  “Bad news, bad news, my Lord Mangerton;
  “Michael is killed, and they hae ta’en my son Johnie.”

  “Ne’er fear, sister Downie,” quo’ Mangerton;
  “I have yokes of ousen, eighty and three;
  “My barns, my byres, and my faulds a’ weil fill’d,
  And I’ll part wi’ them a’ ere Johnie shall die.

  “Three men I’ll send to set him free,
  A’ harneist wi’ the best o’ steil;
  The English louns may hear, and drie
  The weight o’ their braid-swords to feel.

  “The Laird’s Jock ane, the Laird’s Wat twa,
  O Hobbie Noble, thou ane maun be! 
  Thy coat is blue, thou hast been true,
  Since England banish’d thee to me.”

  Now Hobbie was an English man,
  In Bewcastle dale was bred and born: 
  But his misdeeds they were sae great,
  They banish’d him ne’er to return.

  Lord Mangerton them orders gave,
  “Your horses the wrang way maun be shod;
  Like gentlemen ye mauna seim,
  But look like corn-caugers[175] ga’en the road.

  “Your armour gude ye mauna shaw,
  Nor yet appear like men o’ weir;
  As country lads be a’ array’d,
  Wi’ branks and brecham[176] on each mare.”

  Sae now their horses are the wrang way shod. 
  And Hobbie has mounted his grey sae fine;
  Jock his lively bay, Wat’s on his white horse, behind,
  And on they rode for the water of Tyne

  At the Cholerford they all light down,
  And there, wi’ the help of the light o’ the moon,
  A tree they cut, wi’ fifteen nogs on each side,
  To climb up the wa’ of Newcastle toun.

  But when they cam to Newcastle toun,
  And were alighted at the wa’,
  They fand their tree three ells ower laigh,
  They fand their stick baith short and sma’.

  Then up and spak the Laird’s ain Jock;
  “There’s naething for’t; the gates we maun force.” 
  But when they cam the gate untill,
  A proud porter withstood baith men and horse.