ted 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.

His neck in twa the Armstrangs wrung;
With fute or hand he ne'er played pa!
His life and his keys at once they hae ta'en,
And cast the body ahint the wa'.

Now sune they reach Newcastle jail,
And to the prisoner thus they call:
"Sleeps thou, or wakes thou, Jock o' the Side,
Or art thou weary of thy thrall?"

Jock answered thus, wi' doleful tone,
"Aft, aft I wake--I seldom sleep;
But wha's this kens my name sae weel,
And thus to ease my wae does seek."

Then out and spake the gude Laird's Jock,
"Now fear ye na', my billie," quo' he;
"For here are the Laird's Jock, the Laird's Wat,
And Hobbie Noble, come to set thee free."

"Now haud thy tongue, my gude Laird's Jock,
For ever, alas! this canna be;
For if a' Liddesdale were here the night,
The morn's the day that I maun dee."

"Full fifteen stane o' Spanish iron
They hae laid a' right sair or me;
Wi' locks and keys I am fast bound
Into this dungeon dark and dreirie!"

"Fear ye nae that," quo' the Laird's Jock;
"A faint heart ne'er won a fair ladie;
Work thou within, we'll work without,
And I'll be sworn we'll set thee free."

The first strong door that they cam' at,
They loosed it without a key;
The next chain'd door that they cam' at
They gar'd it a' to flinders flee.

The prisoner now upon his back
The Laird's Jock has gotten up fu' hie;
And down the stair, him, irons and a',
Wi' nae sma' speid and joy brings he.

"Now Jock, my man," quo Hobbie Noble,
"Some o' his weight ye may lay on me."
"I wat weel no," quo' the Laird's ain Jock;
"I count him lighter than a flee."

Sae out at the gates they a' are gane,
The prisoner's set on horseback hie;
And now wi' speed they're ta'en the gate,
While ilk ane jokes fu' wantonlie.

"O Jock! sae winsomely 's ye ride,
Wi' baith your feet upon ae side;
Sae weel ye're harnessed, and sae trig,
In troth ye sit like ony bride!"

The night, tho' wat, they didna mind,
But hied them on fu' merrilie
Until they cam' to Cholerford brae,
Where the water ran baith deep and hie.

But when they came to Cholerford,
There the