JOCK O' THE SIDE. THE subject of this ballad, being a common event in those troublesome and disorderly times, became a favourite theme of the ballad-makers. There are, in this collection, no fewer than three poems on the rescue of prisoners, the incidents in which nearly resemble each other; though the poetical description is so different, that the editor did not think himself at liberty to reject any one of them, as borrowed from the others. As, however, there are several verses, which, in recitation, are common to all these three songs, the editor, to prevent unnecessary and disagreeable repetition, has used the freedom of appropriating them to that in which they seem to have the best poetic effect. The reality of this story rests solely upon the foundation of tradition. Jock o' the Side seems to have been nephew to the Laird of Mangertoun, cousin to the Laird's Jock, one of his deliverers, and probably brother to Chrystie of the Syde, mentioned in the list of Border clans, 1597. Like the Laird's Jock, he also is commemorated by Sir Richard Maitland.—See the Introduction. He is weil kend, Johne of the Syde, He nevir tyris, For to brek byris, Our muir and myris Ouir gude ane guide. Jock o' the Side appears to have assisted the Earl of Westmoreland in his escape after his unfortunate insurrection with the Earl of Northumberland, in the twelfth year of Elizabeth. "The two rebellious rebels went into Liddesdale in Scotland, yesternight, where Martin Ellwood (Elliot) and others, that have given pledges to the regent of Scotland, did raise their forces against them; being conducted by black Ormeston, an outlaw of Scotland, that was a principal murtherer of the King of Scots, where the fight was offered, and both parties alighted from their horses; and, in the end, Ellwood said to Ormeston, he would be sorry to enter deadly feud with him by bloodshed; but he would charge him and the rest before the regent for keeping of the rebels; and if he did not put them out of the country, the next day, he would doe his worst again them'; whereupon, the two earls were driven to leave Liddesdale, and to fly to one of the Armstrongs, a Scot upon the batable [debateable] land on the Borders between Liddesdale and England. The same day the Liddesdale men stole the horses of the Countess of Northumberland, and of her two women, and ten others of their company; so as, the earls being gone, the lady of Northumberland was left there on foot, at John of the Side's house, a cottage not to be compared to many a dog-kennel in England. At their departing from her, they went not above fifty horse, and the Earl of Westmoreland, to be the more unknown, changed his coat of plate and sword with John of the Side, and departed like a Scottish Borderer.”—Advertisements from Hexham, 22d December, 1569, in the Cabala, p. 160. The land-serjeant mentioned in this ballad, and also that of Hobbie 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, 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." Spaits Torrents. "Ne'er fear, sister Downie," quo' Mangerton; 66 "I have yokes of ousen, eighty and three; My barns, my byres, and my faulds a' weil fill'd, "I'll part wi' them a' ere Johnie shall die. "Three men I'll send to set him free, "The English louns may hear, and drie "The Laird's Jock ane, the Laird's Wat twa, 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 ga'en the road. Caugers-Carriers. |