Johnnie O’ Braidiesley
Johnnie rose up on a May morning
Called for water to wash his hands
Says go bring to me my two grey dogs
That lay bound in iron bands
When Johnnie’s mother she heard of this
Her hands she wrang full so
Says Johnny for your venison
To the greenwood dinna go
But he has taen his good bend-bow
His arrows one by one
And he’s away to the greenwood gone
To bring the dun deer down
Johnnie shot and the dun deer fell
Wounded her on the side
And atween the water and the woods
The grey dogs laid her pride
They ate so much of the venison
They drank so much of the bleed
That Johnny and his two grey dogs
Fell asleep as they’d been deed
And by there came a silly old man
An ill death may he dee
And he’s away to Esselmont
Seven foresters to see
As I came in by Monymusk
And doon among yon craggs
There I saw the bonniest youth
Lie sleeping tween two dogs
The buttons that were on his sleeves
Were of the gold so good
And the two grey dogs that he lay atween
Their mouths were dyed with blood
Then out and spake the first forester
The headsman o’er them all
If this be Jock O’Braidiesley
Unto him we will draw
The first shot that the forester fired
It wounded him on the knee
The next shot that the forester fired
His heart’s blood blin’t his e’e
Then up rose Johnnie out o’ his sleep
And an angry man was he
Said you micht ha’e waked me from sleep
For me heart’s blood blins me e’e
He’s leant his back against an oak
His foot against a stone
And he’s fired at seven foresters
And he’s killed them all but one
He’s broken four o’ this man’s ribs
His arm and collar bone
And has set him on his horse
To carry the tidings home
Johnny’s good bend bow is broke
His two grey dogs are slain
And his body lies in Monymusk
And his hunting days are done
