against him, Dick of Dryup, and others, by the deputy of Bewcastle, at a warden-meeting, for 400 head of cattle taken in open forray from the Drysike in Bewcastle: and, in September 1587, another complaint appears at the instance of one Andrew Rutledge of the Nook, against the Laird's Jock, and his accomplices, for 50 kine and oxen, besides furniture, to the amount of 100 merks sterling. See Bell's MSS., as quoted in the History of Cumberland and Westmoreland. In Sir Richard Maitland's poem against the thieves of Liddesdale, he thus commemorates the Laird's Jock:

Those, who plundered Dick, had been bred up under an

expert teacher.

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,

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 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,
Her coats she has kilted up to her knee;

And down the water wi' speed she rins,

While tears in spaits* 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."

* Spaits-Torrents.

"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 truc,

"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* ga'en the road.

Caugers-Carriers.