Classic Poem

P EETER a whifeild he hath slaine;
& Iohn a side, he is tane;
& Iohn is bound both hand & foote,
& to the New-castle he is gone.

but Tydinges came to the Sybill o the side,
by the water side as shee rann;
shee tooke her kirtle by the hem,
& fast shee runn to Mangerton.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
the Lord was sett downe at his meate;
when these tydings shee did him tell,
neu er a Morsell might he eate.

but lords the wrunge their fingars white,
Ladyes did pull themselues by the haire,
crying " alas and weladay!
for Iohn o the side wee shall neu er see more!

" but weele goe sell our droues of Kine,
& after them our oxen sell,
& after them our troopes of sheepe,
but wee will loose him out of the New-castell. "

but then bespake him hobby noble,
& spoke these words wonderous hye,
sayes " giue me 5 men to my selfe,
& Ile feitch Iohn o the side to thee. "

" yea, thoust haue 5, hobby noble,
of the best tha t are in this countrye!
Ile giue thee 5000, hobby Noble,
tha t walke in Tyuidale trulye. "

" nay, Ile haue but 5, " saies hobby Noble,
" tha t shall walke away w i th mee;
wee will ryde like noe men of warr;
but like poore badgers wee wilbe. "

they stuffet vp all their baggs w i th straw,
& their steeds barefoot must bee;
" come on my bretheren, " sayes hobby noble,
" come on yo u r wayes, & goe w i th mee. "

& when they came to Culerton ford,
the water was vp, they cold it not goe;
& then they were ware of a good old man,
how his boy & hee were at the plowe.

" but stand you still, " sayes hobby noble,
" stand you still heere at this shore,
& I will ryde to yonder old man,
& see were the gate it Lyes ore.

" but christ you saue, father, " Q uo th hee,
" crist both you saue and see!
where is the way ou er this fford?
for christs sake tell itt mee! "

" but I haue dwelled heere 3 score yeere,
soe haue I done 3 score and 3;
I neu er sawe man nor horsse goe ore
except itt were a horse of 3. "

" but fare thou well, thou good old man;
the devill in hell I leave w i th thee!
noe better comfort heere this night
thow giues my bretheren heere & me. "

but when he came to his brether againe,
& told this tydings full of woe,
& then they found a well good gate
they might ryde ore by 2 and 2.

and when they were come ou er the fforde,
all safe gotten att the last,
" thankes be to god! " sayes hobby nobble,
" the worst of our perill is past. "

& then they came into HOWBRAME wood,
& there then they found a tree,
& cutt itt downe then by the roote;
the lenght was 30 ffoote and 3.

& 4 of them did take the planke
as light as it had beene a fflee,
& carryed itt to the Newcastle
where as Iohn a side did lye;

& some did climbe vp by the walls,
& some did climbe vp by the tree,
vntill they came vpp to the top of the castle
where Iohn made his moane trulye:

he sayd, " god be w i th thee, Sybill o the side!
my owne mother thou ait, " Q uo th hee,
" if thou knew this knight I were here,
a woe woman then woldest thou bee!

" & fare you well, Lo rd Mangerton!
& eu er I say " god be w i th thee!"
for if you knew this night I were heere,
you wold sell your land for to loose mee.

" & fare thou well, Much Millers sonne!
Much Millars sonne, I say;
thou has beene better att Merke midnight
then eu er thou was att noone o the day.

" & fare thou well, my good Lord Clough!
thou art thy ffathers sonne & heire;
thou neu er saw him in all thy liffe,
but w i th him durst thou breake a speare.

" wee are brothers childer 9: or :10:
& sisters children 10: or :11:
we neu er come to the feild to fight,
but the worst of us was counted a man. "

but then bespake him hobynoble,
& spake these words vnto him,
saies, " sleepest thou, wakest thou, Iohn o the side,
or art thou this castle w i thin? "

" But who is there, " Q uo th Iohn oth side,
" tha t knowes my name soe right & free? "
" I am a bastard brother of thine;
this night I am comen for to loose thee. "

" now nay, now nay, " q uo th Iohn othe side;
" itt ffeares me sore tha t will not bee;
ffor a pecke of gold & silver, " Iohn sayd,
" infaith this night will not loose mee. "

but then bespake him hobby Noble,
& till his brother thus sayd hee,
sayes, " 4 shall take this matter in hand,
and 2 shall tent our geldings ffree. "

for 4 did breake one dore w i thout,
then Iohn brake 5 himsell;
but when they came to the Iron dore,
it smote 12 vpon the bell.

" itt ffeares me sore, " sayd much the Miller,
" tha t heere taken wee all shalbee. "
" but goe away, bretheren, " sayd Iohn a side,
" for eu er , alas! this will not bee. "

" but ffye vpon thee! " sayd Hobby Noble;
" Much the Miller! fye vpon thee!
" it sore feares me, " said Hobby Noble,
" man tha t thou wilt neu er bee. "

but then he had fflanders files 2 or 3,
& hee fyled downe tha t Iron dore,
& tooke Iohn out of the New-castle,
& sayd " looke thou neu er come heere more! "

when he had him fforth of the Newcastle,
" away w i th me, Iohn, thou shalt ryde. "
but eu er alas! itt cold not bee;
for Iohn cold neither sitt nor stryde.

but then he had sheets 2 or 3,
& bound Iohns boults fast to his ffeete,
& sett him on a well good steede,
himselfe on another by him seete.

then Hobby Noble smiled & louge,
& spoke these words in mickle pryde,
" thou sitts soe finely on thy geldinge
tha t, Iohn, thou rydes like a bryde. "

& when they came thorrow HOWBRAME towne,
Iohns horsse there stumbled at a stone;
" out & alas! " cryed much the Miller,
" Iohn, thoule make vs all be tane. "

" but fye vpon thee! " saies Hobby Noble,
" much the Millar, fye on thee!
I know full well, " sayes Hobby Noble,
" man tha t thou wilt neu er bee! "

& when the came into HOWBRAME wood,
he had fflanders files 2 or 3
to file Iohns bolts beside his ffeete,
tha t hee might ryde more easilye.

sayes Iohn, " Now leape ou er a steede, "
& Iohn then hee lope ou er 5:
" I know well, " sayes Hobby Noble,
" Iohn, thy ffellow is not aliue! "

then he brought him home to Mangerton;
the Lo rd then he was att his meate;
but when Iohn o the side he there did see,
for faine hee cold noe more eate;

he sayes " blest be thou, Hobby Noble,
tha t euer thou wast man borne!
thou hast feitched vs home good Iohn oth side
tha t was now cleane ffrom vs gone! "