'The ballad,' says Professor Child, 'is one of the best in the world, and enough to make a horse-trooper of any young borderer, had he lacked the impulse.'
1. Peter o' Whifield he hath slain, And John o' Side, he is ta'en, And John is bound both hand and foot, And to the New-castle he is gone.
2. But tidings came to the Sybil o' the Side, By the water-side as she ran; She took her kirtle by the hem, And fast she run to Mangerton.
3. ... ... ... The lord was set down at his meat; When these tidings she did him tell, Never a morsel might he eat.
4. But lords they wrung their fingers white, Ladies did pull themselves by the hair, Crying 'Alas and welladay! For John o' the Side we shall never see more.
5. 'But we'll go sell our droves of kine, And after them our oxen sell, And after them our troops of sheep, But we will loose him out of the New Castell.'
6. But then bespake him Hobby Noble, And spoke these words wondrous high; Says, 'Give me five men to myself, And I'll fetch John o' the Side to thee.'
7. 'Yea, thou'st have five, Hobby Noble, Of the best that are in this country; I'll give thee five thousand, Hobby Noble, That walk in Tyvidale truly.'
8. 'Nay, I'll have but five,' says Hobby Noble, 'That shall walk away with me; We will ride like no men of war, But like poor badgers we will be.'
9. They stuffed up all their bags with straw, And their steeds barefoot must be; 'Come on, my brethren,' says Hobby Noble, 'Come on your ways, and go with me.'
10. And when they came to Culerton ford, The water was up, they could it not go; And then they were ware of a good old man, How his boy and he were at the plough.
11. 'But stand you still,' says Hobby Noble, 'Stand you still here at this shore, And I will ride to yonder old man, And see where the gate it lies o'er.
12. 'But Christ you save, father!' quoth he, 'Christ both you save and see! Where is the way over this ford? For Christ's sake tell it me.'
13. 'But I have dwelled here three score year, So have I done three score and three; I never saw man nor horse go o'er, Except it were a horse of tree.'
14. 'But fare thou well, thou good old man! The devil in hell I leave with thee, No better comfort here this night Thou gives my brethren here and me.'