Johnny Scott- Delorme (NY-VT) c. 1877 Flanders B
[From Flanders, Ancient Ballads II, 1963. Notes by Coffin follow. In this version the last name Scott has two t's, implying that his name is Scott rather than Johnny, the Scot where his name implies his nationality.
R. Matteson 2015]
Johnny Scot
(Child 99)
A document by the Rev. Andrew Hall, Interesting Roman Antiquities, etc., 1823, 216 (quoted by Child, II, 378), tells a story of the court of Charles II in which one James Macgill, a Scot, fought a professional Italian gladiator who leaped over him as if to "swallow him" and who was "spitted" in mid-air. This may be the incident behind the romantic story of "Johnny Scot," with its "Italiant man" whom Johnny fights and defeats. Phillips Barry, British Ballads from Maine, 221-224, has analyzed the American versions of the song and comes to the conclusion there are two plot types-one in which Johnny, a servant in the English court, flees to Scotland after beguiling the King's daughter; and one in which he goes hunting in the English woods, where he seduces a noble lady. Barry's New Brunswick finds and the three Flanders texts are of the second Type (Child C, D, G, L) and show the minor variations found in those four related versions. A and B open with the woods scene. C is abbreviated and involves a letter from the seduced girl rather than from the king. A, with its mention of a "battle man," may be like Child Q and R in lacking the Italian champion, although it is possible the word "Italian" could be varied to "battle" over the years. All three Flanders texts lack the gymnastics performed by the Italian in many texts.
The song is rare in America, being found only in scattered areas- particularly in New England, the Maritimes, and the Southeastern hills. See Coffin, 99-100 (American), and Greig and Keith, 74-75 (Scottish), for bibliographical material and discussion. Dean-smith does not list the song, though Child had twenty versions.
B. Johnny Scott. As sung by Mrs. Lily M. Delorme of Caddyville, New York. Mrs. Delorme was born in Schuyler Falls, New York, in 1869. Her father was born in Starksboro, Vermont, her mother in Schuyler Falls. This ballad, was learned, in her home as a child. M. Olney, Collector; December 4, 1941
Johnny Scott
Now Johnny Scott's a-hunting gone,
All o'er the barren wilds;
And the gayest lady in King Edward's court
By Johnny Scott beguiled.
King Edward wrote him a letter broad
And sealed it with his hand,
And he sent it unto Johnny Scott,
To come at his command.
And then up spoke his old father
And unto him did say,
"If you to Old England go,
You'll ne'er come back to me."
And then up spoke a worthy knight,
Sat low by Johnny's knee,
Saying, "One hundred and ten of our nice young men
Shall bear him company."
And when they were on saddles sat,
Much beauty to behold,
For there hung down fair Johnny's shoulders
Shone like the links of gold.
And when they were on saddles sat,
Much beauty to be seen,
There was not so much as one married man
In Johnny Scott's whole company.
And when they to Old England came,
There they rode up and down
Until he saw his own true love,
From her window looking down.
"Come down, come down," fair Johnny cried,
"Come down and welcome me."
"No, I cannot come down," said she,
"For my father has pinioned me;
My feet are in the stocks so tight
I cannot get them out."
Then they rode out to King Edward's door
And knock-ed at the ring.
There was none so ready as King Edward himself
To let fair Johnny in.
"Are you a lord or are you a duke,
Or a man of honor and fame,
Or are you that bastard Johnny Scott
From Scotland late come in?"
"No, I'm not a lord nor I'm not a duke,
Nor a man of honor and fame,
But I am the son of a gentleman,
And Johnny Scott is my name."
"A clerk! a clerk!" King Edward cried,
"A clerk here unto me,
For tomorrow morning at ten o'clock
I hang-ed you shall be."
And then up spoke a worthy knight,
Sat low by Johnny's knee,
Saying, "Before we will see your master slain,
We will fight manfully."
Then King Edward chose an Italiant man,
An Italiant man was he;
For betwixt his brows measure span,
And betwixt his shoulders three.
(Cannot recall the next verse; however, he turned, around and said:)
"Have you any more of your English dogs
That you fain would have slain?"
"A clerk! a clerk!" King Edward cried,
"A clerk here unto me."
"A priest, a priest," said Johnny Scott,
"To marry my love to me."
"I'll give you gold," King Edward cried,
"And I will give you fee
If you will back to England go
And leave the lady here."
"I want not your gold," fair Johnny cried,
"Nor I want not your fee
But I will have my own true love
In spite of old England dear."