> June Tabor > Songs > Johnny o’ Bredislee

Johnie Cock / Johnny the Brine / Johnny o’ Bredislee

[ Roud 69 ; Child 114 ; G/D 2:250 ; Ballad Index C114 ; Johnnie o Braidesley at Muckle Sangs ; trad.]

John Strachan sang Johnny o’ Braideslee in Fyvie, Aberdeenshire in 1951. This recording collected by Alan Lomax and Hamish Henderson was included in 1961 on the Tradition album Heather and Glen and (as Johnie Cock) on the anthology The Child Ballads 2 (The Folk Songs of Britain Volume 5; Caedmon 1961; Topic 1968). Hamish Henderson and Ewan McVicar noted:

A mighty tale of a Robin Hood-style poacher defending himself. Johnnie goes out to hunt the royal deer and is chased and wounded by the King’s Foresters. In some versions they kill him, in others he escapes. Here he is buried at Monymusk in Aberdeenshire. Sir Walter Scott locates the burial in Durrisdeer in Dumfriesshire and comments that Johnnie was “probably one of the broken men (outlaw men owning no allegiance to either Scots or English authority) residing upon the Border”.

Ewan MacColl sang Johnnie o’ Breadisley in 1956 on A.L. Lloyd and his Riverside anthology The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (The Child Ballads) Volume II. This track was also included in 2009 on the Topic reissue of his ballads from this series, Ballads: Murder·Intrigue·Love·Discord. He recorded this ballad again in 1960 accompanied by Peggy Seeger on guitar on their Topic album Chorus From the Gallows. This track was also included in 1993 on his Topic anthology The Real MacColl. Kenneth S. Goldstein notes on the first album:

This fine ballad, which Child referred to as a “precious specimen of the unspoiled traditional ballad”, had not been reported before the end of the 18^th century; an examination of early texts with their interesting examples of primitive beliefs suggests a greater antiquity.

Various attempts have been made to identify the specific localities in which the action took place. Tradition and local pride, however, have served to confuse the issue. That it is a ‘Border Ballad’, there is no doubt; here we have a prime example of the lawlessness and heroics which made the Scottish-English ‘no man’s land’ fertile ground for the creation of some of the greatest popular ballads.

MacColl’s version, learned from John Strachan of Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, ends on a note of defiance, very much like the Child “D” text in which anti-climatic details concerning the sending of a message to Johnnie’s mother have been deleted.

The ballad has been reported only once in America (in Virginia).

Jeannie Robertson sang this ballad as Johnny the Brine in 1960 on her Prestige album Scottish Ballads and Folk Songs. Another version titled Johnnie Cock (Johnnie o’ Breadislee) was included in 2012 on the Topic anthology Good People, Take Warning (The Voice of the People Series Volume 23). A version sung by Stanley Robertson in Aberdeen in 2002 was printed in 2006 in Mike Yates’ book Traveller’s Joy.

Andy Irvine sang Johnny of Brady’s Lea in 1980 on Planxty’s Tara album The Woman I Loved So Well. He noted:

This is a famous traditional ballad from Scotland that I’ve known for years. Johnny is evidently an outlaw or at least a man who pays little regard to the game-laws. Despite his mother’s warning, he sets out one day to ‘bring the dun deer down’. His dogs & himself feast on the deer to such an extent that they all fall asleep. The foresters are tipped off by an interfering old codger and wound Johnny mortally as he sleeps. Johnny wakes in a rage and kills six of them. The seventh one suffers multiple injuries and is put on his horse to ride out of the forest and tell the news. Johnny Moynihan sings a version called Johnny O’Cocklesmuir where the hero kills six, wounds one and rides off unscathed.

This is a Planxty Festival Folk performance from 1983:

Old Blind Dogs sang Johnny o’ Braidislee in 1997 on their Lochshore album Five.

June Tabor sang Johnny o’ Bredislee in 1997 on her Topic album Aleyn. A live recording from Germanstown Academy, Philadelphia, on 30 March 1996 was included in 2005 on her Topic anthology Always.

Siobhan Miller and Jeana Leslie sang Johnnie o’ Braidisleys in 2010 on their Greentrax CD Shadows Tall. They noted:

One of the most cinematic or our narrative ballads—almost a complete screenplay. Collated from various versions, originally from the Greig-Duncan collection.

Siobhan Miller also sang Johnnie o’ Braidisleys on the 2019 album Scott’s Sangs that revisited the ballads of Walter Scott’s Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. Emily Lyle noted:

Described by Scott as “An Ancient Nithisdale Ballad”, this tale of a wily poacher has been one of the most widely sung found in the Scottish tradition and as such the story can vary in some details, especially the names and places. Among Scott’s papers is, in his own youthful hand, a copy that has the name Johnie of Cockielaw but as he states in his introduction, he had “several different copies”: “the stanzas of greatest merit have been selected from each copy. It is now printed for the first time.” While Scott portrayed Johnie in his published version as a Border character, there are as many if not more settings in the north-east of Scotland.

We have used Scott’s text as a basis but edited verses to reduce the length and help the ‘singability’, and to include elements from Siobhan Miller’s own version of the ballad which she learned from her father Brian Miller. Brian took his version from the Greig-Duncan Folk-Song Collection. The added verse about the hawthorn bush comes from a version by singer and song collector Peter Shepheard.

Peter Shepheard sang Johnnie o’ Graidie at the Fife Traditional Singing Festival, Collessie, Fife in May 2010. This recording was included a year later on the festival anthology Hurrah Boys Hurrah! (Old Songs & Bothy Ballads Volume 7). The liner notes commented:

The hero of this fine old ballad is known by various names—Johnny Cock in the borders, Johnnie o’ Braidislee, Johnie o’ Cocklesmuir and in Jeannie Robertson’s Aberdeenshire version as Johnnie the Brine. Francis James Child was particularly keen on the ballad for which he includes 13 texts and two tunes in his English and Scottish Popular Ballads and he refers to it as this precious specimen of the unspoiled traditional ballad. Bronson includes 15 versions. Almost all the known versions have been collected in Scotland (all of Bronson’s 15 versions) and it is still part of the living tradition with traditional singers from Fife to Aberdeenshire and to the Borders continuing to provide fresh variants. The version sung here is more or less as collected by Pete in 1968 near Cupar, Fife from Willie Stewart, a traveller aged around 25 at the time, who learned the song from his father Dights (David) Stewart.

Danny Spooner sang Johnnie o’ Braideslie in 2011 on his CD The Fox, The Hare and the Poacher’s Fate.

Top Floor Taivers sang Johnny o’ Braidieslee on their 2017 CD A Delicate Game. They noted:

Versions of the traditional ballad exist all over Scotland, but there is a speculation that it originally came from South West Scotland. ‘Johnny’ is said to have been an outlaw and deer stealer who owned Morton Castle near Durisdeer.

Alasdair Roberts sang Johnny o’ the Brine on his, Amble Skuse and David McGuinness’ 2018 CD What News. They noted:

Johnny o’ the Brine is one of the titles by which the Scottish travellers knew/know the ballad often known as Johnnie o’ Braidesley, Johnie o’ Cocklesmuir or Johnie Cock. The original source for our version was Jock Duncan, formerly of New Deer, Aberdeenshire and now of Pitlochry, Perthshire, but it has also been influenced by versions from John Strachan and Willie Matheson of Aberdeenshire and the late traveller storyteller Duncan Williamson. According to Child, the first notice in print of this ballad is in Scotish Song, 1794.

Iona Fyfe sang Johnnie o’ Breadislie unaccompanied in 2020 on her download album Ballads Vol. I. This video shows her on 17 November 2018 at The Cellar Upstairs near Kings Cross Station in London:

Lyrics

John Strachan sings Johnny o’ Braideslee

Johnnie rose on a Mey momin,
Called fir water to wash his hands.
And he called for his twa grey hands
To be bound in iron chains, chains,
To be bound in iron chains.

Johnnie shot, the dun deer lap,
She wis wounded in the side,
And between the waters and the woods.
The grey hounds laid her pride, pride,
And the grey hounds laid her pride.

Now Johnnie ate o the venison,
And the dogs drank o the bleed,
And they aa lay doon an fell asleep,
Asleep as tho they’d been deid, deid,
Asleep as tho they’d been deid.

An by there cam a silly auld man,
An a silly auld man wis he,
An he’s aua tae the king’s foresters
For to tell on young Johnnie, ee,
For to tell on young Johnnie.

Johnnie shot six o them,
And the seventh he wounded sore,
And he swung his hock owre his horseback,
And he swore that he would hunt more, more,
And he swore that he would hunt more.

Noo Johnnie’s gweed bent bow is broke,
And his twa grey dogs are slain,
His body lies in Monymusk
And his huntin days are deen, deen,
An his huntin days are deen.

Jeannie Robertson sings Johnny the Brine

Johnny he raised one May morning,
Called watter tae wash his hands,
Roaring, “Bring tae me my twa greyhounds
That are bound in iron bands, bands,
That are bound in iron bands.”

His auld wife she rung her hands,
“Tae the greenwoods dinnae gang
For the sake o the venison.
Tae the greenwoods dinnae gang, gang,
Tae the greenwoods dinnae gang.”

But Johnny went up through Monymusk
And doon and through some scroggs,
And it was there he spied a dun deer leap,
She was lying in a field o sprogs, sprogs,
She was lying in a field o sprogs.

The first arrow he fired at her,
He wounded her on the side.
And between the water and the wids
For his groundhounds laid her pride, pride,
For his groundhounds laid her pride.

Johnny and his twa greyhounds
Drank sae muckle o her blood
That Johnny an his twa greyhounds
Fell a-sleeping in the wids, wids,
Fell a-sleeping in the wids.

By came a silly auld man
And an ill death may he dee,
He went up and telt the first forester
And he telt what he did see, see,
And he telt what he did see.

“If that be the young Johnny the Brine
Ye’d better let him a-be.
If that is young Johnny the Brine
Ye’d better let him a-be, a-be,
Ye’d better let him a-be.”

He went up and telt the seventh forester,
He was Johnny’ sister’s son,
“If that be young Johnny the Brine
Tae the green wids we will gang, gang,
Tae the green wids we will gang.”

The first arrow they fired at him,
They wounded him on the feet,
And the second arrow they fired at him
For his hert’s blude blint his ee, ee,
For his hert’s blude blint his ee.

But Johnny rose up wi a angry growl
For a angry man was he.
“I will kill a’ you six foresters
And brak the seventh one’s back in three, three,
And brak the seventh one’s back in three.

He placed his fit upon a stone
And his back against a tree,
An he kilt a’ the six foresters
And broke the seventh one’s back in three, three,
And broke the seventh one’s back in three.

Johnny broke his back in three
And he broke his collar-bone.
An he tied him on his grey mare’s back
For to carry the tidings home, home,
For to carry the tidings home.

Planxty sing Johnny of Brady’ Lea

Oh, Johnny rose on a May morning,
Called for water to wash his hands,
Says, “Bring to me my two grey dogs,
That lay bound in iron bands.”

When Johnny’s mother she heard of this
She wrung her hands full sore,
Says, “Johnny, for your venison
To the green woods do not go.

“For there are seven foresters in Esselmont,
And this you know full well,
For one small drop of your heart’s blood
They would ride to the gates of Hell.”

“Oh, there’s many men are my friends, Mother,
Though many more are my foe.
And betide me well or betide me ill,
A-hunting I will go.”

So Johnny has taken his good bent bow,
His arrows one by one,
And he’s away to Monymusk
For to bring the dun deer down.

Oh, Johnny shot and the dun deer lept,
He’s wounded her in the side.
And between the water and the woods,
The two dogs laid her pride.

And they ate so much of the venison,
They drank so much of the blood,
That Johnny and his two grey dogs
Fell asleep as if they had been dead.

And by there came a sly old man,
A sly old man was he,
And he’s away to Esselmont
For to tell on young Johnny.

“As I came in by Monymusk,
And down among yon scroggs,
It was there I spied the bonniest dude
Lying sleeping between two dogs.

“And the buttons that were on his coat
Were of the gold so good,
And the two grey dogs that he lay between,
Their mouths they were died with blood.”

And up and spoke the first forester,
He was headsman over them all,
“Can this be Johnny of Brady’s Lea?
unto him we will crawl.”

And the very first shot that the foresters fired,
It wounded him in the thigh,
And the very next shot that the foresters fired,
His heart’s blood blinded his eye.

Then up woke Johnny from out of his sleep,
An angry man was he.
He says, “The wildest wolf in all this wood
Would not have done so by me.”

And he’s leaned his back against an oak,
His foot against a stone,
And he has fired on the seven foresters,
He’s killed them all but one.

And he’s broken seven of this man’s ribs,
His arm and his collarbone,
And he has set him on to his horse,
To bring the tidings home.

Johnny’s good bent bow is broke,
And his two grey dogs are slain,
And his body lies in Monymusk,
And his hunting days are done.

Old Blind Dogs sing Johnny o’ Braidislee

Johnny arose on a May mornin’,
Gone for water tae wash his hands,
He hae loused tae me his twa grey dogs,
That lie bound in iron bands.

When Johnny’s mother she heard o’ this,
Her hands for dule she wrang,
Cryin’, “Johnny for yer venison,
Tae the green woods dinna ye gang.”

Johnny hae taen his good benbow,
His arrows one by one,
And he’s awa tae greenwood gaen
Tae dae the dun deer doon.

Johnny he shot and the dun deer lapp’t,
And he wounded her in the side,
Between the water and the wood,
The grey dogs laid their pride.

Well by there cam’ a silly auld man,
Wi’ an ill that John might dee,
And he’s awa doon tae Esslemont,
The King’s seven foresters tae see.

It’s up and spake the first forester,
The heid ane amang them a’,
“Can this be Johnny O’ Braidislee,
Until him we will draw.”

The first shot that the foresters they fired
They wounded John in the knee,
The second shot the foresters they fired
His hairt’s blood blint his e’e.

So he’s leaned his back against an oak,
His foot against a stane,
And he hae fired on the seven foresters,
He’s killed them a’ but ane.

And he hae broke fower o’ this man’s ribs,
His airm and his collar bain,
And he hae sent him on a horse,
Tae carry the tidings hame.

Now Johnny’s good benbow lies broke,
His twa grey dogs lie deid,
And his body lies doon in Monymusk,
And his huntin days are daen.

June Tabor sings Johnny o’ Bredislee

Johnny arose on a May morning,
Called for water to wash his hands,
“Come lose to me my twa greyhounds
Lie bound in iron bands, bands,
That lie bound in iron bands.”

When Johnny’s mother she heard of this
Her hands in dule she wrang,
“Johnny for your venison
Ta the greenwood dinnae gang, gang,
Ta the greenwood dinnae gang.

“For we have plenty of the white bread
And of the good red wine.
Johnny for your venison
Ta the greenwood dinnae gang, gang,
Ta the greenwood dinnae gang.”

But Johnny has breskit his good benbow,
His arrows one by one,
He is on to the gay greenwood
For to bring the dun deer down, down,
For to bring the dun deer down.

As they gaed down by Merriemoss
Down among yon scroggs,
There they spied the dun deer lie
At the back of a bush of broom, broom
At the back of a bush of broom.

Now Johnny shot and the dun deer lap
And he wounded her in the side.
Between the water and the woods
The greyhounds laid her pride, pride,
The greyhounds laid her pride.

Now they ate so much of the good venison
And they drank so much of the blood,
Johnny and his twa greyhounds
Lay asleep as they’d been dead, dead,
Lay asleep as they’d been dead.

And by and came a silly old man
And an ill death may he die.
For he’s on to the seven forester
For to tell what he did see, see,
For to tell what he did see.

“O as I came down by Merriemoss,
Down among yon scroggs,
The bonniest lad that e’er I saw
Lay asleep atween twa dogs, dogs,
Lay asleep atween twa dogs.

“And the coat he wore upon his back
Was of the Lincoln twine,
And the stock he wore about his neck
It was pearl and precious stone, stone,
It was pearl and precious stone.

“And the buttons he wore upon his coat
Were of the gold so good,
And the twa greyhounds he lay between
Their mouths all red with blood, blood,
Aye, their mouths all red with blood.”

Then up spoke the first forester,
An angry man was he,
“If this be Johnny o’ Bredislee
My faith we’ll gar him die, die,
My faith we’ll gar him die.”

Then up spoke the second forester,
His sister’s son was he,
“If this be Johnny o’ Bredislee
We’d better let him be, be,
Oh, we’d better let him be.”

Then up spoke the seventh forester,
Lord among them all,
“If this be Johnny o’ Bredislee
We’ll gang and gar him fall, fall,
Aye, we’ll gang and gar him fall.”

And the first shot that the foresters fired
They wounded him in the knee,
And the second shot that the foresters fired
Oh, the red blood blinded his ee, ee,
Oh, the red blood blinded his ee.

When Johnny awoke from out of his sleep,
An angry man was he,
“You could have roused me from my dream
Ere the red blood blinded my ee, ee,
Ere the red blood blinded my ee.

“But if my bow prove true as it used to do
And my courage do not fail,
I’ll mak you dearly rue the day
That you cam to the Dinspeer Hill, Hill,
That you cam to the Dinspeer Hill.”

Then he’s set his back against an oak,
His foot against a thorn,
And he’s shot the seven foresters,
Shot them all and one, one,
Aye, he’s killed them all and one.

Johnny’s good benbow is broke,
His twa greyhounds lie slain,
Johnny sleeps in Merriemoss
And his hunting days are done, done,
Aye, his hunting days are done.