A collection of ancient and modern Scottish ballads, etc

135
JOHNIE COPE.
[The vapouring of Sir John Cope and the officers of his
army previous to the battle of Preston, was notorious to
all the attendants on his camp ; his total defeat, there-
fore, rendered him a butt to wliich the shafts of ridicule
were directed both by friends and foes. His bravadoes
when there was no enemy in view, fear on beholding the
Highlanders, and precipitate flight, are delineated with
much humour in the following song, copied from John-
son's Museum^ ELVin. 1790. There are three readings
of this song, two of which are inserted ; the second is
taken from Ritson's Scotisk SongSf in which work are
collected almost al! the political songs of this period.J
Sir John Cope trode the north right far.
Yet ne'er a rebel he cam naur.
Until he landed at Dunbar,
Right early in a morning.
Hey Johnie Cope are ye wauking yet ?
Or are ye sleeping ? I would wit
O haste ye get up for the drums do beat:
O fye Cope rise in the morning.
He wrote a challenge from Dunbar,
"^ Come fight me, Charlie, an ye daur;
If it be not by the chance of war,
I'll give you a merry morning,"
Hey Johnie Cope, &c.
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