Allan-a-mault

16th century Scots version of Sir John Barleycorn from the Bannatyne MS (I am indebted to W. Bruce Olson for bringing my attention to this)

Quhy sowld not allane honorit be

Quhen he wes yung and cled in grene

Haifand his air abowt his Ene

Baith men an wemem did him mene

quhen he grew on yon hilis he

quhy sowld not allane honorit be

His fostir faider of the toun

To vissy Allane he maid him boun

he saw him lyane allace in swoun

For falt of help and lyk to de

quhy sowld not allane honorit be

Thay saw his heid begin to ryse

Syne for ane nvreiss thay send belyse

quha brocht wt hir fyfty and fyve

Of men of war full prevely

Quhy sowld not allane honorit be

Thay ruschit furt lyk hellis rukis

And every ane of thame had hukis

Thay cawt him schortly in the clukis

Syne band him in ane creddill of tre

Quhy sowld not allane honorit be

They brot him invart in the land

Syne every freynd maid him his band

quhill thay micht owdir gang or stand

nevir ane fute fra him to sle! Quhy etc.

The grittest cowart in this land

ffra he wt allane entir in band

Thot he may nowdir gang nor stand

That fowrty sall not gar him sle

Quhy sowld not allane honorit be

Sr allanis hewmond is ane cop

Wt ane sege feddir in his top

ffra hand till hand so dois he hop

Quhill sum may nowdir speiki nor se

Quhy sold not allane honorit be

In yule quhen ilk man singis his carrell

gud allane lyis in to ane barrell

quhen he is thair he dowtis no parrell

To cum on him be land or se Quhy etc.

Yit was thair nevir sa gay a gallane

Fra he meit wt our maistir ser allane

Bot gif he hald him by the hallane

bak wart on the shue fallis he Quhy etc.

My maistir allane grew so stark

quhill he maid mony cunning clerk

Vpoun thair faiss he settis his mark

A blud reid noiss besyd thair E Quhy etc.

My maistir allane I may sair curss

He levis no money in my purss

At his command I mon deburss

moir nor the twa pairt of my fe Quhy etc.

And last of allane to conclude

he is bening courtass and gude

And sevris ws of our daly fvde

An thr wt liberalitie. Q. etc.

ffinis q allane matsonis suddartis

W. Bruce Olson on the Ballad of Sir John Barleycorn

'English versions abound, for 17th century ones see the broadside index items ZN282, ZN546, ZN1759, and the song in Thomas Robbins chapbook 'The Arraignment and Inditing of Sir John Barleycorn, Knight", ZN3428. Robert Burns slightly reworked a traditional version and gave it in his Poems, 1787. Traditional versions are many, but some do not take the song to the point where John Barlycorn arises and starts laying the drinkers low. ' http://www.erols.com.olsonw