THE BALLAD OF JACK AND TOM

I'm a north country man, in Redesdale born,
Where our land lies lea, and grows no corn,
And such two lads to my house never come,
As them two lads called Jack and Tom!

Now, Jack and Tom, they're going to the sea;
I wish them both in good company!
They're going to seek their fortunes beyond the wide sea,
Far, far away from their own country!

They mounted their horses, and rode over the moor,
Till they came to a house, when they rapped at the door;
And out came Jockey, the hostler-man.
"Do ye brew any ale?  Do ye sell any beer?
Or have ye any lodgings for strangers here?"

"No, we brew no ale, nor we sell no beer,
Nor we have no lodgings for strangers here."
So he bolted the door, and bade them be gone,
For there was no lodgings there for poor Jack and Tom.

They mounted their horses, and rode over the plain; -
Dark was the night, and down fell the rain;
Till a twinkling light they happened to spy,
And a castle and a house they were close by.

They rode up to the house, and they rapped at the door,
And out came Jockey, the hosteler.
"Do ye brew any ale?  Do ye sell any beer?
Or have ye any lodgings for strangers here?"

"Yes, we have brewed ale this fifty long year,
And we have got lodgings for strangers here."
So the roast to the fire, and the pot hung on,
'Twas all to accommodate poor Jack and Tom.

When supper was over, and all was sided down,
The glasses of wine did go merrily roun'.
'Here is to thee, Jack, and here is to thee,
And all the bonny lasses in our country!'
'Here is to thee, Tom, and here is to thee,
And look they may look for thee and me!'

'Twas early next morning, before the break of day,
They mounted their horses, and so they rode away.
Poor Jack, he died upon a far foreign shore,
And Tom, he was never, never heard of more!