The Book of Scottish Song/Jumpin' John

Jumpin’ John.

[The tune of "Jumpin' John," or "Joan's Placket," is very old, and is thought to be the progenitor of the Irish air called "Lillibulero." There is a tradition that "Jumpin' John" was the tune played when Mary Queen of Scots was proceeding to her execution, but on this no reliance can be placed, as it is very unlikely that music of any kind was played on that melancholy occasion, and no contemporary accounts of her death speak of music having been employed. Part of the following words are old, and part modern.]

Her daddie forbade, her minnie forbade,
Forbidden she wadna be;
She wadna trow't, the brows't she brew'd
Wad taste sae bitterlie.

The lang lad, they ca' Jumpin' John,
Aft spier'd the bonnie lassie;
But faither and mither agreed thegither,
That nae sic match sud be.
Her daddie, &c.

A cow and a cauf, a ewe and a hauf,
And thretty gude shillins and three;
A vera gude tocher, a cotter man's dochter,
The lass wi' the bonnie black e'e.
Her daddie, &c.

Her daddie bade her counsel tak',
But counsel she tuik nane;
And lang and sair the lassie rued,
Sae fuil-like she'd been taen.
Her daddie, &c.

"Oh! for my daddie's kindly luik,
My minnie's kindly care!
Gin I were in their ingle neuk,
I'd never leave it mair."
Her daddie, &c.

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