Cope sent a letter frae Dunbar -

                    Charlie, meet me an' ye daur,

                    And I'll learn you the art o' war,

                    If you'll meet me in the morning.

 

                    Chorus;

                    Hey Johnnie Cope are ye waukin' yet?

                    Or are your drums a-beating yet?

                    If ye were waukin' I wad wait

                    To gang to the coals i' the morning.

 

                    When Charlie look'd the letter upon'

                    He drew his sword the scabbard from;

                    Come follow me, my merry merry men,

                    And we'll meet Johnnie Cope in the morning.

 

                    Now Johnnie, be as good's your word

                    Come let us try baith fire and sword;

                    And dinna flee away like a frighted bird,

                    That's chased frae its nest in the morning.

 

                    When Johnnie Cope he heard o' this,

                    He thought it wadna be amiss,

                    To hae a horse in readiness

                    To flee awa' in the morning.

 

                    Fy now, Johnnie get up and rin,

                    The Highland bagpipes mak' a din;

                    It is best to sleep in a hale skin

                    For 'twill be a bluidy morning.

 

                    When Johnnie Cope to Dunbar came,

                    They speir'd at him, Where's a' your men?

                    The deil confound me gin I ken,

                     For I left them a' i' the mornong.

 

                    Now, Johnnie troth ye are na blate,

                    To come wi, news o' your ain defeat,

                    And leave your men in sic a strait

                    Sae early in the morning.

 

                    Oh! faith quo' Johnnie, I got sic flegs,

                    Wi' their claymores and philabegs;

                    If I face them again, deil brak my legs -

                    So I wish you a gude morning.