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The royal coat of arms in Scotland has the Latin motto "Nemo me impune lacessit". The English translation of this is "Nobody interferes with me with impunity" and this is ...
The royal coat of arms in Scotland has the Latin motto "Nemo me impune lacessit". The English translation of this is "Nobody interferes with me with impunity" and this is often defiantly expressed in broad Scots as "Wha daur meddle wi' me?" which is the title of this anonymous poem. But on this occasion it is being aggressively repeated by a member of the Elliot family, one of the Border families who not only fought their neighbours but were part of the first line of defence against marauding English invaders - and could sometimes defy the Scottish monarch as well!
Wha Daur Meddle Wi' Me?
Ma castle is aye ma ain, An' herried it never shall be, For I maun fa' ere it's taen, An' wha daur meddle wi' me? Wi' ma kit i' the rib o' ma naig, Ma sword hingin' doon by ma knee, For man I am never afraid, An' wha daur meddle wi' me? Wha daur meddle wi' me? Wha daur meddle wi' me? Oh, ma name it's wee Jock Elliot, An' wha daur meddle wi' me?
Fierce Bothwell I vanquished clean, Gar'd troopers an' fitmen flee; By my faith I dumfoondert the Queen, An' wha daur meddle wi' me? Alang by the dead water stank, Jock Fenwick I met on the lea, But his saddle was toom in a clank, An' wha daur meddle wi' me? Wha daur meddle wi' me? Wha daur meddle wi' me? Oh, ma name it's wee Jock Elliot, An' wha daur meddle wi' me?
Whar Keelder meets wi' the Tyne, Masel an' ma kinsmen three, We tackled the Percies nine - They'll never mair meddle wi' me. Sir Harry wi' nimble brand, He pricket ma cap ajee, But I cloured his heid on the strand, An' wha daur meddle wi' me? Wha daur meddle wi' me? Wha daur meddle wi' me? Oh, ma name it's wee Jock Elliot, An' wha daur meddle wi' me?
The Cumberland reivers ken The straik ma airm can gie, An' warily pass the glen, For wha daur meddle wi' me? I chased the loons doon to Carlisle, Jook't the raip on the Hair-i-bee, Ma naig nickert an' cockit his tail, But wha daur meddle wi' me? Wha daur meddle wi' me? Wha daur meddle wi' me? Oh, ma name it's wee Jock Elliot, An' wha daur meddle wi' me?
Ma kinsmen are true, an' brawlie, At glint o' an enemie, Round Park's auld Turrets they rally, An' wha daur meddle wi' me? Then heigh for the tug an' the tussle, Tho' the cost should be Jethart tree; Let the Queen an' her troopers gae whustle An' wha daur meddle wi' me? Wha daur meddle wi' me? Wha daur meddle wi' me? Oh, ma name it's wee Jock Elliot, An' wha daur meddle wi' me?
Meaning of unusual words: herried=plundered, robbed maun fa' ere it's taen=must fall before it's taken naig=nag, horse Gar'd=made dumfoondert=amazed, perplexed toom=empty clank=severe blow Percies=an English aristocratic family ajee=crooked, awry cloured=struck, battered reivers=border bandits ken=know loons=rascals Jook't=duck, evade a blow Hair-i-bee=place of execution at Carlisle Ma naig nickert=my horse whinnied brawlie=in good health Jethart tree=a jury that tries a case after inflicting punishment
"Jethart tree" threw me completely. Thought it was a hanging tree.
Couldn't figure out "jook't" either.