D

1 Lamerlinkin, as gude a mason
as eer laid a stane,
Built a house to Lord Arran,
but entrance had nane.

2 Says the lord to his lady,
when going abroad,
Take care of Lamerlinkin,
wha bides in the wood.

3 'I care not for Lamkin,
nor none of his kin;
My house is plastered outside,
and bolted within.'

4 The gates they were locked,
baith outside and in,
But there was a wee hole
that let Lamkin creep in.

5 'Good woman, good woman,'
said Lamerlinkin:
'Good woman, good woman,'
said the fause nurse to him.

6 'Where's the lord o this house?
is he not within?'
'He's up in Old England,
he's dining wi the king.'

7 'Where's the lady of this house?
or is she not within?'
'She's up in her high room,
and cannot come down.'

8 'Where is the maids o this house?
or are they not within?'
'They are at the well washing,
and cannot get in.'

9 'Where is the men o this house?
or are they not within?'
'They are at the barn threshing,
and cannot win hame.'

10 'O what will I do,
to mak her come doun?'
'We'll kill her auld son,
to mak her come doun.'

11 He took out a pen-knife,
baith pointed and sharp,
And he stabbed the babie
three times in the heart.

12 Lamerlinkin did rock,
and the fause nurse did sing;
Ower the four-cornered cradle
the red blood did spring.

13 'O please my babie, nurse,
O please him wi wands!'
'He'll no be pleased, madam,
for a' his father's lands.'

14 'O please my babie, nurse,
O please him wi keys!'
'He'll no be pleased, madam,
let me do what I please.'

15 'O please my babie, nurse,
O please him with bells!'
'He'll no be pleased, madam,
till you come down yoursell.

16 'How can I come doun
this cold frosty night,
Without coal or candle
for to shew me light?'

17 'The gold rings on your finger
are bright as the sun;
You may see to cum doun the stair
with the light o them.'

18 O then she came doun the stair,
stepping step by step;
So ready was Lamkin
to grip her in his lap.

19 'Save my life, Lamkin,
till five minutes break,
And I'll give thee gold,
the fu o a peck.'

20 'I'll no save your life,
till five minutes break,
Tho thou should give me gold,
the fu of a sack.'

21 'O Jeany, O Jeany,
O scour the bason clean,
That your lady's noble blood
may be kepped clean.'

22 'O no, no, no, Lambkin,
my heart will be sare;
O take my life, Lambkin,
let my lady go.'

* * * * *

23 He sent for the false nurse,
to give her her fee;
All the fee that he gave her
was to hang her on a tree.

24 He sent for Lamerlinkin,
to give him his hire;
All the hire that he gave him
was to burn him in the fire.

1 Said the lord to his lady,
Beware of Rankin;
For I am going to England,
to wait on the king.

2 'No fears, no fears,'
said the lady, said she,
'For the doors shall be bolted,
and the windows pindee.

3 'Go bar all the windows,
both outside and in;
Don't leave a window open,
to let Bold Rankin in.'

4 She has barred all the windows,
both outside and in;
But she left one of them open,
to let Bold Rankin in.

5 'O where is the master of this house?'
said Bold Rankin;
'He's up in Old England,'
said the false nurse to him.

6 'O where is the mistress of this house?'
said Bold Rankin;
'She's up in the chamber sleeping,'
said the false nurse to him.

7 'O how shall we get her down?'
said Bold Rankin;
'By piercing the baby,'
said the false nurse to him.

8 'Go please the baby, nursy,
O go please it with a bell;'
'It will not be pleased, madam,
till you come down yoursel.'

9 'How can I come down stairs,
so late into the night,
Without coal or candle,
to shew me the light?

10 'There is a silver bolt
lies on the chest-head;
Give it to the baby,
give it sweet milk and bread.'

11 She rammed the silver bolt
up the baby's nose,
Till the blood it came trinkling
down the baby's fine clothes.

12 'Go please the baby, nursie,
go please it with the bell:'
'It will not please, madam,
till you come down yoursel.

13 'It will neither please with breast-milk,
nor yet with pap;
But I pray, loving lady,
Come and roll it in your lap.'

14 The first step she stepit,
she steppit on a stone;
And the next step she stepit,
she met Bold Rankin.

15 'O Rankin, O Rankin,
spare me till twelve o'clock,
And I will give you as many guineas
as you can carry on your back.'

16 'What care I for as many guineas
as seeds into a sack,
When I cannot keep my hands off
your lily-white neck?'

17 'O will I kill her, nursie,
or let her abee?'
'O kill her,' said the false nurse,
'she was never good to me.'

18 'Go scour the bason, lady,
both outside and in,
To hold your mother's heart's blood,
sprung from a noble kin.'

19 'To hold my mother's heart's blood
would make my heart full woe;
O rather kill me, Rankin,
and let my mother go.'

20 'Go scour the bason, servants,
both outside and in,
To hold your lady's heart's blood,
sprung from a noble kin.'

21 'To hold my lady's heart's blood
would make my heart full woe;
O rather kill me, Rankin,
and let my lady go.'

22 'Go scour the bason, nursy,
both outside and in,
To hold your lady's heart's blood,
sprung from a noble kin.'

23 'To hold my lady's heart's blood
would make my heart full glad;
Ram in the knife, Bold Rankin,
and gar the blood to shed.

24 'She's none of my comrades,
she's none of my kin;
Ram in the knife, Bold Rankin,
and gar the blood rin.'

25 'O will I kill her, nursy,
or let her abee?'
'O kill her,' said the false nurse,
'she was never good to me.'

* * * * *

26 'I wish my wife and family
may be all well at home;
For the silver buttons of my coat
they will not stay on.'

27 As Betsy was looking
oer her window so high,
She saw her dear father
come riding by.

28 'O father, dear father,
don't put the blame on me
It was false nurse and Rankin
that killed your lady.'

29 O was n't that an awful sight,
when he came to the stair,
To see his fairest lady
lie bleeding there!

30 The false nurse was burnt
on the mountain hill-head,
And Rankin was boiled
in a pot full of lead.

1 Lambkin was as good a mason
as ever laid stone;
He builded Lord Montgomery's castle,
but payment got none.

2 He builded the castle
without and within;
But he left an open wake
for himself to get in.

3 Lord Montgomery said to his lady,
when he went abroad,
Take care of Bold Lambkin,
for he is in the wood.

4 'Gar bolt the gate, nourice,
without and within,
Leave not the wake open,
to let Bold Lambkin in.'

5 She bolted the gates,
without and within,
But she left the wake open,
to let Bold Lambkin in.

6 'Gude morrow, gude morrow,'
says Bold Lambkin then;
'Gude morrow, gude morrow,'
says the false nurse to him.

7 'Where is Lord Montgomery?
or where is he gone?'
'He is gone up to England,
to wait on the king.'

8 'Where are the servants?
and where are they gone?'
'They are all up to England,
to wait upon him.'

9 'Where is your lady?
or where is she gone?'
'She is in her bower sitting,
and sewing her seam.'

10 'O what shall we do
for to make her come down?'
'We'll kill the pretty baby,
that's sleeping so sound.'

11 Lambkin he rocked,
and the false nurse she sung,
And she stabbed the babe to the heart
with a silver bodkin.

12 'O still my babe, nourice,
O still him with the pap:'
'He'll no be stilled, madam,
for this nor for that.'

13 'O still my babe, nourice,
go still him with the keys:'
'He'll no be stilled, madam,
let me do what I please.'

14 'O still my babe, nourice,
go still him with the bell:'
'He'll no be stilled, madam,
till you come down yoursel.'

15 'How can I come down,
this cold winter night,
When there's neither coal burning,
nor yet candle-light?'

16 'The sark on your back
is whiter than the swan;
Come down the stair, lady,
by the light of your hand.'

17 The lady she cam down
the stair trip for trap;
Who so ready as Bold Lambkin
to meet her in the dark?

18 'Gude morrow, gude morrow,'
said Bold Lambkin then;
'Gude morrow, gude morrow,'
said the lady to him.

19 'O where is Lord Montgomery?
or where is he gone?'
'O he is up to England,
to wait on the king.'

20 'O where are your servants?
or where are they gone?'
'They are all up to England,
to wait upon him.

21 'I'll give you as much gold, Lambkin,
as you'll put in a peck,
If you'll spare my life
till my lord comes back.'

22 'Tho you would [give] me as much
as I could put in a sack,
I would not spare thy life
till thy lord comes back.'

23 Lord Montgomery sate in England,
drinking with the king;
The buttons flew off his coat,
all in a ring.

24 'God prosper, God prosper
my lady and son!
For before I get home
they will all be undone.'

1 Said my lord to his ladye,
as he mounted his horse, (bis)
Take care of Long Lankyn,
who lies in the moss. (bis)

2 Said my lord to his ladye,
as he rode away,
Take care of Long Lankyn,
who lies in the clay.

3 Let the doors be all bolted,
and the windows all pinned,
And leave not a hole
for a mouse to creep in.

4 Then he kissed his fair ladye,
and he rode away;
He must be in London
before break of day.

5 The doors were all bolted,
and the windows were pinned,
All but one little window,
where Long Lankyn crept in.

6 'Where is the lord of this house?'
said Long Lankyn:
'He is gone to fair London,'
said the false nurse to him.

7 'Where is the ladye of this house?'
said Long Lankyn:
'She's asleep in her chamber,'
said the false nurse to him.

8 'Where is the heir of this house?'
said Long Lankyn:
'He's asleep in his cradle,'
said the false nurse to him.

* * * * *

9 'We'll prick him, and prick him,
all over with a pin,
And that will make your ladye
to come down to him.'

10 So he pricked him and pricked,
all over with a pin,
And the nurse held a basin
for the blood to run in.

11 'Oh nurse, how you sleep!
Oh nurse, how you snore!'
And you leave my little son Johnstone
to cry and to roar.'

12 'I've tried him with suck,
and I've tried him with pap;
So come down, my fair ladye,
and nurse him in your lap.'

13 'Oh nurse, how you sleep!
Oh nurse, how you snore!
And you leave my little son Johnstone
to cry and to roar.'

14 'I've tried him with apples,
I've tried him with pears;
So come down, my fair ladye,
and rock him in your chair.'

15 'How can I come down,
'tis so late in the night,
When there's no candle burning,
nor fire to give light?'

16 'You have three silver mantles
as bright as the sun;
So come down, my fair ladye,
by the light of one.'

* * * * *

17 'Oh spare me, Long Lankyn,
oh spare me till twelve o'clock,
You shall have as much gold
as you can carry on your back.'

18 'If I had as much gold
as would build me a tower,'
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .

19 'Oh spare me, Long Lankyn,
oh spare me one hour,
You shall have my daughter Betsy,
she is a sweet flower.'

20 'Where is your daughter Betsy?
she may do some good;
She can hold the silver basin,
to catch your heart's blood.'

* * * * *

21 Lady Betsy was sitting
in her window so high,
And she saw her father,
as he was riding by.

22 'Oh father, oh father,
don't lay the blame on me;
'Twas the false nurse and Long Lankyn
that killed your ladye.'

* * * * *

23 Then Long Lankyn was hanged
on a gallows so high,
And the false nurse was burnt
in a fire just by.

1 Bauld Rankin was as gude a mason
as eer biggit wi stane;
He has biggit a bonny castle,
but siller he gat nane.

* * * * *

2 'Gae bar the gates,' the lady said,
'gae bar them out and in;
Leave not a door open,
lest Rankin should come in.'

3 They've bard them on the outer side,
sae hae they on the in;
But left the cellar-door open,
and Bauld Rankin crap in.

4 'Where's a' the women o the house?'
says Bauld Rankin:
'They're at the well washing,'
says the fause nurse to him.

5 'Where's a' the men of this house?'
says the Bauld Rankin:
'They are at the barn thrashing,'
says the fause nurse to him.

6 'Where's the lady of this house?'
says the Bauld Rankin:
'She's in the chamber, sleeping,'
says the fause nurse to him.

7 'How will we get her wakent?
how will we get her down?'
'We'll pierce the baby's heart's blood,'
says the fause nurse to him.

* * * * *

8 'Come, please the babe, nurse,
come please it wi the keys:'
'It'll no be pleased, madam,
tho I'll down on my knees.'

9 'Come, please the babe, nurse,
come, please it wi the knife:'
'It'll no be pleased, madam,
should I lay down my life.'

10 'Come, please the babe, nurse,
come, please it wi the bell:'
'It'll no be pleased, madam,
till ye come down yoursel.'

11 'How can I come down, how can I come,
sae late in the night,
And neither coal nor candle,
for to shew me light?'

12 The first step she steppit,
she steppit on a stane;
The next step she steppit,
she met the Bauld Rankin.

13 'O spare my life, Rankin,
O spare it most dear!
I'll gie you as monie guineas
as birds in the air.

14 'O spare my life, Rankin,
O save it most sweet!
I'll gie you as monie guineas
as there's stanes in the street.'

* * * * *

15 'I wish my wife and bairns
may be all well at hame;
For the buttons on my waistcoat
they winna bide on.

16 'I wish my wife and family
may be all well at home;
For the rings upon my fingers
they winna bide on.'

* * * * *

17 He has kindled a big bane-fire,
in the middle o the closs,
And he has burned Bauld Rankin,
likewise the fause nurse.

1 Lanckin was as guid a mason
as ever did use stane;
He biggit Lord Murray's house,
an payment neer got nane.

2 It fell ance on a day
Lord Murray went frae hame,
An Lankin came to the fause nourice,
. . . . . . .

* * * * *

3 'O still my bairn, nourice,
still him wi the knife:'
'He winna still, lady,
Tho I should lay down my life.'

4 'O still my bairn, nurice,
still him wi the bell:'
'He winna still, lady,
till ye come down yersel.'

5 The first [step she steppit],
she came on the marble stane;
The next step [she steppit],
she met him Lankin.

6 'O spare my life, Lankin,
an I'll gie ye a peck o goud;
An that dinna please ye,
I'll heap it wi my hand.'

7 'O will I kill the lady, nurice,
or will I lat her be?'
'O kill her, Lankin,
she was never guid to me.'

8 'O wanted ye yer meat, nurice?
or wanted ye yer fee?
Or wanted ye the othir bounties
ladys are wont to gie?'

9 . . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
'O kill her, Lankin,
she was never guid to me.'

10 'Gae wash a bason, nurice,
an ye wash it clean,
To cape this ladie's blood;
she is come o high kine.'

11 'I winna wash a bason,
nor will I wash it clean,
To cape this ladie's blood,
tho she's come o high kine.'

* * * * *

12 Bonny sang yon bird,
as he sat upon the tree,
But sare grat Lankin,
for he was hangit hie.

13 Bonny sang the bird,
that sat upon the hill,
But sare grat the nurice,
whan the caudron gan to boil.

14 . . . . . . .
Lankin was hangit hie,
And the fause nourice burnt
in the caudron was she.

1 O Lammikin was as good a mason
as ever bigget stane;
He's bigget Lord Erley's castle,
but money he got nane.

2 It fell out upon a time
Lord Earley went from home;
He left his lady in his castle,
but and his young son.

* * * * *

3 'Where is the lord o this house,
that calls me Lammikin?'
'He's on the sea sailing,
he will not come home.'

4 'Where are the men o this house,
that call me Lammikin?'
'They are at the barn threshing,
they will not come in.'

5 'Where are the maids of this house,
that call me Lammikin?'
'They are at the well washing,
they will not come in.'

6 'Where is the lady o this house,
that calls me Lammikin?'
'She's in her room shewing,
she will not come down.'

7 'How shall we contrive
for to make her come down?'
'We'll stick her dear infant,
and make her come down.'

8 O Lammikin he rocket,
and the fause nurice sung,
While out o the cradle
the infant's blude sprung.

9 'O still my bairn, nurice,'
the lady did cry:
'He will not still, lady,
for you nor for I.'

10 'O still my bairn, nurice,
still him wi the wan:'
'He will not still, lady,
for a' his father's lan.'

11 'Oh still my bairn, nurice,
still him wi the keys:'
'Oh he winna still, lady,
for a' his father's leys.'

12 'Oh still my bairn, nurice,
still him wi the bell:'
'Oh he winna still, lady,
till ye come down yersell.'

13 The firsten step that lady stepped,
it was upon a stone;
The nexten step that lady stepped,
she saw him Lammikin.

14 The nexten step that lady stepped
was in her own child's blood,
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .

* * * * *

15 'Oh will I kill her, nurice,
or will I let her be?'
'Kill her, dear Lammikin,
she was never gude to me.'

16 'Oh wanted you meat, nurice?
or wanted you fee?
Or wanted you anything
that a lady can gie?'

17 'I wanted no meat, lady,
nor wanted I fee,
But I wanted mony a thing
that a lady could gie.'

* * * * *