University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
The English and Scottish Popular Ballads

Edited by Francis James Child.

expand sectionI. 
expand sectionII. 
expand sectionIII. 
collapse sectionIV. 
expand section83. 
expand section84. 
expand section85. 
expand section86. 
expand section87. 
expand section88. 
expand section89. 
expand section90. 
expand section91. 
expand section92. 
expand section93. 
expand section94. 
expand section95. 
expand section96. 
expand section97. 
expand section98. 
expand section99. 
expand section100. 
expand section101. 
expand section102. 
expand section103. 
expand section104. 
expand section105. 
expand section106. 
expand section107. 
expand section108. 
expand section109. 
collapse section110. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
expand section111. 
expand section112. 
expand section113. 
expand sectionV. 
expand sectionVI. 
expand sectionVII. 
expand sectionVIII. 
expand sectionIX. 

LAMKIN—I

[_]

Skene MSS, p. 75, North of Scotland, 1802-03.

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,
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]

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.’

332

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

[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
‘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.’
[OMITTED]

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

[OMITTED]
Lankin was hangit hie,
And the fause nourice burnt
in the caudron was she.