University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
The English and Scottish Popular Ballads

Edited by Francis James Child.

expand sectionI. 
expand sectionII. 
expand sectionIII. 
expand sectionIV. 
expand sectionV. 
collapse sectionVI. 
expand section156. 
expand section157. 
expand section158. 
expand section159. 
expand section160. 
expand section161. 
expand section162. 
expand section163. 
expand section164. 
expand section165. 
expand section166. 
expand section167. 
expand section168. 
expand section169. 
expand section170. 
expand section171. 
expand section172. 
collapse section173. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
expand section174. 
expand section175. 
expand section176. 
expand section177. 
expand section178. 
expand section179. 
expand section180. 
expand section181. 
expand section182. 
expand section183. 
expand section184. 
expand section185. 
expand section186. 
expand section187. 
expand section188. 
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.