The English and Scottish Popular Ballads :: :: University of Virginia Library

The English and Scottish Popular Ballads

Edited by Francis James Child.

Part I.

II.

III.

IV.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

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Duke o Athole's Nourice; or, The Duke of Athol's Nourice

THE DUKE OF ATHOLE'S NURSE—E

[_]

a. Kinloch MSS, VII, 171; from the recitation of Mrs Charles, Torry. b. Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 127.

1

‘I am the Duke o Athole's nurse,
My part does weill become me,
And I wad gie aw my half-year's fee
For ae sicht o my Johnie.’

2

‘Keep weill, keep weill your half-year's fee,
For ye'll soon get a sicht o your Johnie;
But anither woman has my heart,
And I'm sorry for to leave ye.’

3

‘Ye'll dow ye doun to yon changehouse,
And ye'll drink till the day be dawin;
At ilka pint's end ye'll drink my health out,
And I'll come and pay for the lawin.’

4

Ay he ranted and he sang,
And drank till the day was dawin,
And ay he drank the bonnie lassy's health
That was coming to pay the lawin.

5

He spared na the sack, tho it was dear,
The wine nor the sugar-candy,
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6

He's dune him to the shot-window,
To see an she was coming,
And there he spied twelve armed men,
That oure the plain cam rinning.

7

He's dune him doun to the landlady,
To see gin she wad protect him;
She's buskit him up into women's claiths
And set him till a baking.

8

Sae loudly as they rappit at the yett,
Sae loudly as they callit,
‘Had ye onie strangers here last nicht,
That drank till the day was dawin?’

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