The Heir of Linne
No: 267; variant: 267B
- 'The bonny heir, and the well-faird heir,
And the weary heir o Linne,
Yonder he stands at his father's yetts,
And naebody bids him come in.
- 'O see for he gangs, an see for he stands,
The weary heir o Linne!
O see for he stands on the cauld casey,
And nae an bids him come in!
- 'But if he had been his father's heir,
Or yet the heir o Linne,
He wadna stand on the cauld casey,
Some an woud taen him in.'
- 'Sing ower again that sang, nourice,
The sang ye sung just now;'
'I never sung a sang in my life
But I woud sing ower to you.
- 'O see for he gangs, an see for he stands,
The weary heir o Linne!
O see for he stands on the cauld casey,
An nae an bids him come in!
- 'But if he had been his father's heir,
Or yet the heir o Linne,
He woudna stand on the cauld casye,
Some an woud taen him in.
- 'When his father's lands a selling were,
His claise lay well in fauld,
But now he wanders on the shore,
Baith hungry, weet, and cauld.'
- As Willie he gaed down the town,
The gentlemen were drinking;
Some bade gie Willie a glass, a glass,
And some bade him gie nane,
Some bade gie Willie a glass, a glass,
The weary heir o Linne.
- As Willie he came up the town,
The fishers were a' sitting;
Some bade gie Willie a fish, a fish,
Some bade gie him a fin,
Some bade gie him a fish, a fish,
And lat the palmer gang.
- He turned him right and round about,
As will as a woman's son,
And taen his cane into his hand,
And on his way to Linne.
- His nourice at her window lookd,
Beholding dale and down,
And she beheld this distressd young man
Come walking to the town.
- 'Come here, come here, Willie,' she said,
'And rest yoursel wi me;
I hae seen you in better days,
And in jovial companie.'
- 'Gie me a sheave o your bread, nourice,
And a bottle o your wine,
And I'll pay you it a' ower again,
When I'm laird o Linne.'
- 'Ye'se get a sheave o my bread, Willie,
And a bottle o my wine,
But ye'll pay me when the seas gang dry,
For ye'll neer be heir o Linne.'
- Then he turnd him right and round about,
As will as woman's son,
And aff he set, and bent his way,
And straightway came to Linne.
- But when he came to that castle,
They were set down to dine;
A score o nobles there he saw,
Sat drinking at the wine.
- Then some bade gie him beef, the beef,
And some bade gie him the bane;
And some bade gie him naething at a',
But lat the palmer gang.
- Then out it speaks the new-come laird,
A saucy word spake hee;
'Put round the cup, gie my rival a sup,
Let him fare on his way.'
- Then out it speaks Sir Ned Magnew,
Ane o young Willie's kin;
'This youth was ance a sprightly boy
As ever lived in Linne.'
- He turned him right and round about,
As will as woman's son,
Then minded him on a little wee key,
That his mother left to him.
- His mother left [him] this little wee key
A little before she died;
And bade him keep this little wee key
Till he was in maist need.
- Then forth he went, these nobles left,
All drinkin' in the room,
Wi walking rod intill his hand,
He walked the castle roun.
- There he found out a little door,
For there the key slipped in,
And there [he] got as muckle red gowd
As freed the lands o Linne.
- Back through the nobles then he went,
A saucy man was then:
'I'll take the cup frae this new-come laird,
For he neer bade me sit down.'
- Then out it speaks the new-come laird,
He spake wi mock an jeer;
'I'd gie a seat to the laird o Linne,
Sae be that he were here.
- 'When the lands o Linne a selling were,
A' men said they were free;
This lad shall hae them frae me this day,
If he'll gie the third pennie.'
- 'I take ye witness, nobles a',
Guide witnesses ye'll be;
I'm promisd the lands o Linne this day,
If I gie the third pennie.'
- 'Ye've taen us witness, Willie,' they said,
'Guide witnesses we'll be;'
'Buy the lands o Linne who likes,
They'll neer be bought by thee.'
- He's done him to a gaming-table,
For it stood fair and clean;
There he tauld down as much rich gowd
As freed the lands o Linne.
- Thus having done, he turnd about,
A saucy man was he;
'Take up your monie, my lad,' he says,
'Take up your third pennie.
- 'Aft hae I gane wi barefeet cauld,
Likewise wi legs full bare,
An mony days walkd at these yetts
Wi muckle dool and care.
- 'But now my sorrow's past and gane,
And joy's returned to me,
And here i've gowd enough forbye,
Ahin this third pennie.'
- As Willie he gaed down the town,
There he crawd wonderous crouse;
He calld the may afore them a',
The nourice o the house,
- 'Come here, come here, my nurse,' he says,
'I'll pay your bread and wine;
Seas ebb and flow [as] they wont to do,
Yet i'm the laird o Linne.'
- As he gaed up the Gallowgate port,
His hose abeen his sheen;
But lang ere he came down again
Was convoyed by lords fifeteen.