- It's when he read the letter ower A licht lauch then leuch he; But lang ere he wan the end o it The saut tear filled his ee.
- 'O woe be to the man,' he says, 'That's tauld the king o me; Altho he be my ain brither, Some ill death mat he dee'
- . . . . . . . . . . 'For be it weet, or be it win, My bonnie ship sails the morn.' '' '' '' '' ''
- 'For late the streen I saw the new meen, Bit an the auld ane tee. An it fears me sair, my good maister, For a tempest in the sea.'
- . . . . . . . . . . . Till up it rase the win an storm, An a tempest i the sea.
- . . . . . . . . . . . It's throch an throu the comely cog There comes the green raw sea. '' '' '' '' ''
- 'Call upo your men, maister, An dinna call on me, For ye drank them weel ere ye tuke the gate, But O nane gae ye me.
- 'Ye beat my back, an beat my sides, When I socht hose an sheen; So call upo your men, maister, As they lie drunk wi wine.'
- 'Come doon, come doon, my bonnie boy, An tak my helm in han; Gin ever we live to gae to lan, I'll wed ye wi my daughter Ann.'
- 'Ye used me ill, my guid maister, When we was on the lan, But nevertheless, my gude maister, I'll tak your helm in han.'
- O laith, laith was oor bonny boys To weet their cork-heeled shoes; But lang ere a' the play was played, They wat their yallow broos.
- O laith, laith was oor bonnie boys To weet their cork-heeled sheen; But lang ere a' the play was played, They wat their hair abeen.
- 'O lang, lang will my lady leuk, Wi the lantern in her han, Afore she see my bonnie ship Come sailin to dry lan.'
- Atween Leith an Aberdeen Lies mony a craig an sea, An there it lies young Patrick Spens, An mony bonnie boys him wi.
No: 58; variant: 58K
Source: Communicated by Mr Murison, as taken down from recitation in Old Deer by Mrs Murison.