Lamkin
No: 93; variant: 93F
- SAID my lord to his ladye,
as he mounted his horse, (bis)
Take care of Long Lankyn,
who lies in the moss. (bis)
- Said my lord to his ladye,
as he rode away,
Take care of Long Lankyn,
who lies in the clay.
- Let the doors be all bolted,
and the windows all pinned,
And leave not a hole
for a mouse to creep in.
- Then he kissed his fair ladye,
and he rode away;
He must be in London
before break of day.
- The doors were all bolted,
and the windows were pinned,
All but one little window,
where Long Lankyn crept in.
- 'Where is the lord of this house?'
said Long Lankyn:
'He is gone to fair London,'
said the false nurse to him.
- 'Where is the ladye of this house?'
said Long Lankyn:
'She's asleep in her chamber,'
said the false nurse to him.
- 'Where is the heir of this house?'
said Long Lankyn:
'He's asleep in his cradle,'
said the false nurse to him.
- 'We'll prick him, and prick him,
all over with a pin,
And that will make your ladye
to come down to him.'
- So she pricked him and pricked,
all over with a pin,
And the nurse held a basin
for the blood to run in.
- 'Oh nurse, how you sleep!
Oh nurse, how you snore!
And you leave my little son Johnstone
to cry and to roar.'
- 'I've tried him with suck,
and I've tried him with pap;
So come down, my fair ladye,
and nurse him in your lap.'
- 'Oh nurse, how you sleep!
Oh nurse, how you snore!
And you leave my little son Johnstone
to cry and to roar.'
- 'I've tried him with apples,
I've tried him with pears;
So come down, my fair ladye,
and rock him in your chair.'
- 'How can I come down,
'tis so late in the night,
When there's no candle burning,
nor fire to give light?'
- 'You have three silver mantles
as bright as the sun;
So come down, my fair ladye,
by the light of one.'
- 'Oh spare me, Long Lankyn,
oh spare me till twelve o'clock,
You shall have as much gold
as you can carry on your back.'
- 'If I had as much gold
as would build me a tower,'
. . . . .
. . . . .
- 'Oh spare me, Long Lankyn,
oh spare me one hour,
You shall have my daughter Betsy,
she is a sweet flower.'
- 'Where is your daughter Betsy?
she may do some good;
She can hold the silver basin,
to catch your heart's blood.'
- Lady Betsy was sitting
in her window so high,
And she saw her father,
as he was riding by.
- 'Oh father, oh father,
don't lay the blame on me;
'Twas the false nurse and Long Lankyn
that killed your ladye.'
- Then Long Lankyn was hanged
on a gallows so high,
And the false nurse was burnt
in a fire just by.