Lamkin
No: 93; variant: 93E
- LAMBKIN was as good a mason
as ever laid stone;
He builded Lord Montgomery's castle,
but payment got none.
- He builded the castle
without and within;
But he left an open wake
for himself to get in.
- Lord Montgomery said to his lady,
when he went abroad,
Take care of Bold Lambkin,
for he is in the wood.
- 'Gar bolt the gate, nourice,
without and within,
Leave not the wake open,
to let Bold Lambkin in.'
- She bolted the gates,
without and within,
But she left the wake open,
to let Bold Lambkin in.
- 'Gude morrow, gude morrow,'
says Bold Lambkin then;
'Gude morrow, gude morrow,'
says the false nurse to him.
- 'Where is Lord Montgomery?
or where is he gone?'
'He is gone up to England,
to wait on the king!
- 'Where are the servants?
and where are they gone?'
'They are all up to England,
to wait upon him.'
- 'Where is your lady?
or where is she gone?'
'She is in her bower sitting,
and sewing her seam.'
- 'O what shall we do
for to make her come down?'
'We'll kill the pretty baby,
that's sleeping so sound.'
- Lambkin he rocked,
and the false nurse she sung,
And she stabbed the babe to the heart
with a silver bodkin.
- 'O still my babe, nourice,
O still him with the pap:'
'He'll no be stilled, madam,
for this nor for that.'
- 'O still my babe, nourice,
go still him with the keys:'
'He'll no be stilled, madam,
let me do what I please.'
- 'O still my babe, nourice,
go still him with the bell:'
'He'll no be stilled, madam,
till you come down yoursel.'
- 'How can I come down,
this cold winter night,
When there's neither coal burning,
nor yet candle-light?'
- 'The sark on your back
is whiter than the swan;
Come down the stair, lady,
by the light of your hand.'
- The lady she cam down
the stair trip for trap;
Who so ready as Bold Lambkin
to meet her in the dark?
- 'Gude morrow, gude morrow,'
said Bold Lambkin then;
'Gude morrow, gude morrow,'
said the lady to him.
- 'O where is Lord Montgomery?
or where is he gone?'
'O he is up to England,
to wait on the king.'
- 'O where are your servants?
or where are they gone?'
'They are all up to England,
to wait upon him.
- 'I'll give you as much gold, Lambkin,
as you'll put in a peck,
If you'll spare my life
till my lord comes back.'
- 'Tho you would [give] me as much
as I could put in a sack,
I would not spare thy life
till thy lord comes back.'
- Lord Montgomery sate in England,
drinking with the king;
The buttons flew off his coat,
all in a ring.
- 'God prosper, God prosper
my lady and son!
For before I get home
they will all be undone.'