Lamkin

LAMKIN (as sung by Ewan MacColl)

1        Lamkin was as good a mason
    As ever biggit wi' stane        (built)
    And he built Lord Wearie's castle
    But payment he got nane.

2        Pay me, Lord Wearie,
    O pay me oot o' hand;
    Hoo can I pay thee, Lamkin,
    Unless I sell my land?

3        Pay me, Lord Wearie,
    Pay me my fee.
    Hoo can I pay thee, Lamkin ?
    I maun sail ower the sea.        (must)

4        Pay me, Lord Wearie,
    Or I here shall mak' a vow:
    Before that ye come hame again
    Ye shall hae cause tae rue.

5        Lord Wearie's got a bonnie boat
    To sail ower the faim        (foam)
    Tell't his lady weel the castle keep
    Until that he come hame.

6        But the nurse was as fause a limmer       (woman)
    As ever hung on tree,
    And she made a plot wi' Lamkin
    While her lord was ower the sea.

7        She's made a plot wi' Lamkin
    While the lord he was awa',
    Loot him in at a wee shot-window       (Let)
    And led him tae the ha'.

8        O, whaur's a' the women o' the hoose
    That ca's me Lamkin?
    O, they're a' at the well a-washin',
    'T will be lang ere they come in.

9        Whaur's a' the men o' this hoose
    That ca's me Lamkin?
    O, they're a' at the barn threshin',
    'T will be lang ere they come in.

10       Whaur's a' the bairns o' the hoose
    That ca's me Lamkin?
    O, they're a' at the school readin',
    'T will be lang ere they come in.

11        And whaur's the lady o' the hoose
    That ca's me Lamkin?
    O, she's in her bower sewin',
    But we soon can bring her doon.

12        Then Lamkin's ta'en a sharp knife
    That hung doon by his gair       (side)
    And he has gien the bonnie babe
    A sharp wound and a sair.

13        And Lamkin he rocked the cradle
    And the false nurse she sang,
    And fae ilka bore o' the cradle       (every)
    The red blood ootsprang.

14        Then oot spak' the lady o' the hoose
    As she stood on the stair:
    O, nurse, nurse, what ails my bairn
    That he's greetin' sae sair?        (weeping)

15        O, nurse, nurse, still my bairn,
    Still him wi' the pap.
    O, he winnae still, lady,
    No' for this nor for that.

16        Nurse, nurse, still my bairn,
    And still him wi' the wand,
    O, he winnae still, lady,
    No' for a' his faither's land.

17        Nurse, nurse, still my bairn,
    And still him wi' the bell,
    O, he winnae still, lady,
    Till ye come doon yoursel'.

18        The firsten step she steppit,
    She steppit on a stane,
    And the neisten step she steppit,        (next)
    She met him, Lamkin.

19        O, mercy, mercy, Lamkin,
    Hae mercy on me,
    Though ye hae killed my young son,
    I pray ye let me be!

20        Nurse, nurse, shall we kill her
    Or shall we let her be ?
    O, kill her, kill her, Lamkin,
    She was ne'er good to me.

21        Then nurse, nurse, fetch the basin
    And scour it fresh and clean,
    For to haud the lady's hairt's blood
    For she comes o' a noble kin.

22        We need nae basin, Lamkin,
    Let it rin through the flair!
    Whit better is the hairt's blood
    O' the rich than o' the puir?

23        Twa-three months they passed,
    Lord Wearie's come again,
    But dowie, dowie, dowie was his hairt       (weary)
    When that he come hame.

24        Wha's a' this blood, he said,
    That lies intae my chalmer?
    O, it is your lady's hairt's blood,
    'T was as clear as the lamtner.        (amber)

25        Wha's a' this blood, he said,
    That lies intae the ha'?
    O, it is your young son's hairt's blood,
    'T was the clearest o' a'.

26        Lood, lood sang the blackbird
    Oot o' his thorny tree,
    But looder grat Lamkin       (wept)
    When he was condemned to die.

27        And lood, lood sang the Untie       (linnet)
    Oot o' her thorny brake,
    But looder grat the false nurse
    When she burnt at the stake.