English and Scottish Ballads Volume III Part 12

"He winna still, lady, Till ye come down yoursel." 60

O the firsten step she steppit, She steppit on a stane; But the neisten step she steppit, She met him, Lamkin.

"O mercy, mercy, Lamkin! 65 Ha'e mercy upon me!

Though you've ta'en my young son's life, Ye may let mysel be."

"O sall I kill her, nourice?

Or sall I lat her be?" 70 "O kill her, kill her, Lamkin, For she ne'er was good to me."

"O scour the bason, nourice, And mak it fair and clean, For to keep this lady's heart's blood, 75 For she's come o' n.o.ble kin."

"There need nae bason, Lamkin; Lat it run through the floor; What better is the heart's blood O' the rich than o' the poor?" 80

But ere three months were at an end, Lord Wearie came again; But dowie dowie was his heart When first he came hame.

"O wha's blood is this," he says, 85 "That lies in the chamer?"

"It is your lady's heart's blood; 'Tis as clear as the lamer."

"And wha's blood is this," he says, "That lies in my ha'?" 90 "It is your young son's heart's blood; 'Tis the clearest ava."

O sweetly sang the black-bird That sat upon the tree; But sairer grat Lamkin, 95 When he was condemn'd to die.

And bonny sang the mavis Out o' the th.o.r.n.y brake; But sairer grat the nourice, When she was tied to the stake. 100

LAMBERT LINKIN.

"The present copy is given from recitation, and though it could have received additions, and perhaps improvements, from another copy, obtained from a similar source, and of equal authenticity, in his possession, the Editor did not like to use a liberty which is liable to much abuse. To some, the present set of the ballad may be valuable, as handing down both name and nickname of the revengeful builder of Prime Castle; for there can be little doubt that the epithet _Linkin_ Mr.

Lambert acquired from the secrecy and address with which he insinuated himself into that notable strength. Indeed, all the names of Lammerlinkin, Lammikin, Lamkin, Lankin, Linkin, Belinkin, can easily be traced out as abbreviations of Lambert Linkin. In the present set of the ballad, Lambert Linkin and Belinkin are used indifferently, as the measure of the verse may require; in the other recited copy, to which reference has been made, it is Lammerlinkin and Lamkin; and the n.o.bleman for whom he "built a house" is stated to be "Lord Arran." No allusion, however, is made here to the name of the owner of Prime Castle.

Antiquaries, peradventure, may find it as difficult to settle the precise locality of this fortalice, as they have found it to fix the topography of Troy." Motherwell's _Minstrelsy_, p. 291.

In Finlay's second copy, the murderer's name is Balcanqual, "which,"

observes the editor, "is an ancient Scottish surname, and is sometimes corrupted, for the more agreeable sound, into Beluncan." It is more likely that Belinkin has suggested Balcanqual, than that Balcanqual has been corrupted into Lamkin.

Belinkin was as gude a mason As e'er pickt a stane; He built up Prime Castle, But payment gat nane.

The lord said to his lady, 5 When he was going abroad, "O beware of Belinkin, For he lyes in the wood."

The gates they were bolted, Baith outside and in; 10 At the sma' peep of a window Belinkin c.r.a.p in.

"Gude morrow, gude morrow,"

Said Lambert Linkin.

"Gude morrow to yoursell, sir," 15 Said the fause nurse to him.

"O whare is your gude lord?"

Said Lambert Linkin.

"He's awa to New England, To meet with his king." 20

"O where is his auld son?"

Said Lambert Linkin.

"He's awa to buy pearlings, Gin our lady ly in."

"Then she'll never wear them," 25 Said Lambert Linkin.

"And that is nae pity,"

Said the fause nurse to him.

"O where is your lady?"

Said Lambert Linkin. 30 "She's in her bouir sleepin',"

Said the fause nurse to him.

"How can we get at her?"

Said Lambert Linkin.

"Stab the babe to the heart 35 Wi' a silver bo'kin."

"That wud be a pity,"

Said Lambert Linkin.

"Nae pity, nae pity,"

Said the fause nurse to him. 40

Belinkin he rocked, And the fause nurse she sang, Till a' the tores o' the cradle[L43]

Wi' the red blude down ran.

"O still my babe, nurice, 45 O still him wi' the knife."

"He'll no be still, lady, Tho' I lay down my life."

"O still my babe, nurice, O still him wi' the kame." 50 "He'll no be still, lady, Till his daddy come hame."

"O still my babe, nurice, O still him wi' the bell."

"He'll no be still, lady, 55 Till ye come down yoursell."

"It's how can I come doun, This cauld frosty nicht, Without e'er a coal Or a clear candle licht?" 60

"There's twa smocks in your coffer, As white as a swan; Put ane o' them about you, It will shew you licht doun."

She took ane o' them about her, 65 And came tripping doun; But as soon as she viewed, Belinkin was in.

"Gude morrow, gude morrow,"

Said Lambert Linkin. 70 "Gude morrow to yoursell, sir,"

Said the lady to him.

"O save my life, Belinkin, Till my husband come back, And I'll gie ye as much red gold 75 As ye'll haud in your hat."

"I'll not save your life, lady, Till your husband come back, Tho' you wud gie me as much red gold As I could haud in a sack. 80

"Will I kill her?" quo' Belinkin, "Will I kill her, or let her be?"

"You may kill her," said the fause nurse, "She was ne'er gude to me; And ye'll be laird o' the Castle, 85 And I'll be ladye."