{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch267.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch267.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch267.htm","text":"267A.1 Off all the lords in faire Scottland\nA song I will begin;\nAmongst them all there dweld a lord\nWhich was the vnthrifty lord of Linne.\n267A.2 His father and mother were dead him froe,\nAnd soe was the head of all his kinne;\nTo the cards and dice that he did run\nHe did neither cease no bl[i]nne.\n267A.3 To drinke the wine that was soe cleere,\nWith euery man he wold make merry;\nAnd then bespake him Iohn of the Scales,\nVnto the heire of Linne sayd hee.\n267A.4 Sayes, How dost thou, Lord of Linne?\nDoest either want gold or fee?\nWilt thou not sell they lands soe brode\nTo such a good fellow as me?\n267A.5 \u2018Ffor . . I . \u2019.\u2019 he said,\n\u2018My land, take it vnto thee;\u2019\n\u2018I draw you to record, my lord[ ]s all;\u2019\nWith that he cast him a god\u2019s peny.\n267A.6 He told him the gold vpon the bord,\nIt wanted neuer a bare penny:\n\u2018That gold is thine, the land is mine,\nThe heire of Linne I wilbee.\u2019\n267A.7 \u2018Heere\u2019s gold inoughe,\u2019 saithe the heire of Linne,\n\u2018Both for me and my company:\u2019\nHe drunke the wine that was soe cleere,\nAnd with euery man he made merry.\n267A.8 With-in three quarters of a yeere\nHis gold and fee it waxed thinne,\nHis merry men were from him gone,\nAnd left him himselfe all alone.\n267A.9 He had neuer a penny left in his pursse,\nNeuer a penny [left] but three,\nAnd one was brasse, and another was lead,\nAnd another was white mony.\n267A.10 \u2018Now well-aday!\u2019 said the heire of Linne,\n\u2018Now welladay, and woe is mee!\nFor when I was the lord of Linne,\nI neither wanted gold nor fee.\n267A.11 \u2018For I haue sold my lands soe broad,\nAnd haue not left me one penny;\nI must goe now and take some read\nVnto Edenborrow, and begg my bread.\u2019\n267A.12 He had not beene in Edenborrow\nNot three qwarters of a yeere,\nBut some did giue him, and some said nay,\nAnd some bid \u2019To the deele gang yee!\n267A.13 \u2018For if we shold hang any landles feer,\nThe first we wold begin with thee.\u2019\n\u2018Now welladay!\u2019 said the heire of Linne,\n\u2018No[w] welladay, and woe is mee!\n267A.14 \u2018For now I have sold my lands soe broad,\nThat mery man is irke with mee;\nBut when that I was the lord of Linne,\nThen on my land I liued merrily.\n267A.15 \u2018And now I have sold my land soe broade\nThat I haue not left me one pennye!\nGod be with my father!\u2019 he said,\n\u2018On his land he liued merrily.\u2019\n267A.16 Still in a study there as he stood,\nHe vnbethought him of [a] bill;\nHe vnbethought him of [a] bill\nWhich his father had left with him.\n267A.17 Bade him he shold neuer on it looke\nTill he was in extreame neede,\n\u2018And by my faith,\u2019 said the heire of Linne,\n\u2018Then now I had neuer more neede.\u2019\n267A.18 He tooke the bill, and looked it on,\nGood comfort that he found there;\nItt told him of a castle wall\nWhere there stood three chests in feare.\n267A.19 Two were full of the beaten gold,\nThe third was full of white mony;\nHe turned then downe his baggs of bread,\nAnd filled them full of gold soe red.\n267A.20 Then he did neuer cease nor blinne\nTill Ihon of the Scales house he did winne.\nWhen that he came to Iohn of the Scales,\nVpp at the speere he looked then.\n267A.21 There sate three lords vpon a rowe,\nAnd Iohn o the Scales sate at the bord\u2019s head,\nAnd Iohn o the Scales sate at the bord\u2019s head,\nBecause he was the lord of Linne.\n267A.22 And then bespake the heire of Linne,\nTo Iohn o the Scales\u2019 wiffe thus sayd hee:\nSayd, Dame, wilt thou not trust me one shott\nThat I may sitt downe in this company?\n267A.23 \u2018Now, Christ\u2019s curse on my head,\u2019 shee said,\n\u2018If I doe trust thee one pennye;\nThen be-spake a good fellowe,\nWhich sate by Iohn o the Scales his knee.\n267A.24 Said, Haue thou here, thou heire of Linne,\nForty pence I will lend thee;\nSome time a good fellow thou hast beene;\nAnd other forty if neede bee.\n267A.25 Th dru[n]ken wine that was soe cleere,\nAnd euery man th made merry;\nAnd then bespake him Iohn o the Scales,\nVnto the lord of Linne said hee.\n267A.26 Said, How doest thou, heire of Linne,\nSince I did buy thy lands of thee?\nI will sell it to thee twenty pound better cheepe\nNor euer I did buy it of thee.\n267A.27 \u2018I draw you to recorde, lord[ ]s all,\u2019\nWith that he cast him [a] god\u2019s penny;\nThen he tooke to his baggs of bread,\nAnd they were full of the gold soe redd.\n267A.28 He told him the gold then over the borde,\nIt wanted neuer a broad pennye:\n\u2019that gold is thine, the land is mine,\nAnd the heire of Linne againe I wilbee.\u2019\n267A.29 \u2018Now welladay!\u2019 said Iohn o the Scales\u2019 wife,\n\u2018Welladay, and woe is me!\nYesterday I was the lady of Linne,\nAnd now I am but Iohn o the Scales\u2019 wiffe!\u2019\n267A.30 Saies, Haue thou heere, thou good fellow,\nForty pence thou did lend me,\nForty pence thou did lend me,\nAnd forty pound I will giue thee.\n267A.31 \u2018Ile make thee keeper of my forrest\nBoth of the wild deere and the tame,\u2019\n. . . . . . . .\n. . . . . . . .\n267A.32 But then bespake the heire of Linne,\nThese were the words, and thus said hee,\nChrists curse light vpon my crowne\nIf ere my land stand in any ieopardye!\n267B: The Heir of Linne\n267B.1 \u2018The bonny heir, and the well-faird heir,\nAnd the weary heir o Linne,\nYonder he stands at his father\u2019s yetts,\nAnd naebody bids him come in.\n267B.2 \u2018O see for he gangs, an see for he stands,\nThe weary heir o Linne!\nO see for he stands on the cauld casey,\nAnd nae an bids him come in!\n267B.3 \u2018But if he had been his father\u2019s heir,\nOr yet the heir o Linne,\nHe wadna stand on the cauld casey,\nSome an woud taen him in.\u2019\n267B.4 \u2018Sing ower again that sang, nourice,\nThe sang ye sung just now;\u2019\n\u2018I never sung a sang in my life\nBut I woud sing ower to you.\n267B.5 \u2018O see for he gangs, an see for he stands,\nThe weary heir o Linne!\nO see for he stands on the cauld casey,\nAn nae an bids him come in!\n267B.6 \u2018But if he had been his father\u2019s heir,\nOr yet the heir o Linne,\nHe woudna stand on the cauld casye,\nSome an woud taen him in.\n267B.7 \u2018When his father\u2019s lands a selling were,\nHis claise lay well in fauld,\nBut now he wanders on the shore,\nBaith hungry, weet, and cauld.\u2019\n267B.8 As Willie he gaed down the town,\nThe gentlemen were drinking;\nSome bade gie Willie a glass, a glass,\nAnd some bade him gie nane,\nSome bade gie Willie a glass, a glass,\nThe weary heir o Linne.\n267B.9 As Willie he came up the town,\nThe fishers were a\u2019 sitting;\nSome bade gie Willie a fish, a fish,\nSome bade gie him a fin,\nSome bade gie him a fish, a fish,\nAnd lat the palmer gang.\n267B.10 He turned him right and round about,\nAs will as a woman\u2019s son,\nAnd taen his cane into his hand,\nAnd on his way to Linne.\n267B.11 His nourice at her window lookd,\nBeholding dale and down,\nAnd she beheld this distressd young man\nCome walking to the town.\n267B.12 \u2018Come here, come here, Willie,\u2019 she said,\n\u2018And rest yoursel wi me;\nI hae seen you in better days,\nAnd in jovial companie.\u2019\n267B.13 \u2018Gie me a sheave o your bread, nourice,\nAnd a bottle o your wine,\nAnd I\u2019ll pay you it a\u2019 ower again,\nWhen I\u2019m laird o Linne.\u2019\n267B.14 \u2018Ye\u2019se get a sheave o my bread, Willie,\nAnd a bottle o my wine,\nBut ye\u2019ll pay me when the seas gang dry,\nFor ye\u2019ll neer be heir o Linne.\u2019\n267B.15 Then he turnd him right and round about,\nAs will as woman\u2019s son,\nAnd aff he set, and bent his way,\nAnd straightway came to Linne.\n267B.16 But when he came to that castle,\nThey were set down to dine;\nA score o nobles there he saw,\nSat drinking at the wine.\n267B.17 Then some bade gie him beef, the beef,\nAnd some bade gie him the bane;\nAnd some bade gie him naething at a\u2019,\nBut lat the palmer gang.\n267B.18 Then out it speaks the new-come laird,\nA saucy word spake hee;\n\u2018Put round the cup, gie my rival a sup,\nLet him fare on his way.\u2019\n267B.19 Then out it speaks Sir Ned Magnew,\nAne o young Willie\u2019s kin;\n\u2018This youth was ance a sprightly boy\nAs ever lived in Linne.\u2019\n267B.20 He turned him right and round about,\nAs will as woman\u2019s son,\nThen minded him on a little wee key,\nThat his mother left to him.\n267B.21 His mother left [him] this little wee key\nA little before she died;\nAnd bade him keep this little wee key\nTill he was in maist need.\n267B.22 Then forth he went, these nobles left,\nAll drinkin\u2019 in the room,\nWi walking rod intill his hand,\nHe walked the castle roun.\n267B.23 There he found out a little door,\nFor there the key slipped in,\nAnd there [he] got as muckle red gowd\nAs freed the lands o Linne.\n267B.24 Back through the nobles then he went,\nA saucy man was then:\n\u2018I\u2019ll take the cup frae this new-come laird,\nFor he neer bade me sit down.\u2019\n267B.25 Then out it speaks the new-come laird,\nHe spake wi mock an jeer;\n\u2018I\u2019d gie a seat to the laird o Linne,\nSae be that he were here.\n267B.26 \u2018When the lands o Linne a selling were,\nA\u2019 men said they were free;\nThis lad shall hae them frae me this day,\nIf he\u2019ll gie the third pennie.\u2019\n267B.27 \u2018I take ye witness, nobles a\u2019,\nGuide witnesses ye\u2019ll be;\nI\u2019m promisd the lands o Linne this day,\nIf I gie the third pennie.\u2019\n267B.28 \u2018Ye\u2019ve taen us witness, Willie,\u2019 they said,\n\u2018Guide witnesses we\u2019ll be;\u2019\n\u2018Buy the lands o Linne who likes,\nThey\u2019ll neer be bought by thee.\u2019\n267B.29 He\u2019s done him to a gaming-table,\nFor it stood fair and clean;\nThere he tauld down as much rich gowd\nAs freed the lands o Linne.\n267B.30 Thus having done, he turnd about,\nA saucy man was he;\n\u2018Take up your monie, my lad,\u2019 he says,\n\u2018Take up your third pennie.\n267B.31 \u2018Aft hae I gane wi barefeet cauld,\nLikewise wi legs full bare,\nAn mony days walkd at these yetts\nWi muckle dool and care.\n267B.32 \u2018But now my sorrow\u2019s past and gane,\nAnd joy\u2019s returned to me,\nAnd here i\u2019ve gowd enough forbye,\nAhin this third pennie.\u2019\n267B.33 As Willie he gaed down the town,\nThere he crawd wonderous crouse;\nHe calld the may afore them a\u2019,\nThe nourice o the house,\n267B.34 \u2018Come here, come here, my nurse,\u2019 he says,\n\u2018I\u2019ll pay your bread and wine;\nSeas ebb and flow [as] they wont to do,\nYet i\u2019m the laird o Linne.\u2019\n267B.35 As he gaed up the Gallowgate port,\nHis hose abeen his sheen;\nBut lang ere he came down again\nWas convoyed by lords fifeteen.","title":"The Child Ballads: 267. The Heir of Linne","type":"page"}