The following is believed to be a correct account of the various printed forms of this extremely popular ballad. In the second edition of Herd's _Scottish Songs_ (1776) appeared a fragment of eighteen stanzas, called _Lammikin_, embellished in a puerile style by some modern hand. Jamieson published the story in a complete and authentic shape in his _Popular Ballads_, in 1806. Finlay's collection (1808) furnishes us with two more copies, the first of which (ii. 47) is made up in part of Herd's fragment, and the second (ii. 57) taken from a MS. "written by an old lady." Another was given, from recitation, in Motherwell's _Minstrelsy_, (1827,) with the more intelligible title of _Lambert Linkin_. An English fragment, called _Long Lonkin_, taken down from the recitation of an old woman, is said to have been inserted by Miss Landon, in the _Drawing-Room Scrap-Book_, for 1837. This was republished in Richardson's _Borderer's Table-Book_, 1846, vol. viii. 410, and the editor of that miscellany, who ought to have learned to be skeptical in such matters, urges the circumstantial character of local tradition as strong evidence that the real scene of the cruel history was in Northumberland. Lastly, we have to note a version resembling Motherwell's, styled _Bold Rankin_, printed in _A New Book of Old Ballads_, (p. 73,) and in Whitelaw's _Book of Scottish Ballads_, (p. 246,) and an imperfect ballad (_Long Lankyn_) in _Notes and Queries_, New Series, ii. 324. We have printed Jamieson's, Motherwell's, the longer of Finlay's versions, and the English fragment: the last two in the Appendix. The following is from Jamieson's _Popular Ballads_, i. 176. "This piece was transmitted to the Editor by Mrs. Brown." "O pay me now, Lord Wearie; Come, pay me out o' hand." "I canna pay you, Lamkin, Unless I sell my land." "O gin ye winna pay me, 5 I here sall mak a vow, Before that ye come hame again, Ye sall ha'e cause to rue." Lord Wearie got a bonny ship, To sail the saut sea faem; 10 Bade his lady weel the castle keep, Ay till he should come hame. But the nourice was a fause limmer As e'er hung on a tree; She laid a plot wi' Lamkin, 15 Whan her lord was o'er the sea. She laid a plot wi' Lamkin, When the servants were awa'; Loot him in at a little shot window, And brought him to the ha'. 20 "O whare's a' the men o' this house, That ca' me Lamkin?" "They're at the barn well thrashing, 'Twill be lang ere they come in." "And whare's the women o' this house, 25 That ca' me Lamkin?" "They're at the far well washing; 'Twill be lang ere they come in."