1 'Can you make me a cambrick shirt, Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme Without any seam or needle work? And you shall be a true lover of mine 2 'Can you wash it in yonder well, Where never sprung water nor rain ever fell? 3 'Can you dry it on yonder thorn, Which never bore blossom since Adam was born?' 4 'Now you have askd me questions three, I hope you'll answer as many for me. 5 'Can you find me an acre of land Between the salt water and the sea sand? 6 'Can you plow it with a ram's horn, And sow it all over with one pepper corn? 7 'Can you reap it with a sickle of leather, And bind it up with a peacock's feather? 8 'When you have done, and finishd your work, Then come to me for your cambrick shirt.' H Motherwell's MS., p. 92. 1 'Come, pretty Nelly, and sit thee down by me, Every rose grows merry wi thyme And I will ask thee questions three, And then thou wilt be a true lover of mine. 2 'Thou must buy me a cambrick smock Without any stitch of needlework. 3 'Thou must wash it in yonder strand, Where wood never grew and water neer ran. 4 'Thou must dry it on yonder thorn, Where the sun never shined on since Adam was formed.' 5 'Thou hast asked me questions three; Sit down till I ask as many of thee. 6 'Thou must buy me an acre of land Betwixt the salt water, love, and the sea-sand. 7 'Thou must plow it wi a ram's horn, And sow it all over wi one pile o corn. 8 'Thou must shear it wi a strap o leather, And tie it all up in a peacock feather. 9 'Thou must stack it in the sea, And bring the stale o 't hame dry to me. 10 'When my love's done, and finished his work, Let him come to me for his cambric smock.' I Motherwell's MS., p. 103. From the recitation of John McWhinnie, collier, Newtown Green, Ayr. 1 A lady wonned on yonder hill, Hee ba and balou ba And she had musick at her will. And the wind has blown my plaid awa 2 Up and cam an auld, auld man, Wi his blue bonnet in his han. 3 'I will ask ye questions three; Resolve them, or ye'll gang wi me. 4 'Ye maun mak to me a sark, It maun be free o woman's wark. 5 'Ye maun shape it knife-sheerless, And ye maun sew it needle-threedless. 6 'Ye maun wash it in yonder well, Whare rain nor dew has ever fell. 7 'Ye maun dry it on yonder thorn, Where leaf neer grew since man was born.' 8 'I will ask ye questions three; Resolve them, or ye'll neer get me. 9 'I hae a rig o bonnie land Atween the saut sea and the sand. 10 'Ye maun plow it wi ae horse bane, And harrow it wi ae harrow pin. 11 'Ye maun shear 't wi a whang o leather, And ye maun bind 't bot strap or tether.