7 ‘If ye will be advised by me, I’ll be your undertaking; I’ll dress you up in my ain body-clothes And set you to the baking.’ 8 So loudly at the door they rapt, So loudly are they calling, ‘O had you a stranger here last night, Or is he within your dwalling?’ 9 ‘O I had a stranger here last night, But he wos gane or dawing; He ca’d for a pint, and he paid it or he went, And I hae nae mair to do wi his lawing.’ 10 They stabd the feather-beds round and round, The curtains they spared na to tear them; But they went as they came, and left a’ things undone, And the young man busy baking. * * * * * E #a.# Kinloch MSS, VII, 171; from the recitation of Mrs Charles, Torry. #b.# Kinloch’s Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 127. 1 ‘I am the Duke o Athole’s nurse, My part does weill become me, And I wad gie aw my half-year’s fee For ae sicht o my Johnie.’ 2 ‘Keep weill, keep weill your half-year’s fee, For ye’ll soon get a sicht o your Johnie; But anither woman has my heart, And I’m sorry for to leave ye.’ 3 ‘Ye’ll dow ye doun to yon changehouse, And ye’ll drink till the day be dawin; At ilka pint’s end ye’ll drink my health out, And I’ll come and pay for the lawin.’ 4 Ay he ranted and he sang, And drank till the day was dawin, And ay he drank the bonnie lassy’s health That was coming to pay the lawin. 5 He spared na the sack, tho it was dear, The wine nor the sugar-candy, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 He’s dune him to the shot-window, To see an she was coming, And there he spied twelve armed men, That oure the plain cam rinning. 7 He’s dune him doun to the landlady, To see gin she wad protect him; She’s buskit him up into women’s claiths And set him till a baking. 8 Sae loudly as they rappit at the yett, Sae loudly as they callit, ‘Had ye onie strangers here last nicht, That drank till the day was dawin?’ * * * * * * * * * * * F #a.# Buchan’s Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 23. #b.# Christie’s Traditional Ballad Airs, I, 80. 1 As I gaed in yon greenwood-side, I heard a fair maid singing; Her voice was sweet, she sang sae complete That all the woods were ringing. 2 ‘O I’m the Duke o Athole’s nurse, My post is well becoming; But I woud gie a’ my half-year’s fee For ae sight o my leman.’ 3 ‘Ye say, ye’re the Duke o Athole’s nurse, Your post is well becoming; Keep well, keep well your half-year’s fee, Ye’se hae twa sights o your leman.’ 4 He leand him ower his saddle-bow And cannilie kissd his dearie: ‘Ohon and alake! anither has my heart, And I darena mair come near thee.’