| 1 |
'The bonny heir, and the well-faird heir,
And the weary heir o Linne,
Yonder he stands at his father's yetts,
And naebody bids him come in. |
| 2 |
'O see for he gangs, an see for he stands,
The weary heir o Linne!
O see for he stands on the cauld casey,
And nae an bids him come in! |
| 3 |
'But if he had been his father's heir,
Or yet the heir o Linne,
He wadna stand on the cauld casey,
Some an woud taen him in.' |
| 4 |
'Sing ower again that sang, nourice,
The sang ye sung just now;'
'I never sung a sang in my life
But I woud sing ower to you. |
| 5 |
'O see for he gangs, an see for he stands,
The weary heir o Linne!
O see for he stands on the cauld casey,
An nae an bids him come in! |
| 6 |
'But if he had been his father's heir,
Or yet the heir o Linne,
He woudna stand on the cauld casye,
Some an woud taen him in. |
| 7 |
'When his father's lands a selling were,
His claise lay well in fauld,
But now he wanders on the shore,
Baith hungry, weet, and cauld.' |
| 8 |
As Willie he gaed down the town,
The gentlemen were drinking;
Some bade gie Willie a glass, a glass,
And some bade him gie nane,
Some bade gie Willie a glass, a glass,
The weary heir o Linne. |
| 9 |
As Willie he came up the town,
The fishers were a' sitting;
Some bade gie Willie a fish, a fish,
Some bade gie him a fin,
Some bade gie him a fish, a fish,
And lat the palmer gang. |
| 10 |
He turned him right and round about,
As will as a woman's son,
And taen his cane into his hand,
And on his way to Linne. |
| 11 |
His nourice at her window lookd,
Beholding dale and down,
And she beheld this distressd young man
Come walking to the town. |
| 12 |
'Come here, come here, Willie,' she said,
'And rest yoursel wi me;
I hae seen you in better days,
And in jovial companie.' |
| 13 |
'Gie me a sheave o your bread, nourice,
And a bottle o your wine,
And I'll pay you it a' ower again,
When I'm laird o Linne.' |
| 14 |
'Ye'se get a sheave o my bread, Willie,
And a bottle o my wine,
But ye'll pay me when the seas gang dry,
For ye'll neer be heir o Linne.' |
| 15 |
Then he turnd him right and round about,
As will as woman's son,
And aff he set, and bent his way,
And straightway came to Linne. |
| 16 |
But when he came to that castle,
They were set down to dine;
A score o nobles there he saw,
Sat drinking at the wine. |
| 17 |
Then some bade gie him beef, the beef,
And some bade gie him the bane;
And some bade gie him naething at a',
But lat the palmer gang. |
| 18 |
Then out it speaks the new-come laird,
A saucy word spake hee;
'Put round the cup, gie my rival a sup,
Let him fare on his way.' |
| 19 |
Then out it speaks Sir Ned Magnew,
Ane o young Willie's kin;
'This youth was ance a sprightly boy
As ever lived in Linne.' |
| 20 |
He turned him right and round about,
As will as woman's son,
Then minded him on a little wee key,
That his mother left to him. |
| 21 |
His mother left [him] this little wee key
A little before she died;
And bade him keep this little wee key
Till he was in maist need. |
| 22 |
Then forth he went, these nobles left,
All drinkin' in the room,
Wi walking rod intill his hand,
He walked the castle roun. |
| 23 |
There he found out a little door,
For there the key slipped in,
And there [he] got as muckle red gowd
As freed the lands o Linne. |
| 24 |
Back through the nobles then he went,
A saucy man was then:
'I'll take the cup frae this new-come laird,
For he neer bade me sit down.' |
| 25 |
Then out it speaks the new-come laird,
He spake wi mock an jeer;
'I'd gie a seat to the laird o Linne,
Sae be that he were here. |
| 26 |
'When the lands o Linne a selling were,
A' men said they were free;
This lad shall hae them frae me this day,
If he'll gie the third pennie.' |
| 27 |
'I take ye witness, nobles a',
Guide witnesses ye'll be;
I'm promisd the lands o Linne this day,
If I gie the third pennie.' |
| 28 |
'Ye've taen us witness, Willie,' they said,
'Guide witnesses we'll be;'
'Buy the lands o Linne who likes,
They'll neer be bought by thee.' |
| 29 |
He's done him to a gaming-table,
For it stood fair and clean;
There he tauld down as much rich gowd
As freed the lands o Linne. |
| 30 |
Thus having done, he turnd about,
A saucy man was he;
'Take up your monie, my lad,' he says,
'Take up your third pennie. |
| 31 |
'Aft hae I gane wi barefeet cauld,
Likewise wi legs full bare,
An mony days walkd at these yetts
Wi muckle dool and care. |
| 32 |
'But now my sorrow's past and gane,
And joy's returned to me,
And here i've gowd enough forbye,
Ahin this third pennie.' |
| 33 |
As Willie he gaed down the town,
There he crawd wonderous crouse;
He calld the may afore them a',
The nourice o the house, |
| 34 |
'Come here, come here, my nurse,' he says,
'I'll pay your bread and wine;
Seas ebb and flow [as] they wont to do,
Yet i'm the laird o Linne.' |
| 35 |
As he gaed up the Gallowgate port,
His hose abeen his sheen;
But lang ere he came down again
Was convoyed by lords fifeteen. |
