The Duke of Athole’s Nurse (Child 212E)

‘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.’

‘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.’

‘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.’

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.

He spared na the sack, tho it was dear,
The wine nor the sugar-candy,

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.

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.

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?’