The Duke of Athole's Nurse

As I come in by the Duke of Atholl's gates

I heard a girl sing bonnie

It's I would give all of my half-year's fee

For a kiss and a sight of my Johnny

You are the Duke of Atholl's nurse

And oh, but you sing bonnie

Keep well, keep well your half-year's fee

Here's a sight and a kiss of your Johnny

He's leaned him over his saddle-bow

And given her a kiss of his many

It's you have my heart, but another has my hand

So what better are you of Johnny?

I have your heart, but another has your hand

These words have fairly undone me

But come, let us set a time to meet again

So it's in good friendship you'll leave me

You'll go down to yonder alehouse

And drink till the day be a-dawning

And spare not the beer, although it be dear

At the wine keep constantly drawing

And as sure as the love that we both once had

I'll come, and I'll clear your looin'

So he's gone down to yonder alehouse

And drank till the day was a-dawning

And he spared not the beer, although it was dear

At the wine he kept constantly drawing

And he's looked out of the shop window

To see if the day was a-dawning

And there he espied seven well-armed men

A-come for to clear his looin'

Oh landlady, landlady, what can I do?

My life it is not worth a farthing

My love has sent all seven of her brothers

I'll be dead ere the day be a-dawning

She's taken off her petticoat

Likewise her gown and her apron

She's given him the bonnet from off of her head

And she set him down to the baking

And the birds never sang so sweetly on the bush

As the young squire sang of the baking

Oh, came there a stranger here last night

To drink ere the day was a-dawning?

Come show us the room that the stranger is in

We've come for to clear his looin'

There came a stranger here last night

But he left ere the day was a-dawning