Page:Heir of Linne, an old ballad.pdf/3

 'My gold is gone, my money’s spent;

'my lands now take them unto thee;

'Give me the gold good John o’ th' Scales,

'and thine for aye my lands shall be.'

Then John did to him record draw,

and John gave him a god’s pennie,

For every pound that John agreed,

the land, I’m sure, was well worth three.

John told the gold upon the board,

He was right glad his lands to win:

'The land is mine, the gold is thine,

'and now I’ll be the Lord o’ Linne.'

Thus he hath sold his lands sae broad ,

baith hill and holt, and muir and fen

All but a poor and lonesome lodge,

that stood far aff into a glen.

For sae he to his father high—

‘ My son, when I am gone,’ said he,

' Then thou wilt spend thy land sae broad

' and thou wilt spend thy gold so free:

‘ But swear me now upon the rude,

‘ that lonesome lodge thoult never spend;

When all the world doth frown on thee,

‘ thou there shalt find a faithful friend.’

The Heir of Linne is full of gold:

'Come, come with me, my friends,’ said he

' Let’s drink, and rant, and merry make,

' and he that spares, ne’er have may he.

They ranted, drank, and merry made,

till all his gold it waxed thin ;

And then his friends they slunk away,

and left the thriftless Heir of Linne.