Long Longkin- Parsons 1775; Child 93K Lamkin
[Parson's MS of "Long Longkin" (Percy MS 129.E and Child 93K) is valuable because we can see the whole ballad. When Child first published versions of Lamkin in Volume Four, two irregular stanzas summarizing the plot were completely left out. They were later added by Child in "Additions and Corrections." Here are the two omissions:
After stanza 4;
1) He was in league with the nurse
who let him in to one of the low rooms
After stanza 12;
2) Whilst he and the nurse are plundering the house
the Lord comes home & avenges himself upon those wicked villains
Steve Gardham commented and I agree that they could be spoken summaries-- where the singer has forgotten the sung lines and is filling in the story line. Parsons did not make this distinction in his MS. Both could be made into more verses by reordering the lines:
2) Whilst he and the nurse
are plundering the house
the Lord comes home
& avenges himself upon those wicked villains.
Here is Child's transcription:
'Long Longkin'- Version K; Child 93-Lamkin
Percy Papers, communicated by Rev. P. Parsons, 1775.
1 MY lord said to my lady,
when he went from home,
Take care of Long Longkin,
he lies in the lone.
2 My lady said to my lord,
when he went abroad,
. . . . .
. . . . .
3 ‘I care not for Longkin,
nor none of his kin,
For my gate’s fast barrd,
and my windows shut in.’
4 My lord was not gone
many miles from the place,
Until the false Longkin
came straight to the place.
* * * * *
5 ‘Pinch the bairn, nourry,
pinch it very sore,
Untill the mother
shall come down below.’
6 ‘Still the bairn, nury,
still it with the pap:’
‘It wont be stilld, madam,
with neither this nor that.’
7 ‘Still the bairn, nury,
still it with a bell:’
‘It wont be stilld, madam,
till you cum down yoursell.’
* * * * *
8 ‘Come down, Lady Betty,
the flower of all your kin,
And see your mother’s heart’s blood,
so freely running.
9 Down came Lady Betty,
her heart full of woe:
‘Oh take my life, Longkin,
and let my mother go.’
10 ‘Come down, Lady Nelly,
the flower of all your kin,
And see your sister’s heart’s blood,
so freely running.’
11 Down came Lady Nelly,
her heart full of woe:
‘Oh take my life, Longkin,
and let my sister go.’
12 ‘Come down, Lady Jenny, etc. ]
Long Longkin
My Lord said to my Lady when he went from home
Take care of Long Longkin he lies in the lone.
my ‘Lady said to my Lord when he went abroad
I care not for Longkin nor none of his Kin
For my gate’s fast barrd and my windows shut in
My Lord was not gone many miles from the place
Until the false Longkin came straight to the place
He was in league with the nurse who let him in to
one of the low rooms
pinch the Bairn Nourry pinch it very sore,
Untill the mother shall come down below
Still the Bairn Nury still it with the pap
It wont be still’d Madam, with neither this nor that
Still the Bairn Nury still it with a Bell
It wont be stilld Madam till you cum down yourself
Come down Lady Betty the flower of all your Kin
And see your mother’s hearts blood so freely running
Down came Lady Betty her heart full of woe
Oh take my life Longkin and let my Mother go
Come down Lady Nelly the flower of all your Kin
And see your sister’s hearts blood so freely running
Down came Lady Nelly her heart full of woe
Oh take my Life Longkin and let my sister go
Come down Lady Jenny & c
Whilst he and the nurse are plundering the house the Lord
comes home & avenges himself upon those wicked villains