OK, here it is - I finally managed to locate the words, and since this version isn't in the DT, I'll post them here. And the version _does_ talk about why Lankin 'did it' - interesting that I hadn't retained that Part in my memory of the song. Cheers, Catrin ^^ LAMBKIN (As sung by Terry Yarnell)
A better man than Lambkin He never built with stone. He built Lord Wearie's castle But of payment he got none
"O pay me Lord Wearie O pay me my fee!" "I cannot pay you Lambkin For I'm going o'er the sea."
Lord Weary and his lady Were walking on the quay "Oh look our for bold Lambkin When he comes up this way."
"Why should I look for Lambkin? Why should I look out for him? When my doors are fast bolted And the windows all pinned in."
But the nurse was as false one As ever hung on tree She laid a plot with Lambkin When her Lord was on the sea.
Lord Wearie hadn't gone long When Lambkin came nigh He knocked at the front door And the Nurse let him by.
"Where are the men of the house That calls me Lambkin?" "They're in the barn threshing And they'll not come in."
"Where are the women of the house That call me Lambkin?" "They're at the well washing And they'll not come in."
"Where is the lady of the house? Is she not within?" "She's in her room sewing And she'll not come in."
"What shall we do?" said Lambkin "To make her come in." ""Pierce the babe in the cradle." Said the false nurse to him.
So the Lambkin he pierced it And the false nurse she sang And the blood from the cradle Through each bar it ran.
"O mistress, dear mistress How can you sleep so fast? Can't you hear young Sir Johnson A crying his last?
"O, please my child Orange. O, please him with the key." "He won't be pleased lady Not for all my nurses fee."
"O please my child Orange, O please him with the wand." "He won't be pleased lady. Not for all his father's land."
"O please my child Orange O please him with the bell." "He won't be pleased lady. 'Til you come down yourself."
"How can I come down stairs, On a cold winter's night With no spark of fire burning Nor no candle alight?"
"You've two Holland sheets there As white as the snow. I pray you come down here, By the light of them do so."
Now the first step she's taken She's trod on a stone, And the next step she's taken She's trod on Lambkin.
"O mercy, mercy, Lambkin. O, mercy on me. Although you've killed my Johnson You shall have all your fee."
"If you'd give me the money, Like the sands of the sea, I'd not keep my sharp knife From your white skin so free.
"Now, shall we kill her Orange? Or shall we let her be?" "O, kill her, kill her Lambkin For she's been no good to me."
"Go fetch the silver basin, Go scour it nice and clean, For to catch the lady's heart blood For she comes of noble kin."
"You need no basin Lambkin. Let the blood run through the floor. What's better than the heart blood Of the rich, than of the poor?"
And with that, bold Lambkin He stuck his knife keen. And the rich lady's heart blood It dropped on the stone.
Lord Wearie in a month or more Came sailing o'er the foam And sad and bitter was his heart When he rode in his home.
There was blood in the nursery There was blood in his hall There was blood on the stairs And her heart blood on all.
"Come here, come here, Lambkin And I'll pay you your fee." And the fee that he paid him, He hung him on a tree,
"Come here, come here Orange And I'll pay you your hire." And the hire that he paid her, He burnt her in the fire.
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