Lyrics The Duke of Athole's Nurse - June Tabor

As I come in by the Duke of Athole′s gates
I head a girl sing bonny
"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 Athole's nurse
And oh but you sing bonny
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 kisses many
"It's you have my heart but another has my hand
So what better are you of, Johnny?"
"If 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
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 lawing."
Se 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 shot window
To see if the day was a-dawning
And there he espied seven well-armed men
A-come for to clear his lawing
"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 take off her petticoat
Likewise her gown and her apron
She's given him the bonnet from off of her head
And she′s set him down to the baking
And the birds never sang so sweetly on the bush
As the young squire sang at 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 lawing."
"There came a stranger here last night
But he left ere the day was a-dawning
And he bought but a pint and he paid it ere we went
So he did not leave any lawing."
They sought him up, they sought him down
They spared not the feather beds a-turning
And as they went but and as they went ben
They said, "Bonnie lassie, are you baking?"
They sought him up, they sought him down
They spared not the curtains a-riving
And aye as the landlady went but and ben
She scolded the lassie at her baking
Saying, "I′ve had many and many's the maid
But the likes of you I′ve never had baking."
They sought him up, they sought him down
Through hall and kitchen a-raking
And each one of them as they passed by
Kissed the bonny lassie at her baking
And for all that they called, for all that they sought
They left the bonny lassie busy baking