Jon Raven – Long Lankin [lyrics below]

A6 from The Halliard : Jon Raven
UK 1968
Broadside ‎– BRO 106

Says mylord to mylady as he mounted his horse,
“Beware of Long Lankin that lives in the moss.”

Says mylord to mylady as he went on his way,
“Beware of Long Lankin that lives in the hay.”

“See the doors are all bolted, see the windows all pinned,
And leave not a crack for a mouse to creep in.”

Oh, the doors were all bolted, oh, the windows were pinned,
But at a small peep in the window Long Lankin crept in.

“Where's the lord of this household?” cries Long Lankin.
“He's away up to London,” says the false nurse to him.

“Where's the lady of the household?” cries Long Lankin.
“She's asleep in her chamber,” says the false nurse to him.

“Where's the heir of the household?” cries Long Lankin.
“He's asleep in his cradle,” says the false nurse to him.

“We'll pinch him and we'll prick him all over with a pin.
And that'll make mylady to come down to him.”

So they pinched him and they pricked him all over with a pin.
And the false nurse held the basin for the blood to drip in.

“Oh nurse how you slumber, oh nurse how you sleep,
You leave my little son to cry and to weep.”

“Oh nurse how you slumber, oh nurse how you snore,
You leave me little baby to cry and to roar.”

“Oh, I tried him with the milk and I've tried him with the pap.
Come down, my pretty lady, and rock him in your lap.”

“Oh, I've tried him with the rattle and I've tried him with the bell.
Come down, my pretty lady, and rock him yourself.”

“How dare I come down in the dead of the night
When there's no candles burning nor no fires alight?”

“You have three silver gowns all bright as the sun.
Come down, my pretty lady, all by the light of one.”

Oh, the lady came downstairs, she was thinking no harm.
Long Lankin he stood ready for to catch her in his arm.

There's blood in the kitchen, there's blood in the hall,
There's blood in the parlour where mylady did fall.

Her handmaid stood out at the window so high
And she saw her lord and master come a-riding close by.

“Oh master, oh master, don't lay no blame on me.
'Twas the false nurse and Lankin that killed your lady.”

“Oh master, oh master, don't lay no blame on me.
It was the false nurse and Lankin that killed your baby.”

Long Lankin shall be hanged on the gallows so high.
And the false nurse shall be burned in the fire close by.

#LongLamkin #CruelLincoln #Folk

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Jon Raven, The Halliard – Workhouse Boy [lyrics below]

B2 from The Halliard : Jon Raven
UK 1968
Broadside ‎– BRO 106

The cloth was laid in the workhouse halls,
The greatcoats hung on the whitewashed walls;
The paupers all were blythe and gay,
Keeping their Christmas holiday.

Chorus (repeated after each verse, twice at the end):
And we all of us say it and we say it with sneers:
That Jamie's been murdered by the overseers.

When the master he said with a murderous leer:
“You'll all get fat on your Christmas cheer.”
And each by his looks he seemed to say:
“I'll have more soup on this Christmas day.”

At length all of us to bed were sent;
A boy was missing and in search we went.
We sought him high and we sought him low,
We sought him with faces of grief and woe.

We sought him that hour and we sought him that night,
We sought him in fear and we sought him in fright.
When I heard a young pauper who then did cry:
“We'll all have to starve till we find that boy.”

At length the soup copper repairs did need;
The coppersmith came and there he seed:
A pile of bones lay a-sizzling there
And the leg of the breeches the boy did wear.

#WorkingClass #Folk #IndustrialFolk

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Jon Raven – Love and Murder [lyrics below]

B5 from The Halliard : Jon Raven
UK 1968
Broadside ‎– BRO 106
Artwork: Edvard Munch - Todeskuss (The Kiss of Death), 1899

In Worcester town and in Worcestershire
A youthful young damsel she lived there;
A young man he courted her to be his dear
And him for his trade was a ship's carpenter.

The king wanted men for to go upon sea
Which caused this damsel to sigh and to say,
“Oh Billy, oh Billy. don't you go to sea,
Oh don't you remember what you promised me.”

Early, early one morning before it was day
He went to his Polly these words he did say,
“Oh Polly, oh Polly, you must go with me
Before we are married my friends for to see.”

He led her through woods and the valleys so deep
Which caused this maiden to sigh and to weep,
“Oh Billy, oh Billy, you've led me astray
On purpose my innocent life to betray.”

“It is true, it is true, these words you have said,
For all this night I've been digging your grave.”
The grave being open and she standing by
Which caused this maiden to sigh and to cry.

“Oh Billy, oh Billy, please pardon my life,
I never will covet for to be your wife.
I'll travel the country to set you free
If that you will pardon my baby and me.”

“No pardon here is, there's no time for to stand,”
With that he had a sharp knife in his hand.
He stabbed her heart till the blood it ran through
And into her grave her fair body he threw.

He covered her up so safe and secure,
Thinking no-one could find her of that he was sure.
He went upon board for to sail the world round
Before this murder ever was found.

Early, early one morning before it was day
Our captain came up and these words he did say,
“There's a murder on board which has lately been done.
Our ship is in mourning we cannot sail on.”

Oh then up steps one and, “Indeed it's not me,”
Then up steps another and, “Indeed it's not me.”
At length up steps Billy and this he did swear,
“Indeed it's not me, I vow and declare.”

As he was turning from the captain with speed
He met with his Polly which made his heart bleed.
She ripped him, she tore him, she tore him in three
Because that he murdered her baby and she.

#Worcester #Folk #OhBilly

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