He told him the gold upon the board, And now I'll be the lord of Linne. Thus he hath sold his land so broad, My son, when I am gone, said he, But swear me now upon the rood, That lonesome lodge thou 'It never spend; For when all the world doth frown on thee, Thou there shalt find a faithful friend. The heir of Linne is full of gold: And come with me, my friends, said he, Now well-a-day! said the heir of Linne, But many a trusty friend have I, And why should I feel dole or care? But one, I wis, was not at home; And bade him sharply wend his way. Now well-a-day! said the heir of Linne, To work my limbs I cannot frame. For there my father bade me wend; When all the world should frown on me, I there should find a trusty friend. PART THE SECOND. Away then hied the heir of Linne That stood so low in a lonely glen. He looked up, he looked down, In hope some comfort for to win: But bare and lothly were the walls. Here's sorry cheer, quo' the heir of Linne. The little window dim and dark Was hung with ivy, brere, and yew ; No shimmering sun here ever shone ; No halesome breeze here ever blew. No chair, ne table he mote spy, No cheerful hearth, ne welcome bed, Nought save a rope with renning noose, That dangling hung up o'er his head. And over it, in broad letters, These words were written so plain to see: "Ah! graceless wretch, hast spent thine all, "And brought thyself to penury'? "All this my boding mind misgave, "I therefore left this trusty friend : "Let it now shield thy foul disgrace, "And all thy shame and sorrows end." Sorely shent wi' this rebuke, Sorely shent was the heir of Linne; His heart, I wis, was near to brast Never a word spake the heir of Linne, Never a word he spake but three: "This is a trusty friend indeed, And is right welcome unto me." Then round his neck the cord he drew, Ne knew if he were live or dead: He took the bill, and look'd it on, Straight good comfort found he there: It told him of a hole in the wall, In which there stood three chests in-fere. (in-fere, together. Two were full of the beaten gold, The third was full of white money; And over them, in broad lettèrs, These words were written so plain to see: "Once more, my son, I set thee clear; This reed shall guide me to the end. Away then went the heir of Linne; I wis, he neither ceas'd ne blan, Till John o' the Scales' house he did win. And when he came to John o' the Scales, Up at the speer then looked he; There sat three lords upon a row, Were drinking of the wine so free. And John himself sat at the board-head, (reed, advice. (blan, rested. I pray thee, he said, good John o' the Scales, Away, away, thou thriftless loon; Then bespake the heir of Linne, To John o' the Scales wife then spake he: Madam, some alms on me bestow, I pray for sweet saint Charity'. Away, away, thou thriftless loon, I swear thou gettest no alms of me; For if we should hang any losel here, The first we would begin with thee. Then bespake a good fellow, Which sat at John o' the Scales his board; Said, Turn again, thou heir of Linne; Some time thou wast a well good lord: Some time a good fellow thou hast been, And ever, I pray thee, John o' the Scales, For well I wot thou hast his land, And a good bargain it was to thee. Up then spake him John o' the Scales, (wood, wild, mad. And here I proffer thee, heir of Linne, I draw you to record, lords, he said, With that he cast him a God's-penny: Now by my fay, said the heir of Linne, And here, good John, is thy money. And he pull'd forth three bags of gold, And laid them down upon the board: All woe-begone was John o' the Scales, So shent he could say never a word. He told him forth the good red gold, He told it forth with mickle din. The gold is thine, the land is mine, And now I'm again the lord of Linne. Says, Have thou here, thou good fellow, And forty pounds I will give thee. Now I'm but John o' the Scales his wife. Now fare thee well, said the heir of Linne; Farewell now, John o' the Scales, said he : When next I want to sell my land, Good John o' the Scales I'll come to thee. |