The Dragoon and the Lady- Mrs Sage (73) at Chew Stoke, Somerset, 1 April 1907
Version A sung by Mrs Sage (73) at Chew Stoke, Somerset, 1 April 1907
Cecil Sharp's Collection of English Folk Songs, Vol 1, p 13, No 3, ed Maud Karpeles , Oxford University Press, 1974
My father he's a knight and a knight of high renown
If I should wed a soldier it would bring his honour down.
It's your birth and my birth it never will agree,
So take it as a warning, bold dragoon, cried she.
No warning, no warning, no warning will I take;
I'd rather die than live for my own true lover's sake.
The lady heard these words which made her heart to bleed.
To church they went together and got married with speed.
In going up to church and coming back again
The lady spied her father with seven arm-ed men.
Look yonder, cried the lady, we both shall be slain
For yonder comes my father with seven arm-ed men.
There is no time to prittle, there is no time to prattle
The soldier being all arm-ed prepared for the battle
The soldier with his broadsword he made their bones to rattle
And the lady held the horse while the dragoon fought the battle.
Stay your hand, stay your hand, dragoon, he cried, dragoon, stay your hand,
For you shall have my daughter and ten thousand pound in hand.
Fight on, cried the lady, the portion is too small.
Fight on, my bold dragoon, you and I will have it all.
Come all you honour-ed ladies that have got gold in store
Pray not despise a soldier although he may be poor,
For they are men of honour belonging to the crown
Here's a health to Queen Victoria and her jolly light dragoon.