Lord Thomas- Mackay (New Brunswick) 1881 Child D f.
[From Child's The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, Vol. III 1886 Labeled by Child D f., ammendations given by Child, text derived from Child D.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
Lord Thomas- From Miss Clara Mackay, Woodstock, New Brunswick, 1881, derived from her great grandmother. The title is 'Lord Thomas.'
1 Lord Thomas he was a bold forrester,
The keeper of our king's gear;
Fair Ellinor was a fair woman,
And Lord Thomas he loved her dear.
2 'Come riddle my riddle, dear mother,' he said,
'And riddle us both as one,
Whether I shall marry Fair Ellinor,
And let the brown girl alone.'
3 'The brown girl she has got houses and lands,
And Fair Ellinor she has got none;
Therefore I charge you on my blessing
To bring me the brown girl home.'
4 But when he came to Fair Ellinor's bower,
He knocked there at the ring;
But who was so ready as Fair Ellinor
For to let Lord Thomas in.
5 'What news, what news, Lord Thomas,' she said,
'What news hast thou brought unto me?'
'I am come to bid thee to my wedding,
And that is bad news to thee.'
6 'Come riddle my riddle, dear mother,' she sayd,
'And riddle it all in one;
Whether I shall go to Lord Thomas's wedding,
Or whether I shall tarry at home.'
7 'There's many that are your friends, daughter,
And many that are your foe;
Therefore I charge you on my blessing,
To Lord Thomas's wedding don't go.'
8 'There's many that are my friends, mother,
If a thousand more were my foe,
Betide my life, betide my death,
To Lord Thomas's wedding I'le go.'
9 She cloathed herself in gallant attyre,
Her merry maids all in green,
And as they rid thorough everye towne,
They took her to have been a queene.
10 But when she came to Lord Thomas's gate,
She knocked there at the ring;
But who was so ready as Lord Thomas
To lett Fair Ellinor in.
11 He took her by the lily-white hand,
And led her through the hall,
And sat her in a chair of gold,
Amidst her merry maids all.
12 'Is this your bride?' Fair Ellin she sayd,
'Methinks she looks wondrous browne;
Thou mightest have had as fair a woman
As ever trod on the ground.'
13 'Despise her not, Fair Ellin,' he sayd,
'Despise her not now unto mee;
For better I love thy little finger
Than all her whole body.'
14 This browne bride had a little penknife,
That was both clean and sharp,
And betwixt the short ribs and the long
Prickd Fair Ellinor to the heart.
15 'Oh Christ now save thee,' Lord Thomas he said,
'Methinks thou lookst wondrous wan;
Thou wast usd for to look with as fresh a colour
As ever the sun shin'd on.'
16 'Oh art thou blind, Lord Thomas?' she sayd,
'Or canst thou not very well see?
Oh dost thou not see my own heart's blood
Runs trickling down my knee?'
17. 'No, I am not blind,' Lord Thomas he said,
'But I can plainly see,
And I can see your dear heart's blood
Runs trickling down your knee.'
18 Lord Thomas he had a sword by his side,
It was both keen and small;
He cut off his bride's head from her shoulders,
And flung it against the wall.
19 He set the hilte against the ground,
And the point against his heart;
There was never three lovers that ever met
More sooner they did depart.
20. 'Oh dig me a grave,' Lord Thomas he said,
'And dig it both wide and deep,
And lay Fair Ellinor at my side,
The brown girl at my feet.'