Robber and the Lady- (Hamp) 1907 Gillington
[From Alice E. Gillington, "Eight Hampshire Folk Songs",1907, pp. 4-5.
R. Matteson 2018]
The Robber and the Lady- Taken from the mouths of the peasantry by Alice E. Gillington.
An outlandish Knight from the North Countrie
He came a-bowing to me;
He told me he'd take me to the Northlands,
And there he'd marry me.
"Give me some of your father's gold,
And some of your mother's fee!
And take two of the best nags out of the stable,
Where there stands thirty and three."
She mounted on her milk-white steed,
And he on the dapper grey;
And they rode till they came to some fair waterside,
Three hours before it was day.
"Light off, light off your milk-white steed,
And deliver it unto me!
For six pretty maidens I have a-drown'd here,
And you the seventh will be!"
"Pull off, pull off your silken gown,
And deliver it unto me!
For I think it do look too rich and too gay
To rot all in the salt sea!"
"O, turn, O, turn" the Lady cried;
"O, turn your back unto me!-
For it is not fit that such a robber
An innocent woman should see!"
Then she took off her silken gown,
And bitterly did she weep;
And she caught him round the middle so small,
And tumbled him into the deep.
He floated high, he floated low,
He floated near the sea side,
"Lay hold of my hand, my pretty Lady,
I will make you my lawful bride!
"Lay there, lay there, thou false-hearted man!
Lay there instead of me!
For six pretty maidens thou hast a-drown'd here,
And the seventh will now drown thee!"
She mounted on her milk-white steed,
A-leading the dapper grey,
And she rode till she came to her father's door,
One hour before it was day.
And the parrot being up in the window so high
And hearing the lady pass by;-
"O, I think some false hearted man you have slain,
You come rambling so long before day!"
"Don't prittle nor prattle, my pretty Polly!
Don't tell little tales on me!
And your cage shall be made of the glittering gold,
And your door of the best ivory!"
___________________________
ABC Notation
X:31
T:The Robber and the Lady
T:Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight
C:Trad
B:Bronson
O:Alice E. Gillington, "Eight Hampshire Folk Songs",1907, pp. 4-5.
O:"Taken from the mouths of the peasantry."
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:C
G | AED C2 G/G/ | FDE C2 G |
c2 c BGA | G3-G2 G | ccc B2 G |
AFA G2 E | EGE DCD | C3-C2 |]
W:
W:An outlandish Knight from the North Countrie
W:He came a-bowing to me;
W:He told me he'd take me to the Northlands,
W:And there he'd marry me.
W:
W:"Give me some of your father's gold,
W:And some of your mother's fee!
W:And take two of the best nags out of the stable,
W:Where there stands thirty and three."
W:
W:She mounted on her milk-white steed,
W:And he on the dapper grey;
W:And they rode till they came to some fair waterside,
W:Three hours before it was day.
W:
W:"Light off, light off your milk-white steed,
W:And deliver it unto me!
W:For six pretty maidens I have a-drown'd here,
W:And you the seventh will be!"
W:
W:"Pull off, pull off your silken gown,
W:And deliver it unto me!
W:For I think it do look too rich and too gay
W:To rot all in the salt sea!"
W:
W:"O, turn, O, turn" the Lady cried;
W:"O, turn your back unto me!-
W:For it is not fit that such a robber
W:An innocent woman should see!"
W:
W:Then she took off her silken gown,
W:And bitterly did she weep;
W:And she caught him round the middle so small,
W:And tumbled him into the deep.
W:
W:He floated high, he floated low,
W:He floated near the sea side,
W:"Lay hold of my hand, my pretty Lady,
W:I will make you my lawful bride!
W:
W:"Lay there, lay there, thou false-hearted man!
W:Lay there instead of me!
W:For six pretty maidens thou hast a-drown'd here,
W:And the seventh will now drown thee!"
W:
W:She mounted on her milk-white steed,
W:A-leading the dapper grey,
W:And she rode till she came to her father's door,
W:One hour before it was day.
W:
W:And the parrot being up in the window so high
W:And hearing the lady pass by;-
W:"O, I think some false hearted man you have slain,
W:You come rambling so long before day!"
W:
W:"Don't prittle nor prattle, my pretty Polly!
W:Don't tell little tales on me!
W:And your cage shall be made of the glittering gold,
W:And your door of the best ivory!"