The Bishop of Canterbury- Hubbard (Utah) c.1875
[From: Traditional Ballads from Utah by Lester A. Hubbard and LeRoy J. Robertson; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 64, No. 251 (Jan. - Mar., 1951), pp. 37-53. Notes by Hubbard follow.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
3. "King John and the Bishop"
(Child No. 45)
"The Bishop of Canterbury." Mrs. Salley A. Hubbard communicated the text February 10, 1946, and sang it for recording June 10, 1947. She learned it from her brother in Willard about 1875. The few survivals of this ballad indicate that it is rare in America. The text given here corresponds quite closely to Child B. One stanza of "King John and the Bishop" is included in Emelyn E. Gardner and Geraldine J. Chickering, Ballads and Songs of Southern Michigan (University of Michigan Press, 1939), p. 379. See also "The King's Three Questions" in Helen Hartness Flanders and George Brown, Vermont Folk-Songs and Ballads (Brattleboro, I932), pp. 200-203.
Old King John was a great noble Knight;
He built up all wrong and he tore down all right;
And when he got seat-ed to make himself merry,
He sent for the Bishop of Canterbury.
Lal the roo- loo, Lal the roo- loo, li - ful the day.
"Good morning, Mr. Bishop, it's been told unto me
That you set a far better table than me,
And if you don't answer my questions three,
Your head shall be taken from your body."
"My first question is, while me and my estate,
With my golden crown all on my pate,
With all my nobility, joy and great mirth,
You must tell to one penny what I am worth."
"My second question is, without any doubt,
How long I'll be traveling this wide world about.
My third question is, when I do wink,
You must tell to me plainly what I do think."
The poor bishop on his return home,
He met a poor shepherd, and him all alone,
"Good morning, Mr. Bishop," the shepherd did say,
"What news have you brought from the king today?"
"Bad news, bad news," the bishop did say,
"For he has been asking me questions three,
And if I don't answer to them all right,
My head shall be taken from my body quite."
"His first question is, while he and his estate,
His golden crown all on his pate,
With all his nobility, joy and great mirth,
I must tell to one penny what he is worth.
"His second question is, without any doubt,
How long he'll be traveling this wide world about.
His third question is, when he does wink,
I must tell to him plainly what he does think."
"Give to me one suit of your apparel;
I'll go to King John and answer the farrell."
"One suit of my apparel I freely will give
And ten pounds a year as long as I live."
Now the poor shepherd and he is gone
To answer the questions of King John,
And if he don't answer to them all right,
His head will be taken from his body quite.
"Good morning, Mr. Bishop," the king did reply,
"Have you come here to live or to die?"
"If I don't answer to your questions three
I hope your grace will pardon me.
"Your first question is, while you and your estate,
With your golden crown all on your pate,
With all your nobility, joy and great mirth,
I must tell to one penny what you are worth.
"The Saviour for thirty bright pieces was sold
Among the false Jews so brazen and bold,
Twenty-nine pieces is your just due,
For I think he's one piece better than you.
"Your second question is, without any doubt,
How long you'll be traveling this wide world about.
You'll rise with the sun and keep in full pace,
And in twenty-four hours you'll end your race.
"Your third question is, when you do wink,
I must tell to you plainly just what you do think.
That if I do, it will make your heart merry;
You think I'm the Bishop of Canterbury."
The king looked the shepherd in the face with a smile,
Saying, "He shall reign bishop another while.
Go tell your bishop, go tell him for me
He keeps a good fellow while he keeps thee."