The Robber and the Lady

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",I907, 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!"