X:13
T:The False-Hearted Knight
T:Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight
C:Trad
B:Bronson
O:Barry, Eckstorm, and Smyth, "British Ballads from Maine",I929,
O:pp. 26(G)-28. Sung by Mrs. Guy R. Hathaway, Mattawamkeag, Maine,
O: I928; learned from her father.
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:Gm % Bronson has Dorian
D2 | G3 B d3 c | B2 AB G2 d2 |
w:I'll tell you of a false heart-ed knight Who
g2 de f2 ec | d6 d2 | g2 de fe d>c |
w:cour-ted a la-dy_ gay, And all that he want-ed of this
B2 AB G2 GB | d2 dd dc BA | G6 |]
w:pret-ty fair maid Was to take her sweet life_ a_ way.
W:
W:I'll tell you of a false hearted knight
W:Who courted a lady gay,
W:And all that he wanted of this pretty fair maid
W:Was to take her sweet life away.
W:
W:"Go bring me some of your mamma's gold,
W:And some of your daddy's fee,
W:And away we'll ride to some foreign country
W:And married we shall be."
W:
W:She brought him some of her mamma's gold,
W:And some of her daddy's fee,
W:And two of the best horses in her father's stable,
W:Where there stood thirty and three.
W:
W:She then mounted the milk-white steed,
W:Apd he upon the grey,
W:They rode till they came to a fair river side,
W:Six hours before it was day.
W:
W:"Alight, alight, my pretty fair maid,
W:I have something to tell unto thee;
W:For it's six maidens fair I have drowned here
W:And you the seventh shall be."
W:
W:"Some pity, some pity, my own true love,
W:Some pity show unto me,
W:For of all the gold that I ever gave to thee,
W:I will double it over three."
W:
W:"Take off, take off your satin gown,
W:And give it unto me,
W:For I do think that your clothing is too gay
W:To rot in the watery sea."
W:
W:She then took off her satin gown
W:And laid it upon the ground,
W:And out of this fair lady's pocket
W:He took ten thousand pounds.
W:
W:"Go bring me the sickle, that I may crop the nettle
W:That grows on the river's brim,
W:That it may not entangle my curly, curly locks
W:Nor nettle my milk-white skin."
W:
W:He brought the sickle, that she might crop the nettle
W:That grew on the river's brim,
W:And with all of the strength that this fair maid had,
W:She pushed the false knight in.
W:
W:"Lie there, lie there, you false hearted knight,
W:For I think that you've got your doom,
W:And I do not think that your clothing is too gay
W:To rot in a watery tomb."
W:
W:"Some pity, some pity, my pretty fair maid,
W:Some pity show unto me:
W:For of all the vows that I ever made to thee,
W:I will double them over three!"
W:
W:"Lie there, lie there, you false hearted knight,
W:Lie there instead of me,
W:For it's six maidens fair you have drowned here,
W:And the seventh hath drowned thee."
W:
W:She then mounted the milk-white steed,
W:And home she led the grey,
W:She rode till she came to her father's stable door,
W:Three hours before it was day.
W:
W:The parrot being up in the chamber so high,
W:Hearing his mistress, did say:
W:"What is the matter, my own mistress,
W:That you tarry so long before day?"
W:
W:The maid being up in the chamber so high,
W:Hearing what the parrot did say:
W:"O! What is the matter, you silly parrot,
W:That you prattle so long before day?"
W:
W:"The cat she came to my cage door,
W:And would not let me be,
W:And I was obliged my own mistress to call
W:To drive the cat away."
W:
W:"Hold your tongue, my own parrot,
W:And tell no tales on me,
W:And your cage shall be made of the finest of gold,
W:And doors of ivory."