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It fell upon a holy day as many are in the year |
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Musgrave to the church did go to see fine ladies there. |
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Some were dressed in velvet red and some in velvet pale, |
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Then in came Lord Barnard's wife the fairest among them all. |
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She cast an eye on Little Musgrave as bright as the summer's sun, |
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Said Musgrave unto himself this lady's heart I've won. |
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"I have loved you Fair Lady full long and many's the day." |
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"And I have loved you Little Musgrave and never a word did say. |
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I have a bower in Bucklesfordberry its my heart's delight |
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I'll take you back there with me and lie in your arms all night." |
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Standing by was a little foot page, from the Lady's coach he ran |
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"Although I am a lady's page I am Lord Barnard's man. |
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My Lord Barnard shall hear of this whether I sink or swim." |
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And every where the bridge was broken he'd enter the water and swim. |
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"My Lord Barnard! My Lord Barnard! You are a man of life, |
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But Musgrave is at Bucklesfordberry asleep with your wedded wife." |
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"If this be true my little foot page, this thing that you tell me, |
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All the gold in Bucklesfordberry I gladly will give to thee. |
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But if this be a lie my little foot page this thing that you tell me |
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From the highest tree in Bucklesfordberry hanged you will be. |
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Go saddle me the black!" he said, "Go saddle me the grey! |
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Sound you not your horns," he said, "lest our coming it betray!" |
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But there was a man in Lord Barnard's train who loved the Little Musgrave |
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He blew his horn both loud and shrill. Away Musgrave, away! |
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"I think I hear the morning cock, I think I hear the jay, |
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I think I hear Lord Barnard's men, I wish I was away." |
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"Lie still, lie still, my Little Musgrave, and hug me from the cold, |
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it's nothing but a shepherd lad a bringing his flock to fold. |
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Is not your hawk upon its perch? Your steed eats oats and hay. |
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You a woman in your arms, why would you go away?" |
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So they turned around and they kissed twice and then they fell asleep. |
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When they awoke Lord Barnard's men were standing at their feet. |
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"How do you like my bed?" he said, "and how do you like my sheets? |
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How do you like my fair Lady that lies in your arms asleep?" |
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"It's well I like your bed he said. Great it gives me pain. |
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I'd gladly give a hundred pounds to be on yonder plain!" |
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"Rise up rise up, Little Musgrave, rise up and then put on. |
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It'll not be said in this country I slayed a naked man." |
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So slowly, slowly he got up and slowly he put on, |
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Slowly he went down the stairs thinking he'd be slain. |
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"There are two swords by my side, dear they cost my purse, |
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You can take the best of them and I will take the worst." |
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And the first stroke Little Musgrave struck it hurt Lord Barnard sore |
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But the next stroke Lord Barnard struck Little Musgrave ne'er struck more. |
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Then up spoke the lady fair from the bed whereon she lay, |
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"Although you're dead Little Musgrave, still for you I'll pray." |
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"How do you like his cheeks?" he said, "How do you like his chin? |
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How do you like his dead body now there's no life within?" |
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"It's well I like those cheeks she cried and well I love that chin. |
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It's more I want that dead body than all your kith and kin!" |
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He's taken out his long, long sword to strike the mortal blow. |
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Through and through the Lady's heart the cold steel it did go. |
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"A grave! A grave!" Lord Barnard cried, "to put these lovers in! |
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With my lady on the upper hand, for she came from better kin. |
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For I've just killed the finest knight that ever rode a steed, |
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And I've just killed the finest woman that ever did a woman's deed!" |
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It fell upon a holy day as many are in the year |
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That Musgrave to the church did go to see fine ladies there. |
