False Sir John

Lyrics

[Verse 1] False Sir John a-wooing came To a lady young and fair May Colvin was this lady's name And her father's only heir Her father's only heir [Verse 2] He wooed her while she spun the thread And while they made the hay Until he gained her low consent To mount and ride away To mount and ride away [Verse 3] "It's a-bring me some of your father's gold And some of your mother's fee I'll take thee to some far-off land There I'll marry thee And there I'll marry thee" [Verse 4] She's gone into her father's coffer Where all of his monies lay She's took the yellow and left the white And lightly skipped away And lightly skipped away [Verse 5] She's gone into her father's stables Where all of his steeds did stand She's took the best and left the worst In all of her father's land In all of her father's land [Verse 6] She's mounted on a milk-white steed And he on a dapple gray And they rode 'til they come to a lonesome spot A cliff by the side of the sea A cliff by the side of the sea [Verse 7] "Light down, light down," said false Sir John "Your bridal bed you'll see: It's seven women have I drownded here And the eighth one you shall be And the eighth one you shall be [Verse 8] "Have off, have off your Holland smock With borders all around For it's too costly to lay down here And rot on the cold, cold ground And rot on the cold, cold ground [Verse 9] "Cast off, cast off your silk so fine And lay them on a stone For they're too fine and costly To rot in the salt sea foam To rot in the salt sea foam [Verse 10] "Take off, take off your silken stays Likewise your handsome shoes For they're too fine and costly To rot in the sea with you To rot in the sea with you" [Verse 11] "Turn around, turn around, thou false Sir John And gaze at the leaves on the trees For it don't become a gentleman A naked woman to see A naked woman to see" [Verse 12] It's false Sir John has turned around To gaze at the leaves on the trees She's made a dash with her tender little arms And pushed him into the sea And pushed him into the sea [Verse 13] "Oh, help! oh, help! May Colvin! Oh, help, or I shall drown! I'll take thee back to the father's house And lightly set you down And lightly set you down" [Verse 14] "No help, no help, thou false Sir John "No help will you get from me The bed's no colder to you, sir Than you thought to give to me Than you thought to give it to me" [Verse 15] She's mounted on the milk-white steed And led the dapple gray And rode 'til she come to her father's house At the breakin' of the day At the breakin' of the day [Verse 16] Then up and spoke the little parrot Said, "May Colvin, where have you been? And what have you done with false Sir John That went with you ridin' That went with you ridin'?" [Verse 17] "Hold your tongue, hold your tongue, you little parrot And tell no tales on me And I'll give you a cage of beaten gold With spokes of ivory With spokes of ivory"