False Sir John (1960)

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 bring-a me some of your father's gold And some of your mother's fee I'll take thee to some far-off land And there I'll marry thee And there I'll marry thee" [Verse 4] She's gone into her father's coffer Whеre all of his monies lay She's took thе yeller 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 grey 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] "Lie down, lie down," said false Sir John "Your bridal bed you 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 look at the leaves of the tree For it don't become a gentleman A naked woman to see A naked woman to see" [Verse 12] Oh, false Sir John has turned around To gaze at the leaves on the tree 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 thee down And lightly set thee down" [Verse 14] "No help, no help," said May Colvin "No help will you get from me For the bed's no colder to you, sir Than you thought to give to me Than you thought to give to me" [Verse 15] She mounted on the milk-white steed And led the dapple grey 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 that 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] "Oh, hold your tongue, my pretty parrot And tell no tales on me And I'll buy you a cage of beaten gold With spokes of ivory With spokes of ivory"