Little Musgrave

Lyrics

[Verse 1] As it fell out upon a day As many in the year Musgrave to the church did go To see fair ladies there [Verse 2] Some came down in red velvet And some came down in pall The last to come down was the Lady Barnard The fairest of them all [Verse 3] She's cast a look on the little Musgrave As bright as the summer sun And then bethought this little Musgrave This lady's love I've won [Chorus] "Good day, good day, you handsome youth God make you safe and free What would you give this day, Musgrave To lie one night with me?" [Verse 4] "I dare not for my lands, lady I dare not for my life For the ring on your white finger shows You are Lord Barnard's wife" [Verse 5] "Lord Barnard's to the hunting gone I hope he'll never return You shall slip into his bed And keep his lady warm" [Verse 6] "There's nothing for to fear, Musgrave You nothing have to fear I'll set a page outside the gate To watch till morning clear" [Chorus] And woe be to the little footpage And an ill death may he die For he's away to the green, green wood As fast as he could fly [Verse 7] And when he came to the wide water He fell on his belly and swam When he came to the other side He took to his heels and ran [Verse 8] And when he came to the green, green wood 'Twas as dark as dark can be He found Lord Barnard and his men Asleep beneath the trees [Verse 9] "Rise up, rise up master," he said "Rise up and speak to me Your wife's in bed with the little Musgrave Rise up right speedily" [Chorus] "If this be truth you tell to me Then gold shall be your fee And if it be false you tell to me Then hanged you shall be Go saddle me the black," he said "Go saddle me the grey And sound you not the horn," said he "Lest our coming it would betray" [Verse 10] Now there was a man in Lord Barnard's train Who loved the little Musgrave And he blew his horn both loud and shrill Away, Musgrave, away [Verse 11] "I think I hear the morning cock I think I hear the jay I think I hear Lord Barnard's horn Away, Musgrave, away" [Verse 12] "Lie still, lie still, you little Musgrave And keep me from the cold It's nothing but a shepherd boy Driving his flock to the fold" [Verse 13] "Is not your hawk upon its perch? Your steed is eating hay And you a gay lady in your arms And yet you would away" [Verse 14] So he's turned him right and round about And he fell fast asleep And when he woke Lord Barnard's men Were standing at his feet [Chorus] "And how do you like my bed, Musgrave? Yeah, how do you like my sheets? How do you like my fair lady That lies in your arms asleep?" [Verse 15] "It's well I like your bed," he said "It's well I like your sheets But better I like your fair lady That lies in my arms asleep" [Chorus] "Get up, get up young man," he said "Get up as swift as you can For it never will be said in my country That I slew an unarmed man I have two swords in one scabbard Full dear they cost my purse And you shall have the best of them And I shall have the worst" [Verse 16] So slowly, so slowly he rose up And slowly he put on And slowly down the stairs he goes Thinking to be slain [Verse 17] And the first stroke little Musgrave took It was both deep and sore And down he fell at Barnard's feet And word he never spoke more [Chorus] "And how do you like his cheeks, lady? Yeah, how do you like his chin? And how do you like his fair body Now there's no life within?" [Verse 18] "Oh, it's well I like his cheeks," she said "Well I like his chin And better I like his fair body Than all your kith and kin" [Chorus] And he's taken up his long, long sword To strike a mortal blow And through and through the lady's heart The cold steel it did go [Verse 1] As it fell out upon a day As many in the year Musgrave to the church did go To see fair ladies there