Jack Orion

Lyrics

Jack Orion was as good a fiddler As ever fiddled on a string He could make young women mad To the tune his fiddle would sing He could fiddle the fish out of salt water Or water from a marble stone Or the milk out of a maiden's breast Though baby she got none He's taken his fiddle into his hand He's fiddled, and he's sung And, O, he's played unto the king Who never thought it long As he sat fiddling in a castle hall He's played them all so sound asleep All but for the young princess And for love she stayed awake At first he played a slow, grave tune And then a gay one, too And many's the sigh and the loving word That passed between them two "Come to my bower, sweet Jack Orion When all men are at rest As I am a lady true to my word Thou shalt be a welcome guest." He's wrapped his fiddle in a cloth of green And a glad man was he Then he's run off to his own house Saying "Tom, come hither to me "When day has dawned and the cocks have crowed And flapped their wings so wide It's I am bidden to that lady's door To stretch out by her side." "Lie down in your bed, my good master And sleep long as you may I'll keep good watch, and I'll waken you Three hours before 'tis day" But he rose up, that worthless lad His master's clothes did don The collar he's got about his neck He seemed the gentleman Well, he didn't take that lady gay Down to bolster nor to bed But down upon the bower floor Very quick he had her laid And he neither kissed her when he came Nor when from her he did go And in and out of her window The moon like a coal did glow "Ragged are your stockings, love Stubbly is your cheek and chin And tangled is that yellow hair That I saw yestere'en." "These stockings belong to my boy, Tom They're the first came to my hand The wind, it tangled my yellow hair As I rode o'er the land." Tom took his fiddle into his hand So saucy there he sang Then he's off back to his master's house As fast as he could run "Wake up, wake up, my good master I fear 'tis almost dawn! Wake up, wake up, the cock has crowed 'Tis time that you were gone." Then quickly rose up Jack Orion Put on his cloak and shoon And cast a collar about his neck He was a lord's true son And when he came to the lady's bower He lightly rattled at the pin The lady was true to her word She arose and let him in "Oh, whether have you left with me Your bracelet or your glove Or are you returned back again To know more of my love?" Jack Orion swore a bloody oath By oak and ash and bitter thorn Saying, "Lady, I never was in your house Since the day that I was born." "Oh, then it was your young footpage That has so cruelly beguiled me And woe that the blood of the ruffian lad Should spring in my body!" Then she pulled forth a little sharp knife That hung down at her knee O'er her white feet the red blood ran Or ever a hand could stay And dead she lay on her bower floor At the dawning of the day Jack Orion's run to his own house Saying, "Tom, my boy, come here to me Come hither now, and I'll pay your fee And well paid you shall be." "If I had killed a man tonight Tom, I would tell it thee Or if I have taken no life tonight Tom, thou hast taken three." Then he's pulled out his bright broad sword And dried it on his sleeve And he's smote off that vile lad's head And asked for no man's leave He's set the sword's point unto his breast And the pommel to a stone For through the falseness of that lying lad These three lives were all gone