Queen Elinor’s Confession

Lyrics

[Verse 1] Queen Elinor was a sick woman And afraid that she would die When she sent for two friars out of France To come to her speedily [Verse 2] When the King he heard the Queen had sent For friars from o'er the sea He called his noble Earl Marshal To come to him speedily [Verse 3] "Do you put on one friar's coat And I'll put on another And we shall to Queen Elinor go One friar like another" [Verse 4] "Oh God forbid", said Earl Marshal "That such a thing would be If I should beguile Madame the Queen Then hanged I would be" [Verse 5] And the King he swore upon his oath His scepter and his crown That whatsoever Queen Elinor said He would not write it down [Verse 6] And thus attired they both did go 'Til they came to Whitehall The bells did ring, and the choristers sing And the torches did light them all [Verse 7] "Be you two friars of France", she said "As I suppose you be? But if you be two English friars Then hanged thou wouldst be" [Verse 8] "We are two friars of France", they said "As you suppose we be And we have not been at any mass Since we came over the sea" [Verse 9] "The first vile sin that e'er I did To you I will unfold Earl Marshal had my maidenhead Underneath this cloth of gold" [Verse 10] "That is a vile sin", said the King "God may forgiveth thee" "Amen, amen", quoth Earl Marshal With a heavy, heavy heart spoke he [Verse 11] "The next vile sin that e'er I did To you I'll not deny I brewed a pot of poison strong To poison King Henry" [Verse 12] "That is a vile sin", said the King "God may forgiveth thee "Amen, amen", quoth Earl Marshal "I wish it so may be" [Verse 13] "Do you see yonder little child A-tossing of that ball? That is Earl Marshal's son, she said And I love him the best of all" [Verse 14] "And do you see yonder little boy A-catching of that ball? That is King Henry's son", she said And I love him the worst of all" [Verse 15] "His head is like unto a bull His nose is like a boar" "No matter for that", King Henry said "I love him the better therefore" [Verse 16] Then the King threw off his friar's coat He appeared all in red She shrieked, she cried, she wrung her hands She said she was betrayed [Verse 17] And the King looked over his left shoulder And a grim look looked at he And he said, "Earl Marshal, but for my oath Then hanged you would be"