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There Was a Lady in the East

[ Roud 2298 ; Ballad Index Pea726 ; trad.]

Newfoundland singer Matthew Byrne sang Lady in the East on his 2025 album Stealing Time. He noted:

Kenneth Goldstein collected this from Bride Judge of Patrick’s Cove on the Cape Shore. A father forbids his daughter to marry a lowly clerk and when she insists, he ends her life. When the clerk discovers this, he ends his own: “I’ll cut the tender thread of life and with my love, I’ll wander.” All seems a bit much, really.

Lyrics

Matthew Byrne sings Lady in the East

There was a lady in the east
And her age was scarcely twenty
For she had sweethearts of the best,
Lords, Dukes, and Squires plenty

She did have sweethearts of the best
Who dearly doted on her
But she admired her father’s clerk
More than those men of honour

She did admire her father’s clerk,
For him she was intended
And if kind fortune favoured her
With him she’d live contented

And when she walked the hall one day
Her father chanced to meet her
Saying, “You will not throw your life away
You young and foolish creature

“You will not throw yourself away
With neither birth or breeding
Not one pound token shall I give
If this is your proceeding”

She threw herself on bended knees,
Saying, “Father, spare me pleasure
I do adore my Jimmy dear,
More than your earthly treasure

“I do adore my Jimmy dear
And for him I am intended
And if kind fortune favours me
With him I’ll dwell contented”

There was a table in the hall,
A loaded pistol on it,
Upon this fair one’s snowy breast
Her father did present it

˚Twas then came in her Jimmy dear,
His cold white hands a-wringing,
He kissed his fair one’s snow-white chest
Just where the blood was spilling

Saying, “Why’d you serve my darling so,
O why were you so cruel?
Why didn’t you leave the blame on me
And spare to me my jewel?”

He took a pen knife in his hands
Saying, “I’ll stay no longer
I’ll cut the tender thread of life
And with my love I’ll wander”