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Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight / The Outlandish Knight / Sir John / False Lover John / May Colven / Castle by the Sea

[ Roud 21 ; Master title: Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight ; Child 4 ; G/D 2:225 ; Henry H163 ; Ballad Index C004 ; Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight at Fire Draw Near ; LadyIsabel at Old Songs ; VWML AW/6/115 , GG/1/11/683 , SBG/3/1/560 ; Bodleian Roud 21 ; GlosTrad Roud 21 ; Wiltshire 922 ; trad.]

Lucy E. Broadwood, J.A. Fuller Maitland: English County Songs Bertrand Harris Bronson: The Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads J. Collingwood Bruce, John Stokoe: Northumbrian Minstrelsy Peter Buchan: Ancient Ballads and Songs of the North of Scotland Nick Dow: Southern Songster Fred Hamer: Garners Gay. Alan Helsdon: Vaughan Williams in Norfolk Volume 2 David Herd: Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs, Heroic Ballads, etc., Gale Huntington: Sam Henry’s Songs of the People James Johnson: The Scots Musical Museum Maud Karpeles: The Crystal Spring Alexander Keith: Last Leaves of Traditional Ballads and Ballad Airs Frank Kidson: Traditional Tunes James Kinsley: The Oxford Book of Ballads A.L. Lloyd: Folk Song in England, Ewan MacColl, Peggy Seeger: Travellers’ Songs From England and Scotland John Morrish: The Folk Handbook Patrick O’Shaughnessy: More Folk Songs From Lincolnshire John Jacob Niles: The Ballad Book of John Jacob Niles Roy Palmer: Everyman’s Book of English Country Songs Roy Palmer: Songs of the Midlands Steve Roud, Julia Bishop: The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs Cecil J. Sharp: One Hundred English Folksongs Cecil J. Sharp, Maud Karpeles: English Folk Songs From the Southern Appalachians John Stokoe: Songs and Ballads of Northern England Ken Stubbs: The Life of a Man Ralph Vaughan Williams, A.L. Lloyd: The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs Alfred Williams: Folk-Songs of the Upper Thames

Lena Bourne Fish of East Jaffrey, New Hampshire, sang The Castle by the Sea in 1940 to Anne and Frank Warner. This recording was included in 2000 on the Appleseed anthology Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still (The Warner Collection Volume I).

Jumbo Brightwell sang The False-Hearted Knight at the Eel’s Foot in Eastbridge, Suffolk, on 30 October 1947. This BBC recording 13861 made by E.J. Moeran was broadcast on the BBC Third Programme in late 1947. It was included in 1955 on the anthology The Columbia World Library of Folk and Primitive Music - Volume III: England which was reissued on CD in 1998 as part of Rouder’s Alan Lomax Collection. It was also included in 1975 on Brightwell’s Topic album Songs From the Eel’s Foot, in the early 2000s on the Snatch’d From Oblivion CD East Anglia Sings, and in 2000 on the Veteran CD of traditional singing and music from The Eel’s Foot, Good Order! Ladies and Gentlemen Please. A 1975 recording of Jumbo Brightwell made by Keith Summers in Leiston was included in 2007 on the Musical Traditions anthology of Keith Summers’ Suffolk recordings, A Story to Tell.

Fred Jordan sang Six Pretty Maids to Peter Kennedy in Diddlebury, Shropshire, on 30 October 1952. This BBC recording 18696 was included with the title The Outlandish Knight on The Child Ballads 1 (The Folk Songs of Britain Volume 4; Caedmon 1961, Topic 1968), and in 2003 as Six Pretty Maids on his Veteran anthology A Shropshire Lad. The Caedmon album’s booklet noted:

This form of the Bluebeard legend, the most widely distributed of all the ballads, is known from Scandinavia south to Italy, from Britain south to Italy, and in North America as well. The wicked rake of our Shropshire variant is, in older versions, an elfin knight, who lured maidens away from home to murder them. Of the six variants printed by Child ours is closest to E, taken from J.H. Dixon’s Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England: The singer, 31-year-old farm labourer Fred Jordan, has held to the style of singing which he picked up from his mother and from the old-timers he met at country pubs, “by being fond of country life in the old way, by always listening and talking to the old labourers, in order to learn the different jobs you have to know to be a farm labourer.” Bronson (p. 39) points out that this air, like that of Strawberry Lane, is an instance of the modern preference of the English singer for 6/8 tunes in major. For detailed discussion, see Journal of American Folklore, LXV, 1-2 and LXVIII, 141-53; also Coffin: 32-35; Dean-Smith, 97.

A later recording made by Tony Foxworthy in 1974 was released in the same year on Fred Jordan’s Topic album When the Frost Is on the Pumpkin, and in 1996 on the Topic “celebration of English traditional music”, Hidden English. Mike Yates noted on the Topic album:

Many of our classic ballads deal with the mystical and the supernatural in an obvious and open-handed way. Over the years, however, mysteries have tended to become rationalised, magic has become commonplace, and we are left with unsatisfactory, transient bodies of folklore which are neither one thing nor the other. Scholars have long considered our present ballad unsatisfactory, and many have offered suggestions, have put forward ideas whereby an understanding may be gained. The story involves the seduction of a young girl by a knight. Having made certain that she brings along her father’s fortune, the knight then explains his deceit, telling her that he will drown her in order to steal the money. The girl, not unnaturally, objects, saying that her dress is too fine to rot in the sea. The knight, chivalrous to the end, turns as she undresses, only to have the tables turned, for she then pushes him into the water instead. Recently a link has been established between this outlandish knight and Saint Ladislas, an eleventh century King of Hungary. In some versions of the ballad, the girl is warned of her impending doom as she lies with the knight beneath a tree. Gazing upwards into the branches she sees the severed heads of previous victims, and, thus forewarned, outwits her would-be murderer. In certain medieval Hungarian churches we find frescoes depicting St. Ladislas asleep beneath such a tree and a girl, who is delousing his hair, looking upwards into a magical nine branched tree which holds his concealed weapons. Elsewhere, representations show not Ladislas, but a Tartar or Scythian warrior.

Whatever the origin of this ballad, we know that it has long entertained traditional singers throughout Europe and North America. In Britain John Pitts printed the tale on a ballad sheet at the beginning of the last century, and most versions collected today would appear to be based on this broadside. The story is well known among gypsies and other travelling folk, and Fred learnt his fine version from a family who were camped on Wenlock Edge when he was a boy.

Jean Ritchie sang False Sir John in 1954 on her Elektra album Kentucky Mountain Songs. She noted:

Another of Uncle Jason’s fine “old ones” this ballad has descended from the more ancient one, Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight. The story is common in Britain, Germany, Holland, Scandinavia, and such unlikely-seeming places as Poland and the Latin countries. As the Ritchies sing it, the Elf-Knight is no longer a supernatural being but plain old False Sir John, and Lady Isabel has become simple May Colvin.

A.L. Lloyd sang The Outlandish Knight in 1956 on his and Ewan MacColl’s Riverside anthology The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, Volume I. Like all of his tracks from this anthology it was reissued in 2011 on his Fellside album Bramble Briars and Beams of the Sun.

Another version collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1908 from Mr Hilton, South Walsham, Norfolk, was published in 1959 in his and Lloyd’s The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs. A.L. Lloyd recorded a version shortened by four verses for his 1960 EP England & Her Folk Songs. Like all tracks from this EP it was reissued in 2003 on the CD England & Her Traditional Songs. Lloyd wrote in the album’s sleeve notes:

Cecil Sharp believed this to be the widest circulated of all our folk ballads, “outlandish” here means coming from beyond the northern border—that is, Scotland. The story told is an ancient one of a beguiling lover who entices a whole sequence of girls to their deaths. Ballads on the same theme are known in Poland, Germany, Scandinavia, Holland, France; and perhaps the Bluebeard story is a first cousin to our song. Probably the lover was originally a malevolent water spirit who drowned the girls of his choice. If so, this supernatural element has become so vague as to be almost unnoticeable, as the ballad has passed from mouth to mouth. The rather humorous pay-off concerning the sly talking bird was detached from the ballad in Victorian times, and was made into a separate comic song, Tell-tale Polly, published in Charley Fox’s Minstrel Companion (c. 1861), and is an example of the downward path taken by some of our grander specimens of folklore. Vaughan Williams obtained the tune of his version in South Walsham, Norfolk.

Sam Larner sang The Outlandish Knight at home in Winterton, Norfolk in a recording made by Philip Donnellan for the BBC in 1958/59. It was released in 1974 on his Topic album A Garland for Sam. Another recording of Outlandish Knight made by Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger in 1958-60 was included in 2014 on Larner’s Musical Traditions anthology Cruising Round Yarmouth on which Rod Stradling noted:

Another of the big ballads, with 754 Roud entries (almost half of which are from North America) though only 103 of them are sound recordings, the others all being related to printed sources—particularly books, of which there are 416 listed, the earliest British one being Herd, 1776, although there’s a German broadside dated 1550.

As The Outlandish Knight, not to mention Lady Isobel and the Elf Knight and a host of other titles, this ballad is exceptionally well-known all over the Anglophone world. It certainly seems to have caught the imagination of traditional singers, many versions having appeared throughout England and Scotland (as May Colvin), though it seems not to have been much sung in Ireland, though I should mention that Cornelius ‘Corney’ McDaid of Buncrana, Co Donegal, sang a very full and splendid version as False Lover John.

Arthur ‘Hockey’ Feltwell from Southery, Norfolk, sang The Outlandish Knight to Sam Steele in ca. 1959. This recording was included in 2005 on the Veteran anthology of traditional folk songs, music hall songs and tunes from Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex 1959-1962 collected by Sam Steele, Heel & Toe. John Howson noted:

This well known ballad has a remarkable history, as Professor Child (who called it Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight) pointed out, he knew of versions from Portugal to Poland and from Scandinavia to the Balkans. It can be directly traced back to a German broadside of c.1550 although it was known as a tale long before that date. In many European versions of the ballad there is an episode that has all but vanished from our present story. As the eloping couple reach the waterside, the man persuades the girl to stop beneath a tree. She is asked not to look up into the tree’s branches, but is asked, instead to delouse the man’s hair. As she is complying, she glances up into the branches where she sees the severed heads of his previous victims. Thus warned she is able to outsmart her would-be murderer. Many 19^th century English broadside houses published the ballad including Pitts, Fortey, Dever, Hill, Taylor, Carnach and Such in London and Russell and Wadsworth in Birmingham. The ballad became widespread, particularly in America and Canada.

In East Anglia Ralph Vaughan Williams took down the tune from a Mr Hilton of South Walsham, Norfolk in 1908 and Cecil Sharp again collected just the tune from a William Porter of Ely, Cambridgeshire in 1911. In 1947 E.J. Moeran arranged for the BBC to make a second visit to the Eel’s Foot in Eastbridge, Suffolk where Jumbo Brightwell sang the ballad under his title The False Hearted Knight. That recording can be heard on Veteran VT140CD Good Order. Good Order. Seamus Ennis visited Norfolk in 1954/55 as part of the BBC’s collecting initiative and recorded the ballad from Ben Baxter of Southrepps and Bill Lowne at Cley-next-the-sea, then in 1959 Philip Donnellan recorded the ballad from Sam Larner of Winterton, Norfolk.

Three other recorded versions from other parts of the country which are worth comparing are from Cornwall’s Charlotte Renals (called A Man from the North Country), from Shropshire’s Fred Jordan (called Six Pretty Maids), and from Sussex’s Mary Ann Hayes (called the Young Officer).

Fred Hamer collected The Outlandish Knight (The Dapple Grey) from May Bradley in Ludlow, Shropshire, and published it in 1967 in his book Garners Gay. It was also included in 1971 on the accompanying EFDSS album Garners Gay and in 2010 on her Musical Traditions anthology Sweet Swansea. Rod Stradling noted:

One of the most well-known of the big ballads, with 672 entries in Roud’s Index. The ballad of Lady Isobel and the Elf Knight, as it’s otherwise known, has been found in various forms throughout Europe, the earliest printed text being from a German broadside dated 1550. A L Lloyd in Folk Song in England, linked the story to an engraving on a sword scabbard dated 300 BC, which is now in the Leningrad (St Petersburg) Museum. It certainly seems to have caught the imagination of traditional singers, many versions having appeared throughout England and Scotland, though it seems not to be particularly widespread in Ireland. However, I should mention that Cornelius ‘Corney’ McDaid of Buncrana, Co Donegal, sang a very full and splendid version as False Lover John, which he taught to Kevin Mitchell.

Sarah Porter sang a fragment of The Outlandish Knight in a recording made by Brian Matthews at The Three Cups in Punnetts Town in 1965. It was published in 2001 on the Musical Traditions anthology of songs from country pubs, Just Another Saturday Night. Rod Stradling noted:

An incredibly popular ballad all over the world, with 570 Roud entries—almost 300 of which are from the USA. England boasts about 170, only nine of which are from Sussex. It’s quite unusual to find it in the Traveller repertoire— only recognise the names of Charlotte Renals, Mary Ann Haynes, May Bradley and Nelson Ridley in the list.

It goes by a wide variety of titles, the present one being the most popular in Britain. On the face of it this is rather odd, since it derives from the classic Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight, by which title it is widely known in North America, yet I can find no instance of a singer from these islands using that name. The story is extremely old—beyond Lady Isabel it is traceable, in eastern Europe at least, back a millennium or more!

In the USA it is also frequently called Pretty Polly (about 60 instances), which is also a little odd since the heroine of the story is rarely so named in the British ballads from which the American ones have developed—clearly they like the parrot over there… and so do I—feeling that a ballad is not really a ballad without at least one exotic bird and a bottomless boat to put your foot in!

LaRena Clark sang this ballad as The Dapple Grey in a recording made by Edith Fowke in Toronto in 1965. It was released in 1969 on her Topic album of folksongs from the Province of Ontario, A Canadian Garland. Edith Fowke noted:

This ballad, originally known as Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight, springs from a widespread European folk tale about a demon in the shape of a man who woos and kills a whole series of young maids until the last outwits him. Dr. Child says that “Of all ballads, this has perhaps obtained the widest circulation”. It is very popular in North America where the supernatural element has disappeared, and the wooer becomes simply a Knight or, as here, a ‘false-hearted man’. Mrs  Clark’s version is remarkably similar to Child E, from Dixon’s Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England, published in 1857. She learned it from her Grandad Watson, whose father probably brought it to Canada early in the nineteenth century. For full references see Traditional Singers and Songs From Ontario.

Lother Stanley from Barrow-on-Humber sang The Outlandish Knight to Fred Hamer on 31 May 1967. This recording was included in 1989 on the VWML cassette of Fred Hamer field recordings, The Leaves of Life.

Cyril Tawney sang The Outlandish Knight in 1969 as the title track of his Polydor album of traditional ballads from Devon and Cornwall, The Outlandish Knight. He noted:

Collected in May-June 1891 by Baring-Gould from 86-year-old James Masters of Bradstone, Devon [VWML SBG/3/1/560] (the singer who gave him the original of the now world-famous Strawberry Fair). There can be few more widespread or persistent ballads than this one, even though the elfish nature of the knight has disappeared. Nearly all English versions conclude with the delightful episode of the co-operative parrot. It may have been this part of the story which led another of Baring-Gould’s singers to insist on calling the ballad “The Outlandish Cat”.

Shirley Collins sang The Outlandish Knight on her and her sister Dolly’s 1970 album Love, Death & the Lady.

Nic Jones recorded The Outlandish Knight in the same year for his first album, Ballads and Songs, and a year later for his eponymous album Nic Jones. He noted on his first album:

Three very common ballads are included in this record: Sir Patrick Spens, The Outlandish Knight and Little Musgrave. All three are well-known to anyone with a knowledge of balladry, as they are well represented in most ballad collections. … The melody for The Outlandish Knight is from Cecil Sharp’s published collection of English Folk Songs.

and in the latter album notes:

This is a further version of a song that appeared on my first LP. I find that certain songs appeal to me on the strength of certain phrases or words that are enjoyable to sing due to their inherent lyrical quality. This is one of them.

Martin Carthy sang The Outlandish Knight with a few more verses in 1972 on his album Shearwater He noted:

In the days before the Padstow May revels became the target of annual folk pilgrimage (however non-organised), I remember Cyril Tawney talking about the effect that the incessant beat of the big drum, used to accompany the Padstow May Song, had on revellers. These included local people, people from round about, tourists (plenty of them), and the inevitable gangs of Teds and leather boys, who went along to take the mickey. Invariably, the Teds and leather boys would end up partaking wild-eyed, with the most incredible dervish-like frenzy.

Come spring, a young woman’s fancy turns too, and this feeling of the sap rising prevails upon my feeling towards The Outlandish Knight in general. Having been saved from death, but not from a fate worse than death, by her own presence of mind, she is protected from parental wrath by the presence of mind of her self seeking, get-ahead pet parrot. There’s a moral somewhere. The tune is my own.

Norma Waterson sang The Outlandish Knight in 2002 on Waterson:Carthy’s album A Dark Light. Martin Carthy noted:

Norma learned Death and the Lady from [the Cecil Sharp collection]. It’s a dark song here and she did what was second nature to the Watersons in their heyday, transforming the tune by altering just a couple of notes. Similarly, but this time rhythmically, she also tweaked (ever so slightly) the tune of The Outlandish Knight as found in The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs. This most mysterious of songs has haunted her for years ever since she heard it (with a different melody) from the great Shropshire singer, Fred Jordan. Mysterious in a different way is how it can be that so old and so widespread a song should, wherever it is found, display so very little variation as far as the words are concerned.

Tom Gilfellon sang The Outlandish Knight in 1972 on his Trailer album Loving Mad Tom. He noted:

A favourite, if ever there was one, of today’s folk singers, judging by the numbers who have recorded it. I make no apologies for joining the ranks. A.L. Lloyd in his admirable notes to the song in the Penguin Book sees the knight as a water sprite, bent on carrying a mortal bride off to his underwater domain. Collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams in South Walsham, Norfolk from a Mr. Hilton in 1908.

Mary Ann Haynes sang this ballad as The Young Officer in a recording made by Mike Yates in her home in Brighton, Sussex in December 1972. It was published in 1975 on the Topic album Songs of the Open Road and in 1998 on the Topic anthology My Father’s the King of the Gypsies (The Voice of the People Series Volume 11). Mike Yates noted:

The ballad of Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight, to use Professor Child’s title, has often been collected from gypsies. Most versions stem from the broadside issued in the early 1800s by John Pitts of London, although the story was old when Pitts first issued his sheet. Recent research links the ballad with Saint Ladislas, an 11^th century King of Hungary, who is depicted in medieval church frescoes lying asleep beneath a tree in whose branches hang the severed heads of his previous victims. His would-be victim, who is depicted delousing his hair, is forewarned of her impending fate when she glances upwards seeing not only the severed heads, but also the King’s concealed weapons. Elsewhere in Europe representations show not Ladislas but a Tartar or Scythian warrior, suggesting that the ballad’s origin is buried even deeper in ancient history.

The Broadside from Grimsby sang Outlandish Knight in 1973 on their Topic album of songs and ballads collected in Lincolnshire, The Moon Shone Bright. Patrick O’Shaughnessy noted:

Also from [the singing of] Luke Stanley [of Barrow-on-Humber], 1967.

An ancient and widespread ballad. Most singers with any repertoire had a version. B.H. Bronson gives 149 sets. A.L. Lloyd states that 250 versions have been collected in Germany, 80 in Poland, 60-odd from France and French Canada, and about 50 from Hungary, etc. Professor Child draws attention to the ballad’s affinity with the Bluebeard story. Luke’s tune belongs to the vast Villikins and His Dinah family.

Bill Cassidy sang this ballad as Pretty Polly to Jim Carroll and Pat Mackenzie in August 1973 and/or June 1965. This track was included in 1986 on the EFDSS cassette Early in the Month of Spring that was reissued in 2003 as part of the Musical Traditions anthology of songs of Irish travellers in England, From Puck to Appleby. Jim Carroll and Pat Mackenzie noted:

The ballad of Lady Isobel and the Elf Knight has been found in various forms throughout Europe, the earliest printed text being from a German broadside dated 1550.

A.L. Lloyd in Folk Song in England, linked the story to an engraving on a sword scabbard dated 300 BC, which is now in The Leningrad (St Petersburg) Museum. It certainly seems to have caught the imagination of traditional singers, many versions having appeared throughout England and Scotland, though it seems not to be particularly widespread in Ireland. Sam Henry had it as The King of Spain’s Daughter from William Hegarty of Ballydevitt in Co Derry and, more recently, Cornelius ‘Corney’ McDaid of Buncrana, Co Donegal, sang a very full version as False Lover John. We recorded it in full and in part, from half a dozen Irish Travellers. Tom Munnelly obtained a version very similar to Bill’s from another Traveller, Jim Cassidy, who is possibly Bill’s brother (see Folk Music Journal 1975, p17).

Bill said that he learned the song from his parents who both had it.

Spriguns sang Outlandish Knight in 1976 on their Decca album Revel Weird and Wild.

Michael Cooney sang Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight at the Philadelphia Folk Festival 1977.

Charlotte Renals of the West Country travelling families, the Orchards, sang A Man From the North (The Outlandish Knight) in a recording made by Pete Coe in 1978. It was released in 2003 on the Veteran CD of songs from Cornish travellers, Catch Me If You Can. Mike Yates noted:

Scholars call this The Outlandish Knight and it can be traced directly to a German broadside of c.1550, although it was known as a tale long before that date. In many European versions of the ballad there is an episode that has all but vanished from our present story. As the eloping couple reach the waterside, the man persuades the girl to stop beneath a tree. She is asked not to look up into the tree’s branches, but is asked, instead, to de-louse the man’s hair. As she is complying, she glances up into the branches where she sees the severed heads of his previous victims. Thus warned, she is able to outsmart her would-be murderer. This scene is also depicted on wall-paintings in a number of medieval churches in parts of eastern Europe (especially in Hungary and Slovakia), where the man is either depicted as St. Ladislas, an 11^th century King of Hungary, or else as a Tartar or Scythian warrior. Scholars now believe that the story probably originated in the Steppes of Russia or Mongolia, long before the birth of Christ, and one image of the de-lousing scene, preserved as part of the design of a gold-plated sword scabbard and dated to c.300 BC, is now housed in Russia’s Hermitage Museum. Most recently collected versions of the ballad stem, indirectly, from a broadside published in London by John Pitts during the first quarter of the nineteenth century.

Charlotte Renals’ nephew Vic Legg sang The Outlandish Knight in 1994 on the Veteran cassette I’ve Come to Sing a Song: Cornish Family Songs that was reissued on CD in 2000.

Bill Smith sang Six Pretty Maids in a 27 May 1979 recording made by his son Andrew Smith on his 2011 Musical Traditions anthology A Country Life. Rod Stradling noted:

Learned from Francis Lee, landlord of the Tally Ho!. Bill insisted that it was ‘Allen smock’ but sang ‘Hallen’. Midway perhaps, between Allen and Holland, or a southern English aspiration has crept in? Fred Jordan called his now-well-known version, like Bill, Six Pretty Maids.

Bill knew the “Light off, light off…” verse but missed it on this occasion. He did not recognise the often-used first verse “An outlandish knight from the north land came…” or the last verses “The king he sat up in his chamber so high…” etc.

As The Outlandish Knight, not to mention a host of other titles, this ballad is exceptionally well-known all over the Anglophone world; Roud has 708 examples cited. It was frequently found in England and Scotland, but less so in Ireland.

Frankie Armstrong sang The Outlandish Knight in 1980 on her album And the Music Plays So Grand. She noted:

This is a very widespread ballad, indicated by it’s being number four in the Child collection. Versions have been found all over Europe, including Scandinavia. While it is found in many old collections it’s also widely found on the lips of country singers today. Obviously its blend of the mythic and the farcical appeals as much today as it ever did. The tune used here has been pinched from a beautiful version of The Demon Lover from Scotland, called James Harris.

Tim Laycock sang The Outlandish Knight in 1980 on his Greenwich Village album Capers & Rhymes. He noted:

The weird story of the Outlandish Knight has always intrigued me since I first heard Peter Colman’s Norfolk version. This set was collected by Baring-Gould from James Masters of Bradstone [VWML SBG/3/1/560] ; I learnt it from a recording of Cyril Tawney.

Jim Eldon sang this ballad as Six Pretty Maids on his 1984 album I Wish There Was No Prisons.

Cornelius ‘Corney’ McDaid, b.1912, retired church caretaker, sang False Lover John to Tom Munnelly in the home of Jim McBride, Buncrana, Co Donegal, on 17 May 1984. This recording was included in 1985 on the Folk Music Society of Ireland anthology Early Ballads in Ireland 1968-1985, reissued on CD in 2015 by An Goílín.

John Roberts and Tony Barrand sang The Outlandish Knight in 1992 on their Golden Hind album A Present From the Gentlemen. They noted:

The Outlandish Knight is a Lincolnshire variant, found more recently, in 1957. It is in Patrick O’Shaughnessy’s More Folk Songs From Lincolnshire.

Julie Murphy sang The Outlandish Knight in 1995 on The Mellstock Band’s Saydisc album Songs of Thomas Hardy’s Wessex. They noted:

Source: Tune-Hammond, D.850, from Joseph Fauntnoy, Corscombe, n.d., no words.
Words - v.l from Hammond, D.212, Piddlehinton. Rest of words Folk-Songs of the Upper Thames, Alfred Williams, 1913, collated with Hardy’s notes and quotations from this song. Hardy suggested that this be included in an early dramatised version of Tess of the D’Urbervilles.

Kevin Mitchell sang False Lover John in 1996 on his Greentrax CD I Sang That Sweet Refrain. A 1979 live recording from the Sidmouth International Festival was included in 2004 on the anthology Folk Festival Sidmouth. Another recording was included in 2001 on his and Ellen Mitchell’s Musical Tradition anthology Have a Drop Mair. Rod Stradling noted:

Kevin: An excellent version of The Outlandish Knight from the singing of Corney McDaid, of Inishowen, Co Donegal. Corney sang this song to me at a singing session in the Excelsior Bar, Buncrana.

As The Outlandish Knight, not to mention a host of other titles, this ballad is exceptionally well-known all over the Anglophone world; Roud has 578 examples cited. It was frequently found in England and Scotland, but less so in Ireland; indeed it has only been recorded twice from the Irish oral tradition. The only instance of the ballad under this present title was collected from Corney McDaid of Cockhill, Co Donegal, by Jimmy McBride and Jim McFarland. Among vast range of titles used, many of the Irish ones and quite a lot of the older ones, include the name of May Colvin (as in May Colven in Child or May Colvine and Fause Sir John in Bronson)—one may assume the Corney’s Michalín is derived from her.

Sìleas sang May Colvin, “a variant of Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight,” in 1996 on their Greentrax CD Play on Light.

Steeleye Span’s recorded this song as The Elf-Knight in 1996 for their album Time. A live recording from St. David’s Hall, Cardiff on 6 December 1994 was released on their 25^th anniversary tour video, 25 Live. Another live recording from The Forum, London on 2 September 1995 was released on the CD The Journey. They noted on the original album:

A simple but vivid story, this ballad evokes many powerful images—a hazy afternoon in late June when the roses are full blown—Lady Isabel sitting alone in a castle room, with a shaft of sunlight playing on the tapestry that she is weaving—somewhere out there, beyond this world and the “fields we know,” the elf-knight sits, arrogant, dark and brooding. He blows his horn and enchants her—she breathes a wish for him—in an instant he has broken through the barrier—two worlds collide, reality and fantasy, good and evil …

Julie Henigan sang The Streets of Derry on her 1997 CD American Stranger (an extended reissue of her 1993 cassette). She noted:

An Arkansas version of a ballad Child said was more widespread than any other of the songs in his collection. The appeal of the story for women, the primary carriers of the ballad tradition, is not far to seek: Bluebeard gets his just reward, thanks to the resourceful heroine, who fools her father in the bargain. From the Max Hunter Collection.

Chris Bartram sang Six Pretty Maids in 1998 on his and Keith Holloway’s WildGoose CD From the Vale. He noted:

Travelling around the pubs with my fiddle in the 1960s produced some interesting results. Sometimes it was literally, “Thanks very much, but would you leave now,” or else people would start to sing! It was one night in Uffington, I forgot in which pub, when everything was just right and somebody sang Six Pretty Maids. The following morning was still in my head and it’s been there ever since.

Moira Craig sang May Colvin on her 2000 album On ae Bonny Day. She noted:

The version I originally found of this said it was “an old ballad adapted for singing”. I realised it was a version of the Outlandish Knight despite having no cat or parrot. I then discovered a much fuller version in a little book called Bibliotheca Curiosa. I have added a few more verses from this that I hadn’t come across before. (Still no cat or parrot!). This is also known as Lady Isobel and the Elf Knight.

Tony Cuffe recorded The Water o Wearie’s Well (Child 4B) in Arlington, Mass., in 2001. This track was released in 2003 on his posthumous Greentrax album Sae Will We Yet. Stuart Eydmann noted:

A song from Peter Buchan’s Ancient Ballads and Songs of the North of Scotland (Edinburgh. 1828) given a new and appropriately Gothic tune and arrangement. The Harvard scholar Francis James Child (1825-1896) records it as a variant of Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight which has parallels in other European traditions. Wearie’s Well is in Edinburgh in the park of the Royal Palace of Holyroodhouse which dates back to the fourteenth century. The piece opens with the sound of wind blowing through the strings of Tony’s harp.

Alison McMorland sang May Colvin in 2003 on her and Geordie McIntyre’s Tradition Bearers album Ballad Tree. They noted:

This tale is well known in the English-speaking world with relatives in every comer of Europe. Bert Lloyd comments that the story is straightforward enough apart from the detail of the parrot which is “merely a rationalisation of the magical talking birds of folklore”. Alison applauds the quick wit and determination of the heroine. She uses the Child ‘C’ text taken from the David Herd mss. The tune appeared in The Scots Musical Museum (1787-1803).

Brian Peters sang The Outlandish Knight in 2003 on his CD Different Tongues. He noted:

I’d been looking for years for the right version of that strange and ancient ballad The Outlandish Knight—such a favourite with English country singers—when I happened to shove into my in-car cassette player an old tape called Early in the Month of Spring featuring Irish travellers encamped under a London flyover when folksong collectors came to call in the 1970s. The version sung by Bill Cassidy was so beautiful, spacious and mysterious that I was quite transported by it as I  blazed up the M6 at three in the morning, and I decided to sing it more or less as he did. You can find the original on the Musical Traditions CD From Puck to Appleby.

John Spiers and Jon Boden recorded The Outlandish Knight with Martin Carthy’s melody from Shearwater for their 2003 duo album Bellow, and sang it with Bellowhead in 2006 on their CD Burlesque. And Jon Boden sang it unaccompanied as the 3 May 2011 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day. They noted on the first CD:

The first of two songs [besides Brown Adam] on the album that owe their melody to the great Martin Carthy. A cautionary tale—remember girls if a strange bloke playing the trumpet jumps through your window in the middle of the night and asks you out on a date—just say no.

Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman sang this ballad as The Willow Tree in 2003 on their album 2.. They recorded it again for their 2020 album On Reflection.

Cara took a version of this ballad called False Sir John from B.H. Bronson’s The Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads, changed the verses somewhat and wrote a new melody. They recorded it as Sir John for their 2004 CD, In Colour.

Pete Coe sang The Outlandish Knight in 2004 on his CD In Paper Houses. He noted:

I first heard Fred Jordan sing his version of this ballad in the ’60s and I always asked him to sing it for me. This version was collected by Frank Kidson from Charles Lolley and I eventually got to sing it to Fred. There are related stories and versions of this tale found throughout Asia and Europe and the earliest illustration dates back to 300 BC.

Chris Foster sang The False Hearted Knight in 2004 on his Tradition Bearers CD Jewels.

Roger Grimes sang The Outlandish Knight, one of the songs sung at the Golden Fleece in Stroud in the early 2000s, on the Musical Traditions anthology Songs From the Golden Fleece, published in 2005. The actual recording was made in Rod and Danny Stradling’s kitchen to prevent intrusions of staff, other customers and noise from the bars. Grimes noted:

Probably my all-time favourite song. It’s got everything; great story, the magical time period, the parrot, sickle and a wonderful tune.

Originally from the Penguin Book of English Folk Songs. (sung by Mr Hilton of South Walsham, Norfolk) and unconsciously altered over the course of thirty five odd years.

James Raynard sang The Outlandish Knight on his 2005 album Strange Histories. He noted:

I had known The Outlandish Knight in several incarnations for years and had always wanted to sing it. I got what I wanted when the words, pretty much as they appear in Child, successfully merged with an anonymous medieval tune for which I had been desperate to find words.

Gordon Hall sang The Outlandish Knight on his and his mother Mabs Hall’s 2008 Veteran anthology As I Went Down to Horsham.

Angus Mohr, a Denver-based band featuring “a hard-rock sound focused around traditional Celtic rhythms and pipes”, learned Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight from Steeleye Span’s version. They sang it in 2008 on their album Symphony From the Ghost Ship.

Emily Smith sang May Colven on her 2008 album Too Long Away.

Cath and Phil Tyler sang Castle by the Sea in 2009 on their album The Hind Wheels of Bad Luck. They noted:

Castle by the Sea and the words for Imaginary Trouble are from the singing of Lena Bourne Fish in the Anne and Frank Warner collection.

Karan Casey and John Doyle sang False Lover John in 2010 on their Compass album Exiles Return. Karan Casey noted:

Áine Ó Ceallaigh from Ring sang me this song years ago. It’s an unusual version of this well-known song and I love the extra quirky bits in the line “clear silvery light of the moon”.

Rosie Hood sang The Outlandish Knight in 2011 on her eponymous EP Rosie Hood. She used the verses collected from the singing of Edward Warren, South Marston, Wiltshire, by Alfred Williams, who reported that the song was “very popular throughout the Thames Valley.”

Alasdair Roberts with Olivia Chaney sang False Lover John in 2011 on Concerto Caledonia’s CD Revenge of the Folksingers. Roberts noted:

I heard this sung by Kevin Mitchell on Have a Drop Mair by Kevin & Ellen Mitchell. According to the booklet notes, Kevin learnt it from the singing of Corney McDaid of Inishowen, Co Donegal, at a singing session in the Excelsior Bar, Buncrana in the late 1960s.

Sam Lee sang Northlands in 2012 on his Nest Collective album Ground of Its Own. He noted:

A mighty ballad of betrayal and survival set by the shores of The Northland.

Learned initially from a recording of Bill Cassidy. I have since spent many hours in the company of this fine family of Irish Travellers who bring a passion to their songs one rarely hears elsewhere. Thank you Andy, Eileen, Patrick, Andy Jnr, Jimmy, Paddy and the whole clan for all I have learned from you. You certainly are Travellers with Talent.

Lauren McCormick sang Lady Isobel in 2012 on her WildGoose CD On Bluestockings. She noted:

This is taken from Child 4, version A. I found the tune in the Take 6 archive, in the Gardiner collection. Gardiner collected it from one Charles Bull Snr. in Marchwood, Hampshire on 12 June 1907 [VWML GG/1/11/683] , for those of you interested in such things. He sang it to a version of the Outlandish Knight, also Child 4. Huge thanks to EFDSS for such an amazing resource.

Andy Turner learned The Outlandish Knight from Fred Hamer’s book Garners Gay. He sang it as the 4 March 2012 entry of his project A Folk Song a Week.

Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker sang The Outlandish Knight on the 2013 anthology of songs and tunes from the Leigh Folk Festival, Sportsmen, Seafarers, Scumbags & Psychos. This track was also included in 2017 on the festival’s 25^th anniversary album, Dog Days, Devil Fish & Darkest England.

Gavin Davenport sang Castle by the Sea in 2013 on his Haystack CD The Bone Orchard. He noted:

I learned this from Cath Tyler, and this distressingly cheerful serial killer ballad comes from the singing of Lena Bourke Fish via the Frank & Anne Warner Collection. It’s a short, chirpy version of The Outlandish Knight.

Rosaleen Gregory sang False Sir John in 2013 on her second album of Child ballads, Serpent’s Knee. She noted:

An Appalachian version of this story of a woman’s successful escape from a serial killer.

Bella Hardy sang The Seventh Girl on her 2013 CD Battleplan. She noted:

My version of Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight, or The Outlandish Knight (Child 4, Roud 21).

Paul and Liz Davenport sang Seven King’s Daughters in 2014 on their Hallamshire Traditions album Wait for No Man. They noted:

This unusual version of The Outlandish Knight is from Virginia in the USA. It is a terse and fairly brutal telling of this tale of seduction and betrayal. Its oddity lies in the lack of the parrot found in other versions, and in the remorse of the girl. We suspect that the reason for this version being as it is, lies in the fact that the singer was an African-American. The West African folk tradition often displays discomfort with speaking birds such as parrots, as the belief is held that the bird speaks with the voice of the dead. This is, of course, true when a talking parrot’s owner is deceased. Spooky!

Kate Rusby sang The Elfin Knight in 2014 on her CD Ghost. She also wrote a similarly-themed song with the same name, The Elfin Knight, which she sang on her 2005 CD The Girl Who Couldn’t Fly, on her 2008 EP Who Knows Where the Time Goes?, and on her 2012 anniversary album Twenty.

Tim Eriksen sang Castle by the Sea in 2015 on his and Eliza Carthy’s Navigator CD Bottle. He noted:

This comes from Lena Bourne Fish of East Jaffray, New Hampshire, who knew more old songs that just about anyone and published her own, hand typed, fanzine, containing recipes, aphorisms and songs, including gems of her own composition like Take an Aspirin, a sardonic take on novel and simplistic answers offered for the world’s persistent problems. Not a lot of castle around Jaffray, as far as I’ve seen, but the song rings true nevertheless.

Alice Jones sang The Castle by the Sea on her 2016 CD Poor Strange Girl. She noted:

This is another song from the Frank and Anne Warner book. It was collected from Lena Bourne Fish in 1940. I love this song because the woman gains the upper hand!

Kirsty Merryn sang The Outlandish Knight to her own piano accompaniment on her 2016 download single The Outlandish Night. She recorded it again in 2020 with slightly different lyrics and with additional guitar and synthesiser accompaniment for her album Our Bright Night.

Alex Cumming sang Lady Isabel and the Elfen Knight on his 2017 EP Short Sharp Show, and he and Nicola Beazley sang Lady Isabel on their 2020 EP Live in Toronto, He noted on the first album:

Collected by Olive Dame Campbell from Elizabeth Coit in Amherst, Massachusetts. Campbell was from Medford, MA and was married to John C. Campbell and later set up the John C. Campbell Folk Camp in tribute to him. She co-published English Folk Songs From the Southern Appalachians with Cecil Sharp in 1917.

Will Noble sang The Outlandish Knight on his 2017 Veteran CD It’s Gritstone for Me. Brian Peters and John Howson noted:

An old ballad (Child 4) very popular with English traditional singers over many years. Will had it from Fred Jordan, who encouraged his singing and became a cherished friend: “I spent a lot of time with Fred ad various events and heard him sing it so many times that I found I knew it.” Those with fond memories of the Shropshire man’s rendition of the ballad will enjoy the moment at which Will channels Fred’s characteristic aside!

Greg Russell sang Bold Knight in 2017 on his Fellside album Inclined to Be Red. He noted:

There’s a load of bold, outlandish, weird knights, blacksmiths and other rogues in traditional song. In this song’s offering to that custom, he gets his fair ending. The words I found in the Penguin Book of English Folk Songs, which has contributed a song to each of the three records I’ve done to date with Ciaran Algar. I took the opening riff for this from a version by the late Bert Lloyd and built the first half of the melody around that. Professor Child had it as no. 4 in his ballad collection (part of the ’Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight family of songs).

Rachael McShane sang Lady Isabel in 2018 on her Topic album with The Cartographers, When All Is Still. She noted:

A version of The Outlandish Knight (which I always loved playing in Bellowhead), Lady Isabel is a song about a serial killer who gets all he deserves in the end.

I found this version in Alan Lomax’s The Folk Songs of North America. There was much discussion when we arranged this song about whether to keep the parrot verses. Matthew [Ord] was initially anti-parrot but in the end the parrot prevailed, after all how often do you find a song that ends in the bribery of a sentient parrot?

Lisa O’Neill sang Along the North Strand in 2018 on her River Lea album Heard a Long Gone Song. She noted:

With the help of Alan Woods in the Irish Traditional Music Archive, we came across a recording of an Irish Traveller woman named Kitty Cassidy singing this spectacular murder ballad. I’d like to note that during recording this particular take, I neglected to sing a line in verse twelve which goes “hold your tongue hold your tongue Pretty Polly”.

The Askew Sisters sang Castle by the Sea on their 2019 CD Enclosure. They noted:

We love the text of this unusual version of Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight for its striking and wild imagery, which echoes the darkness of the woman’s plight in the song. It was collected by Frank and Anne Warner from Lena Bourne Fish in East Jaffrey, New Hampshire in 1940 [VWML RoudFS/S140510] , when she was in her sixties. Lena (often known as Grammy Fish), had inherited an immense song repertoire that had been kept in her family for more than two hundred years. It’s not uncommon for dark ballads to have unexpectedly jolly tunes; we experimented with setting this one to a more modal melody, but it firmly wanted to stick with the traditional tune, so we stopped messing with it and let it be!

Rachel Newton sang The Early Morning on her 2020 album To the Awe. She noted:

Lyrics based on the ballad The False-Hearted Knight, a variation of Child ballad #4 Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight from Barry, Eckstorm and Smyth’s collection British Ballads From Maine, sung by Mrs. A.W. (Barry) Lindenberg, Shirley, Mass, 1922 [which is also in Bronson: The Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads, Child #4, version 22, p. 49-50].

Polly Paulusma sang Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight on her 2021 album of folk songs that influenced Angela Carter, Invisible Music. She noted:

In unpublished teaching notes housed in London’s British Library, Carter explains the interlinking threads between the ‘Bluebeard’ cycle of stories, which became the basis for her short story The Bloody Chamber, other folk tales such as Mr Fox and Fitchers’s Bird and this ballad, Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight (Child 4A). She writes, “the elf knight is erl-king and demon lover and he draws Lady Isabel to him by sexual enchantment—he sings ro her as he blows his horn”. Carter borrows the method for overcoming the Erl-King in her story from the ballad, where she noted that “the girl lulls the murderer’s suspicions by offering to delouse him”. In Child’s version she stabs him, in homage to Carter’s heroine, I have her strangle him instead.

Fourth Moon sang The Elf Knight on their 2022 album Odyssey.

Nick Hart sang The Outlandish Knight on his 2022 CD Nick Hart Sings Ten English Folk Songs. He noted:

The melody of this comes from Mary-Anne Haynes who, in her mesmerising version, recasts the villain of the story as a ‘Young Officer’. Wanting a few more verses however, I’ve used words from the marvellous Suffolk singer Jumbo Brightwell.

Michell, Pfeiffer & Kulesh sang May Colven on their 2024 album Flowers.

Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne sang The Outlandish Knight on his 2024 album of English Folk Song in the Caribbean and Black America, Play Up the Music!. He noted:

Child stated in English and Scottish Popular Ballads that “of all ballads this has perhaps obtained the widest circulation”. The ballad certainly has a long pedigree, with English and Scottish versions dating back to at least the mid-eighteenth century and analogues throughout Europe. This African American version is another song from Dorothy Scarborough’s On the Trail of Negro Folk-Songs. In the book, Scarborough gives a lengthy account of her experience collecting this song from an aged Black woman in South Waco, Texas, who was singing the song as a lullaby to her great-grandchild.

Lyrics

Lena Bourne Fish sings Castle by the Sea

“Arise, O arise, my lady fair,
For you my bride shall be,
And we will dwell in a sylvan bow’r
In my castle by the sea.”

And bring along your marriage fee,
Which you can claim today,
And also take your swiftest steeds,
The milk white and the grey.

The lady mounted her white steed,
He rode the turban grey.
They took the path by the wild sea shore,
Or so I’ve heard them say.

As she saw the walls of the castle high
That looked so black and cold,
She wished she’d remained in Boston town
With her ten thousand pounds in gold.

He halted by the wild sea shore,
“My bride you shall never be!
For six fair maidens I have drowned here
The seventh you shall be.”

“Take off, take off, your scarlet robes,
And lay them down by me.
They are too rich and too costly
To rot in the briny sea.”

“Then turn your face to the water’s side,
And your back to yonder tree.
For it is a disgrace for any man
An unclothed woman to see.”

He turned his face to the water’s side,
And his back to the lofty tree.
The lady took him in her arms,
And flung him into the sea.

“Lie there, lie there, you false young man,
And drown in place of me.
If six fair maidens you drowned here,
Go keep them company.”

She then did mount her milk white steed,
And led the turban grey.
And rode until she came to Boston town
Two hours before it was day.

Jumbo Brightwell sings The False-Hearted Knight

[Philip Lumpkin] Up, ladies and gentlemen please, Jumbo is just going to give us The False-Hearted Knight if you don’t mind please.

Now it’s of a false knight who came from Northland,
He came a courting me,
He promised top take me down to the northland
And there his bride make me.

So come give me some of your mothers gold
And some of your fathers fee,
And two of the best horses out of her stable
Where there stand by thirty and three.

So she mounted upon her milk white steed
And he on his dapple and grey,
And away they did ride to the great waterside
So early before it was day.

“Jump you off, jump you off that milk white steed
And deliver it unto me,
For six pretty fair maids I have drownded in here
And the seventh one you shall be.

“Take off take off that silken gown
And lay it upon yon stone,
For I think it’s too rich and I think it’s to rare
To rot all in the salt sea.”

“Then if I must take off my silken gown
Then turn your back upon me,
For I don’t think it fit that a villain like you
A naked woman should see.

“And stoke you down and cut that briar
That hangs so near that brim,
For in case it should tangle my golden clothes o’er
And tear my lily white skin.”

Then she gave him a push and a hearty push
And she pushed that false knight in,
Crying, “Lie in there you false hearted knight,
Lie in there instead of me,
For if six pretty fair maids you have drowned in here
The seventh one hath drowned you.”

So she mounted upon the milk white steed
And she’s led his dapple and grey,
And away she did ride to her father’s own hall
Two hours before it was day.

The old parrot was up in the window high
And he cried aloud and did say,
“I’m afraid that some villian came here last night
And have carried my lady away.”

Her father he was not so sound asleep
And he heard what that bird did say,
And he crieth, “What waketh my pretty parrot
Hours before it was day?”

“Why the old cat it was up in that window high
And that cat he wouldn’t make play,
So loud did I cry that helped to deny
To drive that cat away.”

“Well done, well done my pretty Polly,
No tales will you tell on me.
Thy cage shall be made of that bright beaten gold
And a door of white ivory.”

Fred Jordan sings Six Pretty Maids

It’s of a young fellow from the North Counteree
And he came alluding to me.
He promised he’d take me up to the North Land
And there he’d marry me.

“Come bring to me your father’s gold
And your mother’s wealth”, said he,
“And the two best horses that stands in the stalls
Where there stands thirty and three.”

So she brought him out her father’s gold,
And her mother’s wealth brought she,
And the two best horses that stood in the stalls,
Where there stood thirty and three.

She mounted on a milk-white steed,
Him on a dapple grey;
Many miles they rode till they reached the seaside,
Just as it was breaking a day.

“Come light, come light from off your steed,
Deliver him now unto me.
For six pretty fair maids I have drownded here,
The seventh one you shall be.

“Come strip me off your fine silken clothes
And all your jewels”, said he,
“For better I sell them for what they are worth
Than they rot with you under the sea.”

“Oh stay, oh stay, you false-hearted man,
And turn your head”, said she,
“For not fitting it is that a ruffian like you
A naked lady should see.”

So he turned his head while she undressed
To where the leaves grow green,
She caught him by the small of the waist
And she flung him into the sea.

He plung-ed high, he plung-ed low,
And at last the side reached he.
“Oh save my life, my pretty fair maid,
And my bride you shall be.”

“Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted man,
Lie there instead of me.
For if six pretty fair maids you have drownded here,
The seventh one has drownded thee.”

So she mounted on her milk-white steed
And she led his dapple grey,
And she rode until she reached her own house
Just as it was breaking the day.

Now, the parrot that was in the window so high
Looked out as he saw her ride by;
“Oh where hast thou been, thou wilful child?
Some ruffian has led thee astray.”

“Don’t prittle, don’t prattle, my pretty Polly,
And tell no tales on me.
And thy cage shall be made of the glittering gold,
The door of the best ivory.”

“Why shout so loud, my pretty Polly,
So loud and so early, Polly?”
“Oh the cat has climbed up in the window so high;
And I fear that he will have me.”

“Well done, well done, my pretty Polly,
You’ve changed your tale well for me.
So thy cage shall be made of the glittering gold,
And the door of the best ivory.”

A.L. Lloyd sings The Outlandish Knight

An outlandish knight from the north lands came,
And he came wooing of me;
And he told me he’d take me to that northern land,
And there he would marry me.

Well, she mounted on her lily-white horse,
And he upon the grey.
And away they did ride to the fair river side,
Three hours before it was day.

He says, “Unlight, unlight, my little Polly,
Unlight, unlight,” cries he,
“For six pretty maids I’ve drowned here before,
And the seventh thou art to be.”

She said, “Go get a sickle to crop the thistle
That grows beside the brim,
That it may not mingle with my curly locks
Nor harm my lily-white skin.”

So he got a sickle to crop the thistle
That grew beside the brim,
And she catched him around the middle so small,
And tumbled him into the stream.

Then she mounted on her lily-white horse,
And she did ride away,
And she arrived at her father’s door
Three hours before it was day.

Now the parrot being in the window so high;
A-hearing the lady, he did say,
“I’m afraid that some ruffian have led you astray,
That you’ve tarried so long away.”

“Don’t prittle, don’t prattle, my pretty Polly,
Nor tell no tales of me,
And your cage shall be of the glittering gold,
And your perch of the best ivory.”

Now the master being in the bedroom so high,
A-hearing that parrot, he did say,
“What’s the matter with you, my pretty Polly,
You’re prattling so long before day?”

“There came an old cat on the top of my cage,
To take my sweet life away,
I was just calling on my young mistress,
To drive that old puss away.”

Sam Larner sings The Outlandish Knight

A rich man from the north lands came,
He came a-viewing me.
He promised he’d take me to the north lands,
And there he’d marry me,
There he would marry me,
He promised he’d take me to the north lands,
And there he’d marry me.

“Now go and fetch me some of your father’s gold
And some of your mother’s fee,
Two of the best nags from out the stable,
Where there stood thirty and three,
Ehere there stood thirty and three,
Two of the best nags from out the stable,
Where there stood thirty and three.”

Now, she mounted on a milky-white steed,
And he on the iron-grey,
They rode ’til they come to the sea side,
Three hours before it was day,
Three hours before it was day.
They rode ’til they come to the sea side,
Three hours before it was day.

“Pull off, pull off, your silken gown,
And deliver unto me,
For six pretty maids have I drownded here;
And the seventh then you will be,
And the seventh then you will be.
For six pretty maids have I drownded here;
And the seventh then you will be.”

“Now, if I’ve to take off my clothes,
Pray turn your back on me,
For it isn’t fit for a rogue like you
A naked woman to see,
A naked woman to see.
It isn’t fit for a rogue like you
A naked woman to see.”

Now, when he turned her back on her;
She plunged him in the sea.
He cried, “Oh help me, help my dear
I’m sinking beneath the sea.”
“Lay there, lay there, you wicked man;
Lay there, instead of me.
For six pretty maidens have you drownded here;
But the seventh have drownded thee.”

And, she mounted on her milky-white steed,
And leading the iron-grey,
She rode ’til she came to her own Father’s hall,
Three hours before it was day,
Three hours before it was day.
She rode ’til she came to her own Father’s hall,
Three hours before it was day.

Hockey Feltwell sings The Outlandish Knight

There came a man from a far off land,
He came a-courting me,
And he promised to take me to some far off land,
And there he would marry me.

He said, “Fetch me some of your father’s gold,
Some of your mother’s freeze (food?).
And two of the best horses out of the stable,
Where there stood thirty and three.”

Now he jumped on a white milk horse.
She on a nether dapple grey,
For six pretty maidens he has drowned there,
The seventh thee should be.

He says, “Pull off your silk white gown,
And deliver it unto me,
For six pretty maidens I have drown here,
The seventh thou shall be.”

She said, “I shall not pull off my silk white gown,
Nor deliver it unto you,
It’s not fitting for a man to see a woman stark naked,
Nor a man to see a woman.”

She plunged him into the water,
She plunged him into the sea.
She says, “Lay there you false hearted man.
Lay there instead of me.”

Now she jumped on that white milk horse,
Tied the poor nether grey.
She rode ’til she came to her father’s house,
Three hours before it was day.

“Oh father, dear father tell no tale.
Please tell no tales on me.
For six pretty maidens he has drowned there,
And the seventh she should be.”

May Bradley sings The Outlandish Knight

Now it’s of a Turkey he came from the north land,
When he came alluded to me.
He told me he’d take me unto the north land
And there would married be.

“Come fetch me some of your father’s gold,
Some of your mother’s fees,
Two of the best horses out of the stable
Where there stand thirty ay three.”

Now she fetched him some of her father’s gold
And some of her mother’s fee,
Two of the best horses out of the stable
Where there stood thirty ay three.

Now she mounted on her milk white steed
And him on the dapple grey,
They rode ’til they came unto the seaside
So long before it was day.

“Light off, light off your milk white steed
And deliver that now unto thee.
For six pretty fair maids I have drownded here,
The seventh oh thou shall be.

“Pull off, pull off that fine silken gown
And deliver that now unto me.
I think it is looking too rich and too good
For to rot all in the salt sea.”

“Now if I am to pull off my fine silken gown,
Deliver it now unto thee
I don’t think it’s ruffing a fitting like you
(I don’t think it’s fitting a ruffian like you)
A naked woman should see.”

Now he turned hisself the other way
Watching those leaves growing green.
She caught him around his middle so small
And she tumbled him into the stream.

Now he plunged high and he plunged low
Until he came to the side,
“Take hold of my hand my pretty fair maid,
And I will make you my bride.”

“Lay there, lay there, you false hearted man,
Lay there instead of me.
If six pretty fair maids you have drownded here,
The seventh she has drownded thee.”

Now she mounted on her milk white steed,
She led the dapple grey.
She rode ’til she came to her own father’s home
So long before it was day.

Now the parrot being up in the window so high,
She heard the lady go by.
“Don’t prittle, nay prattle, my pretty Polly,
Don’t tell no tales on me,
And your cage will be made of the glittering gold
And the doors of the best ivory.”

Now the lady was up in her bedroom so high
Unto the parrot she said,
“Whatever’s the matter my pretty Polly,
You are prattling so long before day?”
“Now the cat she’s got up in the window so high
I’m afraid that she will have me.”

“Well done, well done my pretty Polly
You have changed your notes well for me
Now your cage will be made of the glittering gold
And the doors of the best ivory, ivory,
And the doors of the best ivory.”

Sarah Porter sings The Outlandish Knight

“Oh go and get me some of you mother’s money
And some of your father’s gold,
And two of the best nags from the stable
What they do stand thirty and three.”

He mounted on the chestnut bay
And she on the lily white grey
They rid til they came to the deep river side
Three hours before it was day.

“Oh, my pretty Polly,
Don’t tell no tales upon me
I have drowned six pretty maids drowned here
And the seventh one you shall be.”

“Oh, my pretty Polly,
Don’t tell no tales upon me
Your house shall be made of the best ivory,
And the gates of the glitters of gold.”

Cyril Tawney sings The Outlandish Knight

There was a rich nobleman I’ve heard tell
And he came a courting of me,
And he said, “We will ride, and ere we return
Then married we will be.”

She went into her father’s stable
She was gay as gay might be,
And she mounted upon her milk-white steed,
And the dapple grey rode he.

“Jump off! Jump off! I pray,” he said,
“And deliver your horse to me.
Six pretty maids have I drowned here,
And the seventh thou shalt be.

“Pull off, pull off, thy silken smock
And thy silken gown,” said he.
“Six pretty maids have I stripped here,
And the seventh thou shalt be.”

“Take up thy sickle and cut the nettle,
That grows on the water brim,
For fear it should stick in my gay gold locks
And should sting my milk-white skin.”

He took the sickle and cut the nettle
That grew on the water brim,
And she gave him a most cunning push,
And she speedily pushed him in.

“O help! O help! my fair pretty maid,
And today I will marry thee.”
“Lie there, lie there, thou false hearted knave,
Lie there and drown, said she.

“Lie there, lie there! thou false hearted knave,
Lie there and drown, said she
Six pretty maids hast thou drowned here,
And the seventh drowneth thee.”

Every leaf was oppress’d and she heard no sound,
Nor to lark nor thrush gave heed.
Nor the throstle did call in the whole of the tree
As she mounted her milk white steed.

And she mounted her on her milk-white steed
And she led the dapple grey,
And she rode till she came to her father’s hall
Just at the break of day.

“O where have you been, my fair pretty queen?”
The parrot he did say,
“That you have been out all in the night
And return before the day.”

“O hush! and O hush! my pretty parrot,
O say not a word,” said she,
“Thy cage it shall be of the beaten gold,
That was of the timbern tree.”

Then up and spake her father dear,
From the bed where on he lay,
“O what is the matter with my parrot
That he chatters before the day.”

“The cat came to my own cage-door
And threatenèd to kill me.
And I called aloud for help to come,
To come and deliver me.”

“Well turn’d, well turn’d my pretty parrot
Well turn’d, well turn’d said she.
Thy cage shall be made of shining gold,
That was of the timbern tree.”

Shirley Collins sings The Outlandish Knight

An outlandish knight from the north lands came,
He come a-courting me;
And he promised he’d take me into the north lands,
And there would marry me.

“Go fetch me some of your father’s gold,
Some of your mother’s fee,
And the two best horses that are in your yard,
Where there stands thirty and three.”

So she rode away on their milk-white steed,
He on the dapple grey,
And they rode till they come to the banks of the sea,
Three hours before it was day.

“Unlight, unlight, my pretty little girl,
Deliver that gold to me.
For six pretty maidens I have drownded here
And the seventh one you shall be.”

“But first take off your gown of silk,
Deliver it unto me,
For I think that it is too fine and too gay
To rot with you in the salt sea.”

“Turn around, turn around, you false young man,
Turn your face to the tree,
For it isn’t fit that a villain like you
A naked lady should see.”

So as he turned himself around,
Turning his face to the tree,
She’s grabbed him by the middle so small
And flung him into the sea.

“Lie there, lie there you false young man,
Lie there instead of me,
For if six pretty maidens you have drownded here
Then the seventh one has drowned thee.”

So she mounted on the lily-white horse,
Leading the dapple grey,
And she rode till she come to her father’s own door,
An hour before it was day.

Now the parrot being up in the window so high,
And hearing his mistress, did say,
“I’m afraid some ruffian had led you astray,
You tarried so long away.”

“Don’t prittle, don’t prattle my pretty Polly,
Nor tell no tales of me,
And your cage shall be of the glittering gold
And your perch of the best ivory.”

Now her father being up in his bedroom so high,
And hearing the parrot, did say,
“What’s the matter with you, my pretty Polly,
You’re prattling so long before day?”

“There come an old cat on the top of my cage,
To take my sweet life away,
And I was just calling for my young mistress
To chase that old puss away.”

Nic Jones sings The Outlandish Knight

And he’s followed her up, he’s followed her down,
And it’s into the room where she lay.
She hadn’t the strength for to flee from his arms
So they tumbled - to answer him nay.

“Rise up, rise up, my pretty Polly,
Rise up and go with me.
I will take you to North Scotland
And there you’ll married be.”

“Go fetch you a bag of your father’s gold,
Some of your mother’s fee.
Two fine horses out of the stable,
There stand thirty and three.”

So she’s lit upon her nimble-going brown
And he’s mounted the dapple grey.
When they come to North Scotland
It was just three hours till day.

“Light you down, light you down, my pretty Polly,
Light you down I say to thee.
Six King’s daughters have I drowned here
And the seventh will surely be thee.”

“And pull off, pull off your fine gay clothes,
Hang them on yonder tree.
For they are too fine and they cost too much
For to rot in the salt lake sea.”

“Then you get a sickle and you cut down the nettles
That grow so close to the brim.
For I fear to tangle me long yellow hair
And they’ll tear me lily-white skin.”

So he’s got a sickle and he’s cut down the nettles
That grow so close to the brim.
And she’s picked him up so skilfully
And she’s pushed the false knight in.

“Lie there, lie there me false young man,
Lie there in the room of me.
For six King’s daughters have you drowned there
And the seventh’s drowned thee.”

So she’s lit upon her nimble going brown,
And she’s led the dappled grey.
When she’s come to her father’s door
It was just three hours till day.

“Hush up, hush up me pretty Polly bird,
Don’t you tell tales of me.
Your cage will be made of the very beaten gold
And the door of the best ivory.”

But then up and spoke a fine young man
In the chamber where he lay,
“What’s the matter, what’s the matter with my pretty Polly bird,
You talking so long afore day?”

“Oh there’s two black cats at me cage and door,
My life they will betray.
And I’m just a-calling for me pretty Polly
For to drive the cats away.”

And he’s followed her up, he’s followed her down,
And it’s into the room where she lay.
She hadn’t the strength for to flee from his arms
So they tumbled - to answer him nay.

Martin Carthy sings The Outlandish Knight

Lady Margaret she sits in her bower sewing,
Baba and a lily-va,
When she saw the knight with his horn a-blowing,
On the very first morning of May.

“Oh would your lord would give to me rest,
And it’s baba and a lily-va,
And that young knight lay here on my breast,
On the very first morning of May.”

Now the lady she had these words scarce spoken,
And baba and a lily-va,
When in at her window the knight come a-jumping,
On the very first morning of May.

“Oh strange it is, oh strange, young woman,
And baba and a lily-va,
I can scarce blow my horn but I hear you a-calling,
On the very first morning of May.”

“Go get you gold from your father’s table,
Deliver it all unto me,
And the two fastest horses in your father’s stable,
Where there stand thirty and three.”

Now she’s mounted her up on the black, black horse,
And he’s rode on the dapple grey.
And they rode till they come to the broad seaside,
Just three hours before it was day.

“Light down, light down off your horse, ” he cries,
“And deliver him up unto me.
For it’s six pretty maids I have drowned here,
And the seventh one you shall be.”

“Take off, take off all your clothes,” he cries,
“And deliver them all unto me.
For they are too fine and costly robes
For to rot in the salt salt sea.”

“Light down, light down off your horse,” she cries,
“And turn your back unto me.
For it’s not fitting that any gentleman
A naked lady should see.”

So he’s lighted him down off his horse so high,
And he’s turned his back unto she,
And she’s catched him around his middle so small,
And she’s tumbled him all down in the sea.

Sometimes he sank, sometimes he swam,
And it’s baba and a lily-va,
“Oh help, oh help, o you pretty fair maid,
Or drownded I shall be.”

“Lie there, lie there, o you false young man,
Lie there instead of me,
For it’s six pretty maids you have drownded here,
And the seventh one have drownded thee.”

So she’s mounted her up on the black, black horse,
And she’s led the dapple grey,
And she’s rode till she come to her father’s yard
Just an hour before it was day.

And a parrot sitting up at his window so high,
And baba and a lily-va,
“Oh where have you been my pretty mistress,
So long before it is day.”

“Don’t you prittle, don’t you prattle, o my pretty Polly,
Don’t tell no tales on me,
And your cage shall be made of the finest glittering gold,
And your perch of the best ivory.”

And her father sitting up at his window so high,
And on hearing the parrot, he did say,
“Oh what is the matter, my pretty Polly,
That you cry so long before the day?”

“Oh there come a cat to my window so high,
And it’s baba and a lily-va,
And I was a-calling my pretty mistress,
Just to frighten that pussycat away.”

Mary Ann Haynes sings The Young Officer

There was a young officer from the North Camp,
And he runned into plight on me,
And he swore he would take me down by the seaside
He said, “Tonight I’ll make you my bride.

“Go and get me some of your father’s gold,
And some of your mother’s money;
And two of the very best horses he’s got,
A-tween fifty to forty to three.

“On horse, on horse, my fair pretty maid,
On horse, on horse”, cried he.
“Now all your riches in gold I must take away,
And your body shall flow in the sea.

“Now take me off your fine linen gown,
Now deliver it over to me.
’Cause I really do think that’s too rich and too good
For to rot all in the salt sea.

“Now take me off your fine holland stays,
Just deliver them over to me.
’Cause I really do think they’re too rich and too good
For to rot all in the salt sea.

“Now take me off your fine linen shift,
And deliver it over to me,
For I really do think that’s too rich and too good
For to rot all in the salt sea.”

She says, “If I am to take off my white linen shift
Will you please turn your back upon me,
For I really do think it’s an unfitting thing,
For a naked young woman to see.”

He turned his back on the fair pretty maid.
As he gazed at the waters so clear,
Oh she bundled him round her middle so sure
And she bundled him into the sea.

He swam-ed high and he swam-ed low.
He swam ’till he came to the side.
“Give me hold of your hand, my sweet pretty maid,
For this night I will make you my bride.”

(She says) “Lay there, lay there, you false-hearted man,
You lay there instead of me;
For it’s six pretty maidens you have drown-ed here –
And the seventh has drown-ed thee.”

Oh, she jumps on the milky white grey,
And she hold tight to the tabby old bay.
Oh, she rid till she come to her father’s own house,
One hour before it was day.

The parrot sat up in the window so high
Just to listen what she had to say.
He said, “Where have you been in some bad company,
Or have someone stole you away?”

“Don’t tittle, or tattle, my pretty Polly,
Don’t tell any tales upon me;
For your cage shall be built of the glitters in gold
And your door of the best ivory.”

Bill Cassidy sings Pretty Polly

This pretty young boy came from the North Strand,
And he came a-wooing to me,
And he promised he’d marry me down by the North Strand,
And there he’d marry me.

“If you get some of your mamma’s ould gold,
And get more of your daddy’s fee,
And get two the best horses he had in the stable,
Where there were thirty-three.”

Now she got up on her milk white steed,
And him on the dapple grey,
For she rode down by her own father’s hall door.
It was three long hours before day.

They rode down along ’til they come to the North Strand,
For to watch all th’ould waves going by.
“Get it down, get down, pretty Polly”, he said,
“Get it down, get down for me;
For it’s six little girls I have drownded here,
And you’ll be my seventh shall be.”

“Your silks and your satins, You must take them off,
And reliver them up unto me.”
“If it’s my silks and my satins I must take them off,
Please turn your back for me.”

He turned his back down for the North Strand,
For to watch all the waves a-going by.
When she caught him around by the middle so grand,
And she flung him right in to the deep.

Saying he swum high, and he swum low,
Until he swum to the sea shore.
Saying, “One hould to your hand, pretty Polly,” he said,
“Sure as sentence, I’ll make you my bride.”

Saying, “It’s stop where you are, you false hearted young man”,
Saying, “It’s stop where you are,” said she.
“For I think you been too big a blaggard
For a naked young woman like me.”

Now she gets up on her milk white steed,
And she lead the dapple grey.
For she rode back to her own father’s hall door,
It was three long hours before day.

“What ailed you, what ailed you?” the father he cried,
Saying, “What have you home before day?”
“Hold tongue, hold tongue, pretty Polly”, she said,
“Don’t tell any tales upon me,
And I’ll have your cage of a litter and gold
And your door of the grand ivory.”

Charlotte Renals sing A Man From the North (The Outlandish Knight)

There was a man come from the North land,
He came here one day unto me;
He said he would take me back to the North land,
And that’s where he would marry me, marry me,
That’s where he would marry me.

“You get me some of your mother’s food,
And some of your father’s gold;
And take me tonight to your father’s stable,
Where nags do stand thirty and three,
Where nags do stand thirty and three,
You take me tonight to your father’s stable
Where nags do stand thirty and three.”

I got him some of my mother’s food,
And some of my father’s gold;
I took him that night to my father’s stable,
Where nags do stand thirty and three.
Now tongue now tone my pretty Polly,
Now tongue now tone cried he,
Till he came down by the wide river side,
Those words that he shouted to me.

“Pull out, pull out my pretty Polly,
Pull out, pull out”, cried he;
“For six pretty maidens I have drowned here,
The seventh now you shall be,
The seventh now you shall be,
For six pretty maidens I have drowned here,
The seventh now you shall be.

“You take me off your rich silk gown,
And hand them over to me;
For it looks a pity such fine gowns as that,
To be rotted all in the salt sea, the salt sea,
To be rotted all in the salt sea.

“You turn your back to the facing of me,
In viewing those flowers so gay,
For it isn’t a-fitting such ruffian as you,
For a naked young woman to see.”
He turned his back to the facing of her,
In viewing those flowers so gay,
She put her arms around his waist,
And bundled him in the salt sea, the salt sea,
She bundled him in the salt sea.

“Oh, take me out my pretty Polly,
Oh, take me out,” cried he,
“Oh, take me out my pretty Polly,
My bride then you will be, will be,
My bride now you will be.”

“Lie there, lie there, you false hearted man,
Lie there in the place of me;
For six pretty maidens you have drowned here,
But the seventh have drownded thee,
The seventh have drownded thee,
For six pretty maidens you have drowned here,
But the seventh have drownded thee..

She mounted on her lily white steed,
An’ got hold of her dapple grey;
She got back to her father’s house,
Three hours before it was day;
“Now don’t you flitter, now flutter Polly,
Nor tell no tales on me,
Your cage shall be made of the glittering gold,
And your door of the best ivory,
Your door of the best ivory,
Your cage shall be made of the glittering gold,
And your door of the best ivory.”

Bill Smith sings Six Pretty Maids

“Go fetch me some of your father’s gold
And some of your mother’s fee,
And two of the best nags out of the stable
Where there stood thirty and three
Where there stood thirty and three.”

She fetched him some of her father’s gold
And some of her mother’s fee,
And two of the best nags out of the stable
Where there stood thirty and three,
Where there stood thirty and three.

She mounted on her milk white steed
And he on the dapple grey.
They rode ’til they came to the deep North Sea
Three hours before it was day,
Three hours before it was day.

“Light off, light off thy milk white steed
And deliver it unto me,
For six pretty maidens I have drownded here
And the seventh one you shall be,
And the seventh one you shall be.

“Now take off, take off thine Hallen smock
And deliver it unto me,
For I think its too rich and too good to rot
All in the deep North Sea,
All in the deep North Sea.”

“If I should take off mine Hallen smock
And deliver it unto thee,
You turn your back for a ruffian like you
Is not fit a naked woman to see,
A naked woman to see.”

He turned his back towards her
And gazed on the grass so green.
She caught him by his waist so small
And threw him right into the sea,
And threw him right into the sea.

He groupeth high, he groupeth low,
“Take hold of my hand”, he cried,
“Take hold of my hand, my pretty fair maid,
And I will make you my bride,
And I will make you my bride.”

“Lie there, lie there you false hearted man,
Lie there instead of me.
For six pretty maids you’ve drownded here
But the seventh had drownded thees,
And the seventh had drownded thee.”

She mounted on her milk white steed
And led the dapple grey,
She rode till she came to her father’s own home
Three hours before it was day,
Three hours before it was day.

The parrot being up in the window so high
And seeing the maiden did say,
“I’m afraid that some ruffian has led thee astray
That you tarry so long before day,
That you tarry so long before day.”

“Don’t prattle nor prattle, my pretty parrot,
Nor tell no tales on me.
For thy cage shall be made of the glitterin’ gold
And the door of the best ivory,
And the door of the best ivory.”

Frankie Armstrong sings The Outlandish Knight

An outlandish knight from the north lands came
And he came a-wooing me.
He promised he’d take me unto the northern lands
And there he’d marry me.

“Come fetch me some of your father’s gold
And some of your mother’s fee,
And two of the best horses in the stable
Where there stand thirty and three.”

He mounted on the milk white steed
And she on the dappled grey,
And they rode till they came to the salt water side
An hour before the day.

“Light off, light off your steed,” he said,
“And deliver it unto me.
For six pretty maidens I have drowned here
And you the seventh shall be.

“Take off, take off your Holland smock
And deliver it unto me.
For it is too fine and too rich a gear
To rot with you under the sea.”

“If I must take off my Holland smock
Then o turn your face from me.
For it is not fitting that such a ruffian
A naked lady should see.”

So he’s turned his face away from her,
To view the leaves so green.
And she’s catched him by the middle so small
And she’s tumbled him into the stream.

Well he swam high and he swam low
Till he’s come unto the side.
“Fetch hold of my hand, you pretty fair maid,
And I will make you my bride.”

“Lie there, lie there you false hearted man,
Lie there instead of me.
For if six pretty maidens you have drowned here
The seventh one hath drowned thee.”

She’s mounted on the milk white steed
And she’s led the dappled grey,
And she’s rode till she came to her own father’s hall
An hour before the day.

The parrot being up in the window so high
And hearing the lady did say,
“I’m afraid some ruffian has led you astray
That you’ve tarried so long away.”

“Don’t prittle, don’t prattle, my pretty Polly,
Nor tell any tales of me,
And your cage shall be made of the finest beaten gold
And the doors of the best ivory.”

The king being sat in the window so high,
And hearing the parrot did say,
“What makes you cry out, my pretty Polly,
So long before the day?”

“It’s no laughing matter,” the parrot he said,
“That makes me cry out to thee.
For the cat he climbed in the window so high
And I feared he would harm me.”

“Well done, well done, my pretty Polly,
You have tuned your notes well to me.
Now your cage shall be made of the finest beaten gold
And the doors of the best ivory, ivory,
And the doors of the best ivory.”

Corney McDaid sings False Lover John

O False Lover John he courted me
For every hour in the day,
He courted me unto such a degree
As 1 hadn’t one word to say.

“It’s take then of your father’s gold
And all your mother’s money,
And steal the keys of your father’s stable
Where (there’s) thirty steeds (and) three.”

She took then of her father’s gold
And all her mother’s money,
She stole the keys of her father’s stable
Where (there’s) thirty steeds and three.

They mounted on a white milk steed,
Rode on by the clear silver light of the moon.
And they rode on to the river bank
Where there they did get down.

“It’s lie you here, Miss Michaeleen,
This night along with me,
For here I drownded seven king’s daughters:
The eighth one shall be you.

“It’s take you off those lovely clothes
And leave them on dry land,
For they were too fine and costly
For to rot on the salt sea sand.”

“It’s turn you round, False John”, she says,
“And view the green leaves on the tree.”
When she clasped her arms round his body
And flung him into the sea.

“It’s lie you there, False John”, she says,
“An ill death you may die,
For you thought to drown me as I was born
And take my clothes away.”

“It’s reach me in your noble hand
And bring me to dry land.
And there’s not a vow that ever I made
But I’ll double them all in one.”

She mounted on her white milk steed,
Rode on by the clear silver light of the moon,
And she rode on to the castle gate
Where there she did get down.

She put the steed into the stable,
The money in where it lay,
And there weren’t a lord all in the castle
Miss Michaeleen away.

Out speaks the noble parrot
From its cage in where it lay,
Saying, “What did I tell you, Michaeleen,
Before you went away?”

“It’s hold your tongue, my little parrot,
And tell no tales on me.
And your cage’ll be made of a beaten gold
Instead of a hazel tree.”

Out speaks the noble king
From his chamber in where it lay,
Saying, “What did disturb my little parrot
That rattles so long before day?”

“The cats they are at my back door
All for to worry me,
And I was calling on Michaeleen
To scare the cats away.

“When maids are young they do sleep sound
And can’t be wakened by me,
So sleep you on, my noble king,
For the cats are scattered away.”

John Roberts and Tony Barrand sing The Outlandish Knight

An outlandish knight came from the north land,
He came a-wooing of me,
He said he would take me into the north land,
And there his bride I would be,
And there his bride I would be.

“Go, fetch me some of your father’s gold,
And some of your mother’s fee,
And two of the best nags that are in the stable,
Where there stand thirty and three.”

So she fetched him some of her father’s gold,
And some of her mother’s fee,
And two of the best nags that were in the stable,
Where there stood thirty and three.

She’s mounted up on the milk-white steed,
Him on the dappled grey,
They rode till they came to the banks of the sea,
Six hours before it was day.

“Dismount, dismount, my pretty fair maid,
Deliver your steed unto me,
For it’s six pretty maidens I have drowned here,
And thou the seventh shall be.

“Take off, take off that fine silken gown,
Deliver it up unto me,
For I think it a shame that a garment so fine
Should ripple in the salt sea.”

“Well, if I must take off my fine silken gown,
Then turn your back upon me,
For I think it a shame that a villain like you
A naked woman should see.”

So he’s turned his back on this pretty fair maid,
And he’s viewed the hills with great glee,
She grabbed him around the middle so small,
And she’s keltered him into the sea.

He tumbled high, he tumbled low,
Till he came to the banks of the sea.
“Take hold of my hand, you pretty fair maid,
And then I will marry thee.”

“Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted man,
Lie there instead of me,
For if six pretty maidens you have drowned here,
Then thou the seventh shall be.”

She’s mounted up on the milk-white steed,
She’s led the dappled grey,
She rode till she came to her father’s own hall
Three hours before it was day.

Her parrot hung up in the window so high,
And seeing the lady come in,
He swung to the left and he swung to the right,
And then he began to sing.

“Don’t prittle, don’t prattle, my pretty Polly,
Nor tell no tales upon me,
And your cage shall be made of the glittering gold,
And your perch of the best ebony.”

Kevin Mitchell sings False Lover John

False lover John he courted me
For every hour in the day.
He courted me to such a degree
That I hadn’t one word to say.

It’s “Take you of your father’s gold,
And all your mother’s money,
And steal the keys of your father’s stable
Of thirty steeds and three.”

She’s taken of her father’s gold,
And all her mother’s money,
And stolen the keys of her father’s stable
Of thirty steeds and three.

Then mounted on a milk white steed
Rode on by the clear silver light of the moon,
And they rode on to the river bank,
Where they did get down.

It’s “Lie you here Miss Michalín
This night along with me,
For it’s here I murdered seven king’s daughters,
The eighth one shall be you.

“But first leave off your lovely clothes
And leave them on dry land,
For I feel they are too costly for
To rot on the salt sea sand.”

“Then turn you round, False John,” she cried,
“And view the green leaves on the tree,
For I’ll never agree that any man
My naked body should see.”

False lover John he’s turned around
To view the green leaves on the tree,
When she threw her arms around his waist
And flung him into the sea.

“Oh, reach me in your lovely hand
And bring me to dry land,
And every vow that ever I made
I’ll double them all in one.”

It’s “Lie you there, False John”, she cried,
“An ill death you may die.
For you thought to drown me as I was born
And steal my clothes away.”

Then mounted on a milk white steed
Rode on by the clear silver light of the moon,
And she rode on to the castle gates
Where there she did get down.

She put the horses back in the stable,
The money where it lay.
There wasn’t a lord in all of the castle
Miss Michalín away.

Up spoke the noble parrot
From his cage in where he lay
Saying, “What did I tell you, Michalín,
Before you went away?”

“Ah, hold your tongue my little parrot,
And tell no tales on me,
And your cage will be of the beaten gold
Instead of a hazel tree.”

Up spoke the noble king from his bed
In where he lay
Saying, “What disturbs my little parrot,
That riddles so long before day?”

“The cats they are at my cage door,
All for to worry me,
And I was calling on Michalín
To scare them all away.

“But maids are young, they do sleep sound
And can’t be wakened by me.
So sleep you on, my noble king,
The cats are all scared away.”

Sìleas sing May Colvin

False Sir John a-wooing came
To a maid of beauty rare;
May Colvin was her name,
Her father’s only heir.

He woo’d her but be woo’d her ben,
He woo’d her in the hall,
Till he’s gotten her consent
To mount and ride awa’.

They’ve gone down to her father’s bower
Where all the steeds did stand;
There they’ve chosen her father’s horse,
The best that’s in the land.

He’s got on and she’s got on,
Swiftly they did flee,
Till they came to a lonely spot
A rock by the side of the sea.

“Get down, get down, May Colvin,
Your bridal here you see.
I have drowned seven young ladies
And the eighth one you shall be.

“Cast off, cast off, May Colvin,
All and your silken gown.
It’s ow’er good and costly
To rot in the salt sea foam.

“Cast off, cast off, May Colvin,
All and your silver shoon.
They’re ow’er good and costly
To rot in the salt sea foam.”

“Turn around, False Sir John,
And look to the leaf o’ the tree.
For it ne’er became a gentleman
A naked lady to see.”

He’s turned himself around and about
And he’s looked to the leaf of the tree;
So swiftly did May Colvin
Cast him into the sea.

“Help, oh help, May Colvin,
Help or else I’ll drown.
I’ll take you back to your father’s bower
And set you down safe and sound.”

“No help, no help, False Sir John,
No help though I pity thee.
Seven young ladies you have drowned
And the eighth one won’t be me.”

She’s got on to her milk white steed,
Swiftly rode away,
She’s come home to her father’s bower
Before the break of the day.

Steeleye Span sing The Elf-Knight

The elf-knight sits on yonder hill,
Fine flowers in the valley.
He blows his horn both loud and shrill,
As the rose is blown.

He blows it east, he blows it west,
He blows it where he liketh best.

Lady Isabel sits a-sewing
When she heard the elf-knight’s horn a-blowing.

“Would I had that horn a-blowing
And yon elf-knight for to sleep in my bosom.”

Scarcely had she these words spoken
When in at the window the elf-knight’s broken.

“It’s a very strange matter, fair maid,” said he,
“I cannot blow my horn, but you call on me.”

“But will you go to the greenwood side?
If you will not go, I’ll cause you to ride.”

He leapt on his horse and she on another
And they rode on to the greenwood together.

“Light down, light down, Isabel,” said he,
“For we’re come to the place where you are to die.”

“It’s seven kings daughters here have I slain
And you shall be the eighth of them.”

“Sit down a-while, lay your head on my knee
That we may rest before I die.”

She stroked him so fast the nearer he did creep,
And with a small charm she’s lulled him to sleep.

With his own sword-belt, so fast she’s bound him,
With his own dagger so sore she’s stabbed him.

“If seven kings daughters here have you slain,
Then lie you here, a husband to them all.”

Tony Cuffe sings The Water o Wearie’s Well

There cam a bird oot o a bush,
On water for tae dine;
An sighing said the lady fair,
“Oh woe’s this heart o mine!”

An he’s ta’en a harp intae his hand,
And he’s harped them all asleep;
Except it was the king’s daughter,
Who ae wink couldna get.

And he’s mounted on his berry-brown steed,
Ta’en her on behind himsel;
And they rode on tae that water,
That they ca Wearie’s Well.

“Wide in, wide in, my lady fair,
Nae harm shall ye befa;
Oft times hae I watered my steed,
At the water o Wearie’s Well.”

And the first very first step that she stepped in,
She stepped in to the knee;
And sighing said this lady fair,
“This water’s nae for me.”

“Wide in, wide in, my lady fair,
Nae harm shall ye befa;
Oft times hae I watered my steed
At the water o Wearie’s Well.”

And the very next step that she stepped in,
She stepped in to the chin;
And sighing said this lady fair,
“They should gar twa loves twine.”

“Seven king’s daughters have I drowned here,
At the water o Wearie’s Well;
And I’ll mak you the eighth o them,
And I’ll ring the common bell.”

“If I am standing here,“ she said,
“This dowie death tae dee;
Ae kiss o yer comely lips,
I’m sure would comfort me.”

And he’s mounted ower his saddle bow
To kiss her cheek and chin;
And she’s ta’en him in her airms twa
And she’s thrown him headlong in.

“As seven king’s daughters have ye drowned here
At the water o Wearie’s Well;
I’ll mak ye bridegroom tae them a
And I’ll ring the bell mysel.”

Norma Waterson sings The Outlandish Knight

Well, an outlandish knight from the northern lands came,
He came wooing of me;
He told me he’d take me up to the north lands,
There he would marry me.

“Go fetch me some of your father’s gold,
Some of your mother’s fee,
And two of the best of your father’s horses,
There stands thirty and three.”

She’s fetched him some of her father’s gold,
Some of her mother’s fee,
And two of the best of her father’s horses,
There stands thirty and three.

Then she’s mounted on her milk-white steed,
He’s rode the dapple grey.
They rode till they came to the broad riverside,
Three hours before it was day.

“Light down, light down, my pretty fair maid,
Light down, light down,” cried he,
“Six pretty maidens I’ve drowned here,
And the seventh one you shall be.”

“Pull off, pull off your silken gown,
Deliver it over to me.
For it is too fine and much too fair
To rot in the salt water sea.”

“Go get me a sickle to crop off the thistle
That grows beneath the brim,
It will not mingle with my curly locks
Or mangle my glittering skin.”

He’s got the sickle to crop off the thistle
That grows beneath the brim,
She’s caught him round by his middle so small,
Tumbled him into the stream.

Sometimes he sank, sometimes he swam,
Down to the bank came he.
“Oh help me, oh help me, my pretty fair maid,
Or drowned I shall be”

“Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted man,
Lie there instead of me,
Six pretty maidens you’ve drowned here.
But the seventh one has drowned thee.”

She’s mounted on her milk-white steed,
And led the dapple grey,
She rode till she came to her father’s door
An hour before it was day.

But the parrot was up in his window so high;
On hearing the lady, he did say,
“I was afraid that some ruffians had done you harm,
You’ve tarried so long before day.”

“Don’t prittle, don’t prattle, my pretty Polly,
Don’t tell no tales of me,
Your cage shall be made of the glistening gold,
And your perch of the best ivory.”

But her father was up in the bedroom so high,
Hearing the parrot, did say,
“What is the matter, my pretty Polly,
You’ve cried so long before day?”

“Oh, there came an old cat in my window high,
To take my life away,
And I was just calling my young mistress,
To scare that old pussy away.”

Alison McMorland sings May Colvin

Fause Sir John a wooin’ cam
Tae a maid o beauty fair
May Colvin was this lady’s name
Her faithers only heir

He woo’d her but he woo’d her ben
He woo’d her in the ha’
Until he got this lady’s consent
Tae mount an’ ride awa

They rade on an’ further on
As fast as they could flee
Until they cam’ tae a lonesome part
A rock by the side o the sea

Loup off your steed cried fause Sir John
Your bridal bed ye see
Its seven maidens I hae drowned
And the eighth yin ye shall be

Cast off cast off May Colvin
Your bonny silken goun
It’s o’er costly and o’er fine
Tae rot in the salt sea foam

Turn ye aboot fause Sir John
An’ look tae the leaf o that tree
For it ne’er become a gentleman
A naked woman tae see

He’s turned himself roon aboot
Tae look tae the leaf o that tree
Bur afore that he could turn again
She’s dinged him in the sea

Oh help me help me May Colvin
Help me or else I’ll droon
An’ I’ll tak ye back tae your faithers ha’
An set ye safe an soond

Nae help nae help cried May Colvin
Nae help or pity frae me
It’s seven maidens ye hae drowned
But the eighth yin will no’ be me

She rade hame on her bonny horse
As fast as she could flee
Till she cam tae her faihers ha’
Afore the break o day

Up then spak a pretty parrot
May Colvin whaur hae ye been
And what’s become o fause Sir John
Who wo’ed ye late yestreen

He wooed ye but he wooed ye ben
He wooed ye in the ha
Until he got your ain consent
Tae mount an’ ride awa

Haud your tongue my bonny bird
Lay no the blame on me
An’ ye’ll hae a cage o’ the beaten gowd
Wi’ a door o’ the white ivory

Then oot and spak the King himsel’
In the chaumer whaur he lay
What ails ye my bonny bird
That ye are prattling’ a’ this day

There cam a cat tae my cage door
It nearly worried me
An’ I was callin’ on May Colvin
Tae tak yon cat frae me.

Cara sing Sir John

False Sir John a-courting went
A lady young and fair,
May Colvin was this lady’s name
Her father’s only heir.

“Give me of your father’s gold
And of your mother’s fee,
I’ll take you to a far-off land
And there I’ll marry thee.”

She’s mounted on a milk-white steed,
He on a dapple grey,
And they rode to a lonesome cliff
High above the sea.

Rain was falling down.
Lie down, lie down.
Rain was falling down.
Lie down, lie down.

“Light down”, says False Sir John,
“Thy bridal bed to see.
It’s seven women I’ve drowned here,
The eighth one you shall be.

“Have off, have off thy gown of silk
With borders all around,
It’s far too costly to lay down here
And rot on the cold, cold ground.”

“Turn around, thou false Sir John
And look at that oak tree,
For it don’t become a gentleman
A naked maid to see.”

Now Sir John has turned around
To look at that oak tree,
She’s made a dash with her arm so strong,
Pushed him into the sea.

“Lie there,false-hearted wretch,
Lie there instead of me.
It’s seven women you’ve drowned here
The eighth has drowned thee.
It’s seven women you’ve drowned here
The eighth has drowned thee.”

Chris Foster sings The False Hearted Knight

It’s of a false knight he came from the north land
And he came a-courting me,
He promised to take me down to that north land
And there his bride make me.

“Go and fetch me some of your mother’s gold
And some of your father’s fees,
And two of the best horses out of the stable
Where there stand by thirty and three.”

Then she’s mounted up on her milk white steed
And he on the dapple and grey,
And away they did ride to the great waterside
Hours before it was day.

“Jump off jump off your milk white steed
And deliver it unto me.
For six pretty fair maids I’ve drowndéd in here
And the seventh one you shall be.

“And take off take off that silken gown
And lie it upon yon’ stone,
For I think it’s too rich and I think it’s too rare
To rot all in the salt sea.”

“Well if I must take off my silken gown
Then turn your back upon me,
For I don’t think it’s fit that a villain like you
A naked woman should see.

“And stoop you down and cut that briar
That hangs right over the brim,
In case it should tangle my golden curls
Or tear my lily white skin.”

And then she gave him a push and a hearty push,
And she pushed that old false knight in,
Cryin’ “Lie in there you false hearted knight,
Lie in there instead of me.
If six pretty fair maids you have drowndéd in here,
Well the seventh one has drowndéd thee.”

Then she’s mounted up on her milk white steed
And she led the dapple and grey,
And away she did ride to her father’s own house
Two hours before it was day.

And the parrot was up in the window high,
And he cried aloud and did say,
“I’m afraid that some villain he came here last night
And he carried my lady away.”

Well her father he was not quite sound asleep
But he never heard what that bird did say,
So he cryeth, “What waketh my pretty Polly
Two hours before it is day?”

“O the old cat was up in the window high
And that cat he would me slay!
So loud did I cry that help should be nigh
To drive that old cat away.”

“Well done well done my pretty Polly,
No tales you will tell upon me.
Thy cage shall be made of the bright glittering gold
And the door of white ivory.”

Roger Grimes sings The Outlandish Knight

An outlandish knight from the Northlands came
And he came a-wooing of me,
And he told he’d take me to the Northernlands
And there he would marry me.

“Oh, go and fetch your father’s gold
And some of your mother’s fee,
And fetch three horses from out the stable
Where they stand thirty and three.”

So she has got her father’s gold
And some of her mother’s fee,
And she’s brought three horses from out the stable
Where they stand thirty and three.

He mounted on the milk white horse
And she upon the grey,
And away they did ride ’til they came to a stream,
Three hours before it was day.

“Unlight, unlight, my pretty fair maid,
Unlight unlight”, cried he,
“For it’s six pretty maids have I drownded here before,
And the seventh it shall be thee.

“Take off, take off your silken gown
And deliver it unto me,
For I fear it is too fine and too fair
To perish all in the salt sea.”

She said, “Go get a sickle to crop the thistle
That grows beside the brim,
That it will not tangle with my curly locks
Nor harm my milk white skin.”

So he got a sickle to crop the thistle
That grew beside the brim,
And she’s grabbed him around the middle so small
And he’s gone tumbling in.

“Lie there, lie there, you false hearted knight,
Lie there, lie there”, cried she.
“For it’s six pretty maidens you have drownded here before,
But seventh one she have drownded thee.”

Then she’s mounted on the milk white horse
And she has led the grey,
And she’s rode ’til she’s come to her father’s own door
Three hours before it was day.

But the parrot being in the window so high,
A-hearing his young mistress did say,
“I’m afraid some ruffian have led you astray
That you tarry so long before it’s day.”

“Oh, don’t you prittle, don’t prattle, my pretty Polly,
And tell no tales on me,
And your cage shall be made of that finest beaten gold,
And your perch of the best ivory.”

But her father being in the bedroom so high,
A-hearing of that parrot did say
“What’s the matter with you, my pretty Polly,
That you prattle so long before it’s day?”

“Why, there came an old cat on the top of me cage
To take my sweet life away.
I was just a-calling on my young mistress
To frighten that old pussy away,
I was just a-calling on my young mistress
To frighten that old pussy away.”

Gordon Hall sings The Outlandish Knight

An Outlandish Knight came from the North land
And he came a courting of she.
And he pledged he would take her unto the North land
And there they would married be.

“Go get me some of your father’s gold,
Some of your mother’s dowry,
And two fine steeds from your father’s stable
Where there stand thirty and three.”

She’s purloined some of her father’s gold,
Some of her mother’s dowry,
And two fine steeds from her father’s stable
Where there stands thirty and three.

She’s mounted on the milk white mare,
He on the (entire?) bay,
And they rode ’til they came to the salt water side,
Six hours before it was day.

“Alight, alight my pretty fair maid,
And deliver it all onto me.
For it’s six foolish virgins I have drown-ed her,
And the seven one you shall be.

“Take off, take off, your fine silken gown,
And deliver it over to me.
For it’s six foolish virgins I have drown-ed here,
And the seven one you shall be.

“Take off, take off, your fine Holland stays,
And deliver them over to me.
For I really do think they’re too fine and too gay
For to rot all in the salt sea.

“Take off, take off your fine silken hose,
And deliver them over to me.
For I dearly do think they’re too fine and too gay
For to rot all in the salt sea.”

“If I’m to take off my gay clothing,
Pray turn your back upon me.
For I really do think that a roughen like you
A bare suck-ed women should see.”

He’s turned his back upon the fair maid,
He’s turn-ed his back upon she.
And she’s caught him around the middle so neat
And she’s tumbled him into the sea.

He’s dipp-ed high, he’s dipp-ed low,
He’s swam unto the side.
“Take hold of my hand my pretty fair maid
And thou shall be my bride.”

“Lay there, lay there, thou false hearted knight,
Lay there instead of me.
For it’s six foolish virgins thou has drown-ed here,
And the seventh have drown-ed thee.”

She’s mount on the milk white mare,
And led the (entire?) bay.
And she’s rode ’til she came to her own father’s hall,
Two hours before it was day.

She’s return-ed all of her father’s gold
And all of her mother’s dowry,
And the two fine steeds to her father’s stable
Where now stood thirty and three.

The parrot being in the window so high And hearing the lady did say,
“I thought that some roughen had led you astray,
You being so long away.”

“Don’t prittle, nor prattle my pretty Polly,
Nor tell any tales upon me.
And your cage shall be of the bright glistering gold
And your perch of the white ivory.”

Her father being in his widow so high,
And hearing the parrot did say,
“What ails thee, what ails thee, my pretty parrot,
That you make so much noise before day”

“’Tis no laughing matter”, says pretty Polly,
“’Tis no laughing matter”, said she,
“For the cats have got in through the window so high
And I fear that they will have me.”

“Well turned, well turned my pretty parrot,
Well turn-ed up for me.
Now your cage shall be of the bright glistering gold
And your perch of the white ivory.”

Emily Smith sings May Colven

False Sir John’s a-wooing gone
To a maid o’ beauty fair,
May Colven was this lady’s name,
Her faither’s only heir.

He woo’d her but, he woo’d her ben,
He woo’d her in the ha’,
Until he got this lady’s consent
To mount and ride awa.

They went doon to her faither’s bower
Where all the steeds did stand,
And he’s ta’en yin o’the best steeds there
Right frae her faither’s hands.

He’s got on and she’s got on,
As fast as they could flee,
Until they’ve come tae a lonesome part,
A rock by the side o’the sea.

Higher rose the tide and faster he did ride.

“Loup off the steed,” says false Sir John,
“Your bridal bed you see.
For it’s seeven ladies I hae drooned
And the eighth yin ye shall be.

“Cast off, cast off, May Colven,
A’and your silken gown.
For it’s o’er guid and o’er costly
To rot in the salt sea foam.”

“Weel turn ye aboot then false Sir John,
Look to the leaf o’the tree.
For it ne’er becam a gentleman
A naked woman to see.”

So he turned himself straight roon’ aboot
To look to the leaf o’ the tree,
So swift as May Colven was
She pushed him in the sea.

“O help, o help May Colven.
O help or else I’ll droon.
An’ I’ll tak ye back tae yer faither’s boo’er
And set you safe and soond.”

“Nae help, nae help o’ false Sir John,
Nae help nor pity for thee.
For it’s seeven king’s daughters ye hae drooned
And the eighth yin’ll no be me.”

So she louped onto her faither’s steed
As swift as she could flee,
And she got hame tae her faither’s bower
Afore the break o’ day.

Higher rose the tide and faster she did ride,
Higher rose the tide and faster she did ride.

Up then spak her pretty parrot,
“May Colven, whaur hae ye been?
And what’s become o’false Sir John
That woo’ed ye late yestreen?”

“O hold yer tongue my pretty bird,
Lay not the blame on me.
And yer cup shall be o’the guid red gowd
And yer cage o’ the root o’ tree.”

Up then spak the king himself
Frae the chamber whaur he lay,
“What ails thee, May Colven’s bird,
That prattles sae lang the day?”

“Well there cam a cat tae my cage door,
It nearly worried me.
And I was calling on May Colven
Tae tak the cat frae me.”

Karan Casey and John Doyle sing False Lover John

False-hearted John he courted me
For every hour in the day,
He courted me to such a degree
That I hadn’t a word to say.

“It’s take you all of your father’s gold
And all of your mother’s money
And steal the keys of your father’s stable
And thirty steeds and three.”

She has stolen her father’s gold
And all of her father’s money,
And the keys of her father’s stable
And thirty steeds and three.

And they have mounted ten milk white steeds,
Rode on by the clear silvery light of the moon.
Until they reached the bank of the river
And there they did get down.

“Lie you down, Miss Michaeleen,
This night along with me,
For it’s here I killed seven king’s daughters,
The eight one will be thee.”

“Well, turn you round, False John,
To view the green leaves on the tree,
For it ill becomes a learned man
A naked maid to see.”

False lover John he turned around
To view the green leaves on the tree,
She threw her arms around his waist
And flung him into the sea.

It’s there you lie, False John”, she said,
“Till deathi it comes to thee,
For you thought to kill me as I was born
And take my clothes from me.”

“O reach in your gentle hand
And take me to dry land,
And every vow that I have made,
I’ll double it all in one.”

But she has mounted her milk white steed
And rode on by the clear silvery light of the moon
Until she reached her father’s castle
And there she did get down.

She put the steed all into the stabte,
The money to where it lay.
There wasn’t a person in all of the castle
Knew Michaeleen was away.

Rosie Hood sings The Outlandish Knight

An outlandish knight from the north lands came
He came a-wooing of me.
He told he’d take me to some northlands
And there he would marry me.

“Go fetch me some of your father’s gold
Some of your mother’s fee,
And two of the best of your father’s horse
Where there stand thirty and three.”

I fetched him some of my father’s gold
Some of my mother’s fee,
And two of the best of my father’s horse
Where there stood thirty and three.

I mounted on my milk white steed,
He rode the dappled grey,
We rode till they came to the water side
Six hours before it was day.

“Light off, light off thy milk-white steed
And deliver it unto me.
For six pretty maidens I’ve drowned here
And the seventh one you shall be.

“Pull off, pull off thy silken gown,
And deliver it unto me;
For it is not fitting that such gay clothing
Should rot in the salt, salt sea.

“Pull off, pull off thy silken stays,
And deliver them unto me;
For it is not fitting that such gay clothing
Should rot in the salt, salt sea.

“Pull off, pull off thy Holland smock
And deliver it unto me.
For it is not fitting that such gay clothing
Should rot in the salt, salt sea.”

“If I’m to take off my Holland smock
Pray turn your back towards me.
For it is not fitting that any young man
A naked lady should see.”

He turned his back upon me there,
To view the leaves so green.
I caught him around the middle so small
And tumbled him into the stream.

He floated high and he floated low
Till he came unto the side.
“Catch hold of my hand, my pretty fair maid,
And I will make thee my bride.”

“Lie there, lie there you false hearted man,
Lie there instead of me.
For if six pretty maidens you’ve drowned here
But the seventh one hath drowned thee.”

I mounted on my milk white steed
And led the dappled grey,
And I rode till I came to my father’s house
Three hours before it was day.

The parrot was perched high up in his cage,
And hearing me enter did say,
“What ails thee, what ails thee, my pretty fair maid?
You’re stirring so long before day.”

“Don’t prittle nor prattle, my pretty parrot,
Nor tell no tales of me,
And thy cage shall be made of the glittering gold
And the door of the best ivory.”

My father being up in his chamber so high,
And hearing the parrot did say,
“What ails thee, what ails thee, my pretty poll parrot,
Thou’rt talking so long before day!”

“O master, O master,” replied the old parrot,
“It’s no laughing matter!” cried he,
“For the cat has just been and caught a poor mouse,
And I’m afraid he will soon have me.”

“Well turned, well turned, my pretty poll parrot,
Well turned, well turned for me!
Now thy cage shall be made of the glittering gold
And the door of the best ivory.”

Alasdair Roberts with Olivia Chaney sing False Lover John

False lover John, he courted me
For every hour in the day,
He courted me to such a degree
That I hadn’t one word to say.

“It’s fetch you of your father’s gold
And some of your mother’s money,
And steal the keys of your father’s stable
Of thirty steeds and three.”

She’s taken of her father’s gold
And some of her mother’s money
And stolen the keys of her father’s stable
Of thirty steeds and three.

Then mounted on a milk-white steed,
Rode on by the light of the moon,
Until they came to a riverbank
And there they did get down.

“It’s lie you here, Miss Michaleen
This night along with me,
For seven king’s daughters I have drowned here
And the eighth one you shall be.

“But first take off your silken gown
And leave it on dry land,
For it is too fine and costly for
To rot in the salt sea strand.”

“Then turn you round, false John”, she said,
“And turn your face from me,
For I’d never agree that any man
A naked woman should see.”

So false lover John, he’s turned around
To view the green leaves on the tree,
She flung her arm around his waist
And flung him into the sea.

“Lie there, lie there, false John!” she said,
“Lie there instead of me,
For you thought to drown me as I was born
And steal my clothes away.”

Then mounted on a milk-white steed,
Rode on by the light of the moon
Until she came to her father’s castle
And there she did get down.

She put the horses back into the stable,
The money where it lay.
There wasn’t a knight in all the hall
Missed Michaleen away.

Up spoke the noble parrot
From his cage wherein he lay,
Saying, “What did I tell you, Michaleen,
Before you went away?”

“Oh, hold your tongue, you little parrot,
And tell no tales on me.
And your cage will be of the glittering gold
Instead of a hazel tree.”

Up spoke the noble king
From his room wherein he lay,
Saying, “What disturbs my pretty Polly
Who prattles so long before day?”

“The cats they are at my cage door,
All for to worry me,
And I was calling on Michaleen
To scare them all away.

“But maids they are young, they do sleep sound
And can’t be wakened by me,
So lie you down, my noble king
The cats are all scared away.”

Rosaleen Gregory sings False Sir John

False Sir John a-wooing came,
To a lady young and fair,
May Colvin was this lady’s name,
Her father’s only heir,
Her father’s only heir.

He woo’d her while she spun the thread,
And while they made the hay,
Until he gained this maid’s consent
To mount and ride away,
To mount and ride away.

“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.”

She’s gone into her father’s coffers,
Where all of his money lay,
She’s took the yeller and left the white
And lightly skipped away,
And lightly skipped away.

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.

She’s mounted on a milk-white steed
And he on a dapple grey,
And they rode till they come to a lonesome spot,
A cliff by the side of the sea,
A cliff by the side of the sea.

“Light down, light 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,
The eighth one you shall be.

“Have off, have off your Holland smock,
With borders all around,
For it’s too costly to lay down here
To rot on the cold, cold ground,
To rot on the cold, cold ground.

“Cast off, cast off your silks so fine,
And lay them on a stone,
For they’re too fine and too costly
To rot in the salt sea foam,
To rot in the salt sea foam.

“Take off, take off your silken stays,
Likewise your handsome shoes,
For they’re too fine and too costly
To rot in the sea with you,
To rot in the sea with you.”

“Turn around, turn around, thou false Sir John,
And look at the leaves on the tree,
For it don’t become a gentleman
A naked woman to see,
A naked woman to see.”

O 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.”

“O help, oh help, May Colvin,
O help or I shall drown.
I’ll take thee back to thy father’s house
And lightly set thee down,
And lightly set thee down.”

“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.”

She’s mounted on the milk-white steed,
And led the dapple grey,
And rode till she come to her father’s house
At the breakin’ of the day,
At the breakin’ of the day.

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 riding,
That went with you riding?”

“O 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.”

Bella Hardy sing The Seventh Girl

An outlandish knight came from the north lands
And he scarcely could leave me alone.
And he promised he take me the wide world to see,
Oh fly home lost ladies, fly home.
He said, “Come fetch to me some of your father’s bright gold,
Fetch me some of your mother’s own fee.
And come fetch me the best nags from out of your yard,
Where they stand full thirty and three.
Where they stand full thirty and three”

She’s mounted onto her silver-white horse
And he’s mounted her father’s strong grey.
And they’ve rode till they’ve come to the rocky sea shore
Three dark hours before it was day.
“Oh light off, light off your silver-white horse
And deliver yourself unto me.
For six pretty girls have I drowned right here
And the seventh girl you now shall be,
Oh the seventh girl you now shall be.

“Pull off, pull off your soft silken gown
And deliver it here unto me
For the fabric’s too fine and too costly by far
To let rot in the cold briny sea.
And pull off, pull off your good holland smock
And deliver it here unto me.
For it seems like a waste to let such clothes be lost
While the fishes they nibble at thee,
While the fishes they nibble at thee.”

“Well if I must strip down full naked and bare
Cut the thorn that grows there by the brim.
Or else it might catch in my curly gold hair
And tear my glittering skin.”
Well he’s taken his knife and he’s turned to the thorn
That grows by the salt water’ s brim,
But so speedy she’s run and she’s pushed him so hard
That she’s thrown this false young man in,
To the foam she’s fast thrown him in.

He’s tumbled up high and he’s tumbled down low
Till he’s come to the rocky sea side, crying,
“Catch hold of my hand, my pretty fair lady
And I will make you my bride.”
“Oh lie there, lie there, you false hearted man,
Make your bed in the deep briny blue.
For six pretty girls have you drowned right here
But the seventh girl has drowned you,
Oh the seventh girl has drowned you.”

Tim Eriksen sing Castle by the Sea

“Arise, arise, my lady fair,
For you my bride shall be.
And we will dwell in my sylvan bower
In a castle by the sea.

“Come bring along your marriage fee
That you can claim today,
And also bring your swiftest steed,
The milk white and the grey.”

The lady mounted her white steed,
He rode the turban grey,
They took the path by the wild sea shore
Or so I’ve heard them say.

But when they got to the castle high
It looked so black and cold,
She wished she’d stayed in Boston town
With her ten thousand pounds of gold.

“Lie down, lie down my pretty fair maid,
My bride you’ll never be!
For it’s six fair maidens I’ve drowned here
And the seventh you shall be.

“Take off, take off that scarlet robe
And lay it down by me,
For it is too rich and costly
To rot in the briny sea.”

“Oh then turn your face to the wild seashore
And your back to yonder’s tree
For it is a disgrace for any man
An unclothed woman to see.”

So he turned his face to the wild seashore
And his back to yonder’s tree.
This lady took him in her arms
And flung him into the sea.

“Lie there, lie there you false young man
And drown in the place of me!
If it’s six fair maidens you’ve drowned here,
Go keep them company.”

She mounted on her milk white steed
And led the turban grey.
She rode till she came to Boston town,
Two hours before it was day.

Kirsty Merryn sings The Outlandish Knight

There was a man come from the north,
He came one day to me.
He said he’d take me to his home
And he would marry me.

“You fetch me up your mother’s food,
And fetch your father’s gold,
And take me to the stable yard
Where we’ll stave off the cold.”

I fetched him up my mother’s food,
I fetched my father’s gold,
I took him to the stable yard
Where we would take no cold.

“O mount me on your finest mare,
O mount me up”, cried he.
We rode together all the night
Until we reached the sea.

“Pull up, my pretty maid”, he said,
“Pull up then!” shouted he,
“For six young girls I’ve drowned here,
And seventh you shall be.

“But first take off your silken gown
And give it up to me;
Would be a shame to let it rot
All in the salty sea.”

I bid him turn his back to me
While I removed my gown,
I put my arms about his waist
And dragged him to the ground.

“O stay you there, you false young man,
O sink beneath the sea,
For six young girls you’ve drowned here
And seventh I won’t be.”

I mounted on the milk white steed,
And led the dappled gray.
I made it to my father’s home
Three hours before the day.

I never told of the false young man
Who came that day to me,
I laid his bones beneath the waves
Of the vast and salty sea.

Lisa O’Neill sings Along the North Strand

Oh pretty young boy come from the north strand,
He came a-wooing to me.
He promised he’d bring me down by the north strand
And there he’d marry me.

“Get some of your mother’s fee for me
And more of your daddy ’s gold,
And two the best horses he have in his stable
Where there are thirty three.”

And she got some of her mother’s fee
And more of her daddy’s gold,
And two the best horses he have in his stable
Where there are thirty three.

And she got up on her milk-white steed
And he on his dapple grey,
And they rode along on to the north strand,
Was three long hours before day.

“O get down, get down pretty Polly”, he says,
“Get down and get down to me,
’Tis six little girls that I drownded here
And you are the seventh shall be.

“Your silks and your satins, you must take ’em off,
Deliver them up unto to me.
I think they’re too rich and too grand”, says he,
“To roll in the bright rocky waves.”

“My silks and my satins, I must take ’em off,
Please turn your back to me.
I think you re too big of a ruffian”, says she,
To see a naked woman like me.”

He turned his back on for the north strand,
To watch on the waves going by.
She gripped him around the middle so high
And flung him tight into the deep.

And he swam high and he swam low
Until he swam to the sea shore.
“Put out o your hand, pretty Polly”, he says,
“And sentence, I’ll make you me bride.”

“O stop where you are, my cruel hearted lad,
Stop where you are”, says she,
“’Tis six little girls that you drownded there
And you are the seventh shall be.”

And she got up on her milk-white steed
And she leaded her dapple grey,
And she rode along to her father’s hall door,
Was three long hours before day.

O the parrot is up in the window so high
I’m a feared it’ll come down upon me.
“Please turn your tails, pretty Polly”, she says,
“Don’t tell any tales onto me.
For I’ll have your cage of the glitter and gold
And your door of the best ivory.”

“Who’s that, who’s that?” the father did say,
“That’s prattering so long before day?”
“It’s no laughing matter”, the parrot did say,
“It is no laughing matter for me.
For the cats they are up in the window so high;
I’m afeared they’ll come down upon me.”

“Go turn your tales, pretty Polly”, she says,
“Return your tales upon me,
For I’ll have your cage of the glitter and gold,
And your door of the best ivory.”

Rachel Newton sings The Early Morning

They rode and rode and rode away
Until they came to the sea,
And here they pulled their horses up
Hard by a willow tree.

“Now get you down, my pretty young love,
And harken unto me,
Six pretty fair maids I’ve drownded here.
And you the seventh shall be.

“Take off, take off your silk-white gown,
And give it here to me,
A silk-white gown is much too fine
To rot in the salt sea.”

“O turn about, o turn about,
And face the willow tree,
While I take off my silk-white gown
And give it then to thee.”

He turned about, he turned about,
And faced the willow tree,
She took him in her lily-white arms,
And threw him in the sea.

“Lie there, lie there, my false love,
Lie there instead of me,
If six pretty fair maids you’ve drownded here,
You can keep them company!”

She mounted on her milk-white steed,
And led his dapple gray,
And she went back to her parents’ house,
Before the break of day.

And there she met her mother dear,
“O where have you been from me?”
“I’ve been to church in the early morn,
To say a prayer for thee.”

Polly Paulusma sings Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight

Isabel sits by her window a-sewing,
Aye as the gowans grow gay, grow gay,
And hears a young elf-knight, his bright horn a-blowing,
On that first morning in May, in May,
On that first morning, first morning in May

“If only I had that sweet horn that’s a-blowing,
And that elf-knight lying in my bed until the morning.”

This maiden had scarcely these strange words a-spoken,
Till tap! at her window, the elf-knight is a-knocking!

“It’s a very strange matter, I’m telling it to ya,
If I blow on my horn you come on all peculiar!
Will you come with me to yon greenwood side?
And if you say no, I’ll persuade you to ride.”

He leapt on a horse, and she leapt on another,
And they rode side by side to the greenwood together.

“Light down, light down, in the greenwood we’ve arrived
For we are come to the place that you will die.”

“Have mercy, have mercy on me, kind sir,
I’d like to see my dear father and mother.”

“Seven young girls have I lured here and slain,
And ye shall be the eighth one of them.”

“O sit down a while, lay your head on my knee,
That we may be resting before that I die.”
She stroked him so softly, his breathing grep deep,
With charms in her fingers she lulled him to sleep.

Then she wrapped his dark belt round his wrists to restrain him,
Then she wrapped his dark hair round his throat for to slay him.

“If seven young girls on this spot you have murdered,
You better lie still here and harm nobody further.”

Acknowledgements and Links

Transcription from Martin Carthy’s singing by Garry Gillard and from Cyril Tawney’s and Norma Waterson’s singing by Roberto Campo with help from the Mudcat Café.