The Young Harper

Lyrics and more

The Young Harper

Postby Matt » Sun May 22, 2005 10:49 am

(As debuted at Palliser Hall ...)

The Young Harper

The young harper and a young squire sat drinking at the wine.
“It’s if you’ll marry my sister, it’s I would marry thine.”
“I wouldn’t marry your sister for all your houses and land,
“But I will make her my mistress when I go on the strand.”
The young harper had a little short-sword, hung low down by his gear,
And he thrust it through the young squire, that word he never spoke more.

Then he’s away to his sister’s bower, he’s tirled at the pin.
“Where have you been my dear brother, so late coming in?”
“It’s I have been at school, lady, learning young clerks to sing.”
“But I have dreamed a dreadful dream, I hope it may be for good,
“They were seeking you with hawks and hounds, and the young squire was dead.”
“Hawks and hounds, they may seek me, as I trow well they be,
“For I have killed the young squire, thy own true love was he.”
“If you have killed the young squire, then dule and woe is me!
“May they hang you from the high gallows and have no power to flee.”

The he’s away to his true love’s bower, he’s tirled at the pin.
“Where have you been my dear harper, so late coming in?”
“It’s I have been at school, lady, learning young clerks to sing.”
“But I have dreamed a dreadful dream, I hope it may be for good,
“They were seeking you with hawks and hounds, and the young squire was dead.”
“Hawks and hounds, they may seek me, as I trow well they be,
“For I have killed the young squire, thy own brother was he.”
“If you have killed the young squire, then dule and woe is me!
“But I care the less for the young squire, if thy own body were free.”

“Come in, come in, now my dear harper, come in and take a sleep,
“And I will go unto my casement, and carefully I will keep.”
He had not well been in her bower-door, no not for half an hour,
When four and twenty belted knights come riding by her bower.
“Well may you sit and see, lady, well may you sit and say,
“Did not you see a bloody harper come riding by this way?”
“What color were his hawks,” she says, “what color were his hounds?
“What color was the gallant steed that bore him from the bounds?”
”Bloody, bloody, were his hawks, and bloody were his hounds,
“But milk-white was the gallant steed that bore him from the bounds.”

“Light down, light down now, gentlemen, and take some bread and wine,
“For the steed is swift that he rides on, he’s past the bridge and gone.”
“We thank you for your bread, lady, we thank you for your wine,
“But I’d rather thrice three-hundred pounds that that bloody harper was ta’en.”

“Lie still, lie still now, my dear harper, lie still and take a sleep,
“For your enemies are past and gone, and carefully I will keep.”
The young harper had a little short-sword, hung low down by his gear,
And he thrust it in his fair love’s breast, a deep wound and sore.
“What aileth thee now, dear harper, what aileth thee in me?
“Have not you all my father’s gold, and my mother’s fee?”

“Now live, now live, my dear lady, now live but half an hour,
“There’s not a leech in all Tharda but shall be in thy bower.”
“How can I live, how shall I live, young harper, don’t you see?
“The red, red drops of my heart’s blood go a-trickling down my knee.
“But take your harp into your hand, and harp out o’er yon plain,
“And think no more of thy true love than if she’d never been.”
He had not well been out of the stable, and in the saddle set,
When four and twenty broad arrows were thrilling in his heart.
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Matt
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Location: Weymouth, MA

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