False Lady- Anderson (NS) pre1950 Creighton B
[From Traditional Folk Songs from Nova Scotia by Creighton and Senior; 1950 version B. This resembles Barry A from New Brunswick.
R. Matteson 2014]
[False Lady] [B] - Sung by Mr. Jack Anderson, Roman Valley, NS
1. Was on one winter ev-en-ing
As a lady was going to her bed
She heard her true love's horse chains rattling
Which made her heart feel glad, glad,
Which made her heart feel glad.
2. "Walk in walk in fair lord," she said,
For their boatswain they shall wait on you
With coal fire and candle light, light
With coal fire and candle light."
3. "I won't walk in, fair lady," he said,
For I have a lass in old Scotland
That I love more dear than you, you,
that I love more dear than you."
4. Then she knelt over her window rail,
She ordered a kiss so sweet,
And she had a penknife in her hand
And she wound-ed him full deep, deep,
She wounded him full deep.
5 "Oh why false lady, why," he said,
"Your wounds to me full sore?
Now there never were a lady in old Scotland
That I loved more dear than you, you,
That I loved more dear than you."
6. "Now can you read or can you write,
Or can you under the sun?
Oh there are a doctor in old Scotland
That can cure your deathly wound, wound,
That can cure Your deathly wound."
7. "I cannot read, I cannot write,
Nor I can't under the sun,
Oh there never were a doctor in old Scotland
That can cure but God alone, alone,
That can cure but God alone."
8. Then she went into her servants' room
Three hours before 'twas day,
Saying, " There are a dead man in my room
And I wish he was away, away,
I wish he was away."
9. "Now gold may be your fee fair maid
Or silver may be your pay,
And I myself will go with you
To enjoy your company, company,
To enjoy your company."
10. So some took him by the yellow locks,
More took him by the feet,
And they went till they came to an old deep well
That was forty fathoms deep, deep,
That was forty fathoms deep.
11. "Stay there, stay there fair lord," she said,
"Now stay there now and sleep,
And the lady you love more better than I
May wish to see you home, home,
May wish to see you home."
12. So then up flew a pretty little bird
And sat upon a tree,
"You go home, you go home, fair lady," it said,
"And pay your servants their fee, fee,
And pay your servants their fee."
13."You come down, come down my pretty little bird
And sit upon my knee,
For I have a gold cage in my room
And you shall be stood in thee, thee,
And you shall be stood in thee. "
14."I won't go down" said the pretty little bird,
"Nor sit upon your knee,
you might serve me as you have served the lord
That have loved you so dear, dear,
That have loved you so dear."
15" "If I had my bow into my hand,
My arrow on a string,
I would shoot you through the heart so sore
Among the leaves so green, green,
Among the leaves so green.
16. "If you had your bow into your hand
And your arrow on your string,
I would spread my wings and fly away,
Where I'd never more be seen, seen,
Where I'd never more be seen."