Lord Thomas- Coleman (IO) c.1895 Stout A
[My date, abbreviated title. From: Folklore from Iowa, collected and edited by Earl J. Stout, 1936. The ultimate source of this is Mrs. Irene Karas who taught it to the informants mother, Effie M Coleman. I'm dating this 1895 before Effie was married to John W. Stanley in 1898. Effie was born in June, 1877.
R. Matteson 2014]
A. "Lord Thomas and Fair Eleanor.' Contributed by Miss Edith Stanley, Massena, as sung by her mother Mrs. Effie Coleman Stanley. Massena. Mrs. Stanley learned this many years ago from a neighbor, Mrs. Irene Karas.
1. Lord Thomas he was a bold forester,
And a keeper of the king's deer,
Fair Eleanor was a fine lady,
And Lord Thomas he loved her, dear.
2. "Come riddle riddle, dear father," he said,
"To riddle my riddle come,
Whether I shall marry with fair Eleanor,
Or bring the Brown girl home?"
3. "The brown girl she has house and lands,
And fair Eleanor, she has none;
Therefore, I charge you on my blessing,
To bring me the Brown girl home."
4. As it befell on a high holiday,
And many more did beside,
Lord Thomas he went to fair Eleanor,
Who should have been his bride.
5. But when he came to fair Eleanor's bower,
He knocked there to come in;
And who was ready as fair Eleanor,
To let Lord Thomas in.
6. "What news, my love, Lord Thomas," she said,
"What news hast thou brought unto me?"
"I am come to bid thee to my wedding,
And that is bad news for thee."
7. “O God forbid, Lord Thomas," she said,
"That such a thing should betide;
I thought to have been thy bride my own self,
And you to have been by my side."
8. "Come riddle my riddle, dear mother," she said,
And riddle it all in one;
Whether I shall go to Lord Thomas' wedding,
Or whether tarry at home?"
9. "There are many that are your friends, daughter,
And there are many that are your foe;
Therefore, I charge you on my blessing,
To Lord Thomas' wedding don't go."
10. "There's many that are my friends, mother,
And if a thousand more were my foe;
Betide my life, betide my death,
To Lord Thomas' wedding I'd go."
11 "She clothed herself in gallant attire,
And her merry men all in green;
And as they rode through every town,
They took her to be a queen.
12. But when she came to Lord Thomas' gate,
$he knocked there to come in;
And who was so reedy as Lord Thomas,
To let fair Eleanor in.
13. "Is this your bride?" fair Eleanor said;
"Methinks she looks wonderful brown;
Thou might have had as fair a lady,
As ever the sun shone on."
14. "Despise her not, fair Ellen," he said,
"Despise her not unto me,"
For better I love thy little finger
Than all her whole body."
15. The brown girl had a long pen-knife,
That, was both long and sharp;
And between the long ribs and the short,
Pierced fair Eleanor to the heart.
16. "Oh, Christ now help thee," Lord Thomas he said,
"Methinks thou looks wondrously wan,
Thou used to look with as fresh a color,
As ever the sun shone on."
17. "O art thou blind, Lord Thomas?" she said,
And can't thou very well see?
S dost thou not see my own heart's blood,
Run trickling down to my knee?"
18. Lord Thomas he had a sword by his side;
As he walked about the hall,
He cut off the Brown girl's head from her shoulders,
And threw it against the wall.
19. He set the hilt against the ground,
And the point against his heart;
There were never three lovers met,
'That sooner did part.