Lord Thomas- Stanley(ME) 1854 Barry C
[My date. From British Ballads from Maine; Barry, Eckstorm, Smyth, 1929
Matteson 2014]
LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ELEANOR
(Lord Thomas and Fair Annet, Child 73)
C. "Lord Thomas." Taken down, August, 1924, from the recitation of Mrs. Nathan S. Stanley, Islesford, aged eighty-two years, who learned it when she was a child.
1 Lord Thomas he was a bold forester,
A chaser of the King's deer;
Fair Eleanor was a fine woman,
Lord Thomas he loved her dear.
2 "Come riddle my riddle, dear mother," he said,
"And riddle it all into one,
Shall I marry the Brown girl,
And let Fair Eleanor alone?"
3 "The Brown Girl she has money,
Fair Eleanor she has none,
Therefore I charge thee upon my blessing
To bring the Brown Girl home."
4 As it befell on a holiday,
As many do preside,[1]
Lord Thomas he went to Fair Eleanor,
For she would have been his bride.
5 When he came to Fair Eleanor's gate,
He knocked upon the ring,
And who was so ready as Fair Eleanor
To let Lord Thomas in?
6 "What news, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"What news have they brought unto me?"
"I have come to bid thee to my wedding,
And mighty sad news for thee."
7 "Oh God forbid, Lord Thomas," she said,
"That any such thing should be done,
I thought to have been the bride myself,
And thou to have been the bridegroom."
8 "Come riddle my riddle, dear mother," she said,
"And riddle it all into one,
Whether I shall go to Lord Thomas, wedding,
Or whether I shall stay at home."
9 "There's many that are our friends, daughter,
And many that are our foes,
Therefore I charge thee, upon my blessing
To Lord Thomas' wedding don't go."
10 “There's many that are our friends, mother,
If a thousand were our foes,
Betide me life, betide me death,
To Lord Thomas' wedding I'll go."
11 She clothed herself in gallant attire,
As her merry maids were all seen,
And as she went through every place,
They took her to be some queen.
12 When she came to Lord Thomas' gate,
She knocked upon the ring,
Who was so ready as Lord Thomas
To let Fair Eleanor in?
13 He took her by the lily-white hand.
And led her through the hall;
He sat her in the noblest chair
Among the ladies all.
14 "Is this your bride?" Fair Eleanor said,
"Methinks she looks wondrous brown,
You might have had as fair a lady
As ever the sun shone on."
15 "Despise her not," Lord Thomas he said,
"Despise her not unto me,
For better I love your little finger
Than her whole fair body."
16 This Brown Girl had a little penknife,
It was both keen and sharp;
Between the long rib and the short
She pricked Fair Eleanor to the heart.
17 "Oh Christ now save me,” Lord Thomas he said,
"Methinks thou lookest wondrous wan,
Thou used to look as good a color
As ever the sun shone on."
18 "Oh art thou blind, Lord Thomas," she said,
"Or canst thou not very well see?
And dost thou not see my own heart's blood
Run trickling down to my knee?"
19 "Oh dig my grave," Lord Thomas he said,
"And dig it both wide and deep,
And lay fair Eleanor by my side,
And the Brown Girl at my feet."
20 Lord Thomas he had a sword in his hand,
As he walked across the hall;
He cut his bride's head off from her shoulders,
And slung it against the wall.
21 Then he set his sword upon the ground
With the point against his heart,
There never was three lovers sure
That sooner did depart.
1. For "As many more do beside."