Outlandish Knight- Sumner (N. Eng) 1893 Broadwood
[From "English County Songs: Words and Music," edited by Lucy Etheldred Broadwood, John Alexander Fuller-Maitland, 1893. Tune was noted by Sumner but no informant is named.
R. Matteson 2018]
Outlandish Knight. Tune from Heywood Sumner, Esq. Some of the words supplied from "North-Country Lore and Legend."
1 An outlandish knight came from the north lands,
And he came a wooing to me;
He told me he'd take me unto the north lands,
And there he would marry me.
"Go get me some of thy father's gold,
And some of thy mother's fee,
And two of the best nags out of the stable,
Where there stand thirty and three."
2 She got 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.
She mounted her on the milk-white steed
And he on the dapple grey;
And they both rode till they came unto the salt sea,
Just two hours before it was day.
3 "Alight, alight, my pretty lady,
And deliver it all unto me,
For it's six pretty maidens I have drowned here,
And the seventh thou shalt be.
Pull off, pull off thy holland smock,
And deliver it up to me,
For I deem that it looks too fine and too gay
For to rot all in the salt sea.
4 "Pull off, pull off thy milk-white stays,
And deliver them up to me,
For it's six pretty maidens I have drowned here,
And the seventh thou shalt be.
Pull off, pull off thy silken hose,
And deliver them up to me,
For I deem that they look too fine and too gay
For to rot all in the salt sea."
5 "If I have to pull off my holland smock,
Pray turn thy back upon me,
For it is not meet that a ruffian should
A naked woman see."
He turned his back upon her, oh!
And bitterly she did weep,
She caught him round the middle so neat,
And tumbled him into the deep.
6 He dipped high, he dipped low,
And dipped to the side,
"Lay hold of my hand, my pretty lady,
And you shall be my bride."
"Lie there, lie there, thou false-hearted man
Lie there instead of me,
For it's six pretty maidens you have drowned here,
But the seventh has drowned thee."
7 She mounted on her milk-white steed,
And led the dapple grey;
She rode till she came to her own father's hall
Three hours before it was day.
The parrot being in the window so high,
Hearing the lady did say:
"I'm afraid that some ruffian has led you astray,
That you've tarried so long away."
8 "Don't prittle or pattle, my pretty parrot,
Nor tell no tales of me;
Thy cage shall be made of the glittering gold,
And thy perch of the best ivorie."
The King being in his chamber so high,
And hearing the parrot did say;
"What ails you, what ails you, my pretty parrot,
That you prattle so long before day?"
9 "It's no laughing matter," the parrot did say,
"But so loudly I call unto thee,
For the cats have got into the window so high,
And I'm afraid they will have me!"
"Well turned, well turned, my pretty parrot,
Well turned up for me;
Thy cage shall be made of the glittering gold,
And thy perch of the best ivorie."