US & Canada Versions: 156. Queen Elanor's Confession
[Two authoritative books, Brown Collection and The British Traditional Ballad in North America by Tristram Coffin, have reported no known recognized traditional US or Canadian versions but two missing versions. The Brown Collection ballad (or story) was never collected or is missing and the ballad mentioned by Coffin is in Child's collection unpublished. A third, unrecognized version, was reported by Niles as collected by him in NC titled, "The Dying Queen." Niles version (see text below) is likely a ballad recreation.
R. Matteson 2013, 2015]
Excerpt from The British Traditional Ballad in North America by Tristram Coffin 1950, from the section A Critical Biographical Study of the Traditional Ballads of North America
156. QUEEN ELEANOR'S CONFESSION
Linscott, F-S OldNE, 193 prints a song, Fair Rosamond, which is related to the story matter of Child 156. It derives from the broadside, Rosamond's Overthrow.
In a letter. Dr. H. M. Belden informs me that "Queen Eleanors Concession is not now in the collection (F. C. Brown Collection) but it seems clear Brown found it there (in North Carolina) but failed to take down the text." Barry, Brit Bids Me, 462 reports the meeting of a Maine woman who recognized the story.
Brown Collection: 35. Queen Eleanor's Confession (Child 156)
In our collection is a note under this caption, in Dr. Brown's hand, without any text, and reading as follows: "Story known in Avery county as Fair Rosamund and Queen Eleanor. But only portion of song. Story told by Granny Houston on Bushy Creek in Avery county, between Toe and Linville Rivers." It is too bad that the story and "portion of song" were not recorded, for hitherto the only report of this ballad in America is Margaret Reburn's in the Child correspondence in the Harvard Library, and that has not been printed. Greig reports it from Scotland.
THE DYING QUEEN- (collected by John Jacob Niles, published in 1961) The informant, living near Murphy, NC, asked that her name not be mentioned. No date given but probably early 1930s- from "The Ballad Book of John Jacob Niles."
1. The Queen is sick, and she will die,
Fa-la-le-la, fa-la-le-lu,
The Queen is sick, and she will die,
Send her two preachers speed-ee-lie,
Fa-la-le-la, fa-la-le-lu.
2. The King was one, the Captain `tother,
Fa-la-le-la, fa-la-le-lu,
The King was one, the Captain `tother,
My firstest child was got by another,
Fa-la-le-la, fa-la-le-lu.
3. My daughters were not Henry's get,
Their beauty you could not forget.
4. My second son, I liked him least,
He looks like one who is this priest.
5. I carried pizen in a bag
To pizen them as did me bad.
6. I pizened that fair Price-ee-mond.
She bare the King two little sons.
7. The King took off his preacher's gown
And gave the Captain many a frown.
8. The Queen made moan and died in baid,
She shrieked and cried she was betrayed.