This is Child Ballad No 209 - one of those
songs that I've known forever... it must have
been very popular in the 1970s
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Oh as I rode out over London Bridge
One misty morning early
I overheard a fair pretty maid
Lamenting for her Geordie
Go saddle me the milk-white steed
Go saddle me the pony
For I will ride to London town
To plead for the life of Geordie
Now when she's entered in the hall
There's lords and ladies many
She fell down on her bended knee
To plead for the life of Geordie
Oh my Geordie stole no cow nor calf
Nor sheep he never stole any
He stole sixteen of the King's wild deer
And sold them in Bohenny
Oh two brave children I've had by him
The third lies in my bosom
If you will spare my Geordie's life
I'd freely part with them every one
Well the judge looked over his left shoulder
He said I'm sorry for thee
My pretty fair maid you've come too late
For he's condemned already
Oh my Geordie shall hang in golden chain
Such chain as never was any
For he was of the royal blood
And courted a virtuous lady
Oh I wish I was in yonder grove
Where times I have been many
With my broadsword and pistol too
I'd fight for the life of Geordie . |
This is said to be a version from Robert
Burns:
There was a battle in the north
And nobles there was many
And they hae kill'd Sir Charlie Hay
And they laid the wyte on Geordie
O he has written a lang letter
He sent it to his lady
Ye maun cum up to Enbrugh town
To see what words o' Geordie
When first she look'd the letter on
She was baith red and rosy
But she had na read a word but twa
Till she wallow't like a lily
Gar get to me my gude grey steed
My menzie a' gae wi' me
For I shall neither eat nor drink
Till Enbrugh town shall see me
And she has mountit her gude grey steed
Her menzie a' gaed wi' her
And she did neither eat nor drink
Till Enbrugh town did see her
And first appear'd the fatal block
And syrie the aix to head him
And Geordie cumin down the stair
And bands o airn upon him
But tho' he was chain'd in fetters strang
O airn and steel sae heavy
There was na ane in a'the court
Sae bruw a Man as Geordie
O she's down on her bended knee
I wat she's pale and weary
O pardon, pardon, noble king
And gie me back my Dearie
I hae born seven sons to my Geordie dear
The seventh ne'er saw his daddie
O pardon, pardon, noble king
Pity a waefu' lady
Gar bid the headin-man mak haste
Our king reply'd fu' lordly
O noble king, tak a'that's mine
But gie me back my Geordie
The Gordons cam and the Gordons ran
And they were stark and steady
And ay the word amang them a
Was, Gordons keep you ready
An aged lord at the king's right hand
Says, noble king, but hear me
Gar her tell down five thousand pound
And gie her back her Dearie
Some gae her marks, some gae her crowns
Some gae her dollars many
And shes tell'd down five thousand pound
And she's gotten, again her Dearie
She blinkit blythe in her Geordie's face
Says, dear I've bought thee, Geordie
But there sud been bluidy bouks on the
green
Or I had tint my laddie
He claspit her by the middle sma'
And he kist her lips sae rosy
The fairest flower o' woman-kind
Is my sweet, bonie Lady |
And a Canadian version:
As I walked over London bridge
Oh so early in the morning
If was there I met a pretty fair maid
All lamenting for her Geordie
What has he done? Who has he killed?
Has he murdered anybody?
No, he stole five pearls from the royal king
And he sold them in a hurry
Go bring to me my riding steed
Go saddle up my pony
Five hundred pounds I will lay down
All to plead for the life of Geordie
We will have him hung with a golden chain
Such a chain there is not many
We will have him buried with the same
For the likes and the life of Geordie
The judge looked over his right shoulder
It was words he didn't say many
Prepare yourself for death, young man
For it's mercy you shan't have any
The judge looked over his left shoulder
it was words he didn't say many
I'm afeared you came too late, fair maid
For your loved one is judged already
If I had my Geordie on yonders plain
It's kisses I'd have many
With a sword and pistol by my side
I'll die for the life of Geordie |