May Colvin Lyrics

False Sir John, a courting came

To a maid of beauty fair

May Colvin was the lady's name

Her father's only heir

He wooed her but, he wooed her ben

He wooed her in the heart

Until she gave her consent to mount and ride away

Bring me some of your father's gold

Some of your mother's fee

We'll ride into the North Land

And there I'll marry thee

She's gone to her father's coffers

Where all his money lay

She's taken the red and she's left the white

And lightly tipped away

She's mounted on her milk-white steed

He on the dappled grey

They rode to some lonesome part

A rock beside the sea

Leap off, leap off, said false Sir John

Your wedding bed you see

Seven ladies I have killed here

The eighth one you shall be

Take off, take off your silk so fine

And lay them on a stone

They are too fine and costly

To rot in the salt sea foam

Take off, take off your Holland smock

That's bordered with the lawn

It's too fine and costly To rot in the salt sea foam

Turn around, false Sir John

Look to the leaf of a tree

There never became a gentleman

A naked woman to see

He's turned around, false Sir John

He looks to the leaf of a tree

She wound her arms about his waist

And threw him into the sea

Help me, May Colvin

I fear I may drown

I'll take you to your father's house

And safely I'll set you down

No help, no help from me No help, no pity thee

And I'll put you in a colder bed

Than you would have put me

She's mounted on a milk-white steed And led the dappled grey

Until she reached her father's gate

At the breaking of the day

Up then spoke a pretty parrot

May Colvin Where have you been?

What became of false Sir John

You went with yesterday

Hold your tongue, my pretty parrot

No tales you tell of me

Your cage will be made of beaten gold

The spokes of ivory

Up then spoke her father dear where in his bedchamber lay

What ails you pretty parrot

Prattles all the day

A cat came to my cage master

I thought it would worry me

I called for May Colvin

To take the cat from me