Oh, all the lords of the North Country,
They have a-wooing gone,
To win the love of Lady Maisry,
But of them she'll have none
And they have courted Lady Maisry,
With brooches, rings and all,
And they have followed Lady Maisry,
Through chamber and through hall
Oh, Hold your tongues young men, she said,
And think no more on me,
For I've given my love to an English lord,
Who is to marry me
And word has gone to her father dear,
Through chamber and through hall,
That his only daughter Lady Maisry
Goes with child by an English lord,
Then in comes her father dear,
So stately by the door,
They tell to me, my daughter Maisry,
That you have become a whore
A whore, father? A whore, father?
Oh that I'll never be,
But I am with child by an English lord,
Who is to marry me
You could have had a duke or a lord,
All from your own country,
But instead you've gone with an English lord,
To bring this shame on me
Will you give up this English lord,
When your young babe is born?
Oh I'll never give up my English Lord,
Or my life would be forlorn
Oh in then came this lady's nurse,
Dear Maisry! She did cry,
And before she spoke another word,
The tears did blind her eyes,
Your father to the greenwood's gone,
And your brother to the broom,
All to make a bonfire bold,
For to burn your body in
Oh, where will I get a bonny, bonny boy,
Who can an errand run?
Who will go to England fair,
And bid my lord to come
Oh, I have here a bonny, bonny boy,
Who will your errand run,
And he will go to England fair,
And bid thy lord to come
Then in comes her father dear,
And fast he has her bound,
And he's brought the fiercest of his men,
To drag her through the town
The first two miles, the bonny boy walked,
And the next two he did run,
He ran till he came to the broad waterside,
And he fell on his breast and he swam
He swam till he came to the English lord's gate,
Where they all sat down at meat,
Oh lord, if you knew what I had to say,
How little you would eat
Oh is my castle fallen down?
Or is my tower won?
Or is my Lady lighter yet,
Of a daughter or a son?
Your castle has not fallen down,
Nor is your tower won,
Nor is your Lady lighter yet,
Of a daughter or a son,
But if you do not come in haste,
For you this day she'll burn
Go! Saddle me the black! He cried,
Or saddle me the brown!
Go saddle me the swiftest steed,
That ever rode through the town
So he rode as fast as he could ride,
Upon this noble steed,
Till the buttons leapt right off his breast,
And his nose began to bleed
Oh, her father he's put up a stake,
And her brother's made a fire,
And her mother sits in a golden chair,
For to watch her daughter die
Oh, they blew on the fire and they kindled the fire,
Till it did reach her head,
Oh, mother! Mother! Quench the fire!
For I am nearly dead
When her true love, he did come,
He leapt in boots and all,
And he thought to kiss her rosy lips,
But lifeless she did fall
Oh, who has been so false? He cried,
And who has been so cruel?
For to build a bonfire bold,
And burn my own dear jewel?
Oh, we have been so false! They cried,
And we have been so cruel,
For we'll not see an English lord,
Be married with our own dear jewel
Oh, for your sake, dear Maisry,
I will burn your father and mother
And for your sake, dear Maisry,
I will burn your only brother
And many a bed shall be a tomb,
And many shall lose their kin,
When I burn for you dear Maisry,
The town that you died in.

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