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The Maid and the Palmer and the Well Below the Valley

Anonymous
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OriginalThe Well Below the Valley: La versione cantata nel 1969 da John...
THE MAID AND THE PALMER AND THE WELL BELOW THE VALLEY

THE maid shee went to the well to washe,
Lillumwham, lillumwham!
The mayd shee went to the well to washe,
Whatt then? what then?
The maid shee went to the well to washe,
Dew fell of her lilly white fleshe.
Grandam boy, grandam boy, heye!
Leg a derry, leg a merry, mett, mer, whoope, whir!
Driuance, larumben, grandam boy, heye!

While shee washte and while shee ronge,
While shee hangd o the hazle wand.

There came an old palmer by the way,
Sais, ‘God speed thee well, thou faire maid!’

‘Hast either cupp or can,
To giue an old palmer drinke therin?’

Sayes, ‘I have neither cupp nor cann,
To giue an old palmer drinke therin.’

‘But an thy lemman came from Roome,
Cupps and canns thou wold find soone.’

She sware by God & good St. John,
Lemman had shee neuer none.

Sais, ‘Peace, faire mayd, you are forsworne!
Nine children you haue borne.

‘Three were buryed vnder thy bed’s head,
Other three vnder thy brewing leade.

‘Other three on yon play greene;
Count, maid, and there be 9.’

‘But I hope you are the good old man
That all the world beleeues vpon.

‘Old palmer, I pray thee,
Pennaunce that thou wilt giue to me.’

‘Penance I can giue thee none,
But 7 yeere to be a stepping-stone.

‘Other seaven a clapper in a bell,
Other 7 to lead an ape in hell.

‘When thou hast thy penance done,
Then thoust come a mayden home.’
THE WELL BELOW THE VALLEY

For a gentleman was passin' by
He axed a drink as he got dry
At the well below below the valley-o
Green grows the lilies-o right among the bushes-o

My cup it is in overflow
An' if I do stoop I may fall in
At the well below below the valley-o
Green grows the lilies-o right among the bushes-o

Well if your true love was passin' by
You'd fill him a drink if he got dry
At the well below below the valley-o
Green grows the lilies-o right among the bushes-o

[She swore by grass and swore by corn
That her true love was never born
At the well below below the valley-o
Green grows the lilies-o right among the bushes-o]

Well if you're a man of noble fame
You'll tell to me the father o' them
At the well below below the valley-o
Green grows the lilies-o right among the bushes-o

[Two of them by your father dear
At the well below below the valley-o
Green grows the lilies-o right among the bushes-o]

Two of them came by your uncle Dan
At the well below below the valley-o
Green grows the lilies-o right among the bushes-o

Another one by your brother John
At the well below below the valley-o
Green grows the lilies-o right among the bushes-o

Well if you're a man of the noble fame
You'll tell to me what happened then
At the well below below the valley-o
Green grows the lilies-o right among the bushes-o

There was two o' them buried by the kitchen fire
At the well below below the valley-o
Green grows the lilies-o right among the bushes-o

Two more o' them buried by the stable door
At the well below below the valley-o
Green grows the lilies-o right among the bushes-o

The other was buried by the well
At the well below below the valley-o
Green grows the lilies-o right among the bushes-o

Well if you're a man of a noble 'steem
You'll tell to me what'll happen mysel'
At the well below below the valley-o
Green grows the lilies-o right among the bushes-o

You'll be seven year a-ringin' a bell
At the well below the valley
Green grows the lilies-o all amongst the bushes

You'll be seven more a-portin' in Hell
At the well below the valley
Green grows the lilies-o all amongst the bushes

I'll be seven long years a-ringing a bell
But the Lord above may save my soul
From portin' in Hell
At the well below the valley
Green grows the lilies-o all amongst the bushes


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