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The Maid and the Palmer and the Well Below the Valley

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Original21A. The Maid and the Palmer interpretata da Maddy Prior e Martin...
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 MAID AND THE PALMER

Oh, the maid went down to the well for to wash,
And the dew fell down from her snow-white flesh,
The dew fell down from her snow-white flesh
As the sun shone down so early.

And as she washed, as she wrang,
She hung them out on a hazel wand,
She hung them out on a hazel wand
When by there come a palmer man.

Oh, God speed you, Old Man, she cries,
God speed you, you fair pretty maid,
God speed you, my pretty fair maid
As the sun shines down so early.

Have you got a cup? Have you got a can?
Can you give a drink to a palmer man?
Can you give a drink to a palmer man
As the sun shines down so early?

Oh, I've no cup and I've no can
And I cannot give a drink to a palmer man,
I cannot give a drink to a palmer man
As the sun shines down so early.

You lie, you lie, you are forsworn,
For if your true love came from Rome,
Then a cup, a can you'd find for him,
As the sun shines down so early.

Now she swore by God and the good St. John,
A true lover she'd had never the one,
A true love she'd had never the one,
As the sun shines down so early.

You lie, you lie, you are forsworn,
For nine children you have born,
Nine children you have born
As the sun shines down so early.

Oh, there's three of them lying under your bedhead,
Three of them under the hearth are laid,
Three of them under the hearth are laid
As the sun shines down so early.

Three more laying on yonder green,
Count, fair maid, for that makes nine,
Count, fair maid, for that makes nine
As the sun shines down so early.

Palmer, oh palmer, do tell me,
Penance that you will give to me,
Penance that you will give to me
As the sun shines down so early.

Penance I will give thee none,
But seven years as a stepping stone,
Seven years as a stepping stone
As the sun shines down so early.

Seven more as a clapper to ring in the bell,
Seven to run as an ape through hell,
Seven to run as an ape through hell
As the sun shines down so early.

Welcome, welcome stepping stone,
Welcome clapper in the bell to ring,
Welcome clapper in the bell to ring
As the sun shines down so early.

Welcome stone, welcome bell,
Christ, keep me from the apes of hell,
Christ, keep me from the apes of hell,
As the sun shines down so early.


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