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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: interpretata da Frankie Armstrong...
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

A gentleman was passing by
He asked for a drink as he was dry
At the well below below the valley
Green grows the lilies-o all amongst the bushes

My pitcher now does overflow
If I bent over 'tis in I'll go
To the well below the valley
Green grows the lilies-o all amongst the bushes

If your true lover was passing by
You'd give him a drink if he was dry
At the well below the valley
Green grows the lilies-o all amongst the bushes

She swore by grass, she swore by corn
That her true lover had never been born
At the well below the valley
Green grows the lilies-o all amongst the bushes

Peace, fair maid, you are forsworn
For nine children have you born
At the well below the valley
Green grows the lilies-o all amongst the bushes

If you're a man of noble fame
Pray tell to me the father's name
At the well below the valley
Green grows the lilies-o all amongst the bushes

Four of them by your father dear
Four more of them by your uncle
The other one by your brother John
At the well below the valley
Green grows the lilies-o all amongst the bushes

Since you're a man of noble fame
Pray tell to me what happened then
At the well below the valley
Green grows the lilies-o all amongst the bushes

Four of them buried by the sty
Four more of them by the stable
The other one lies beneath the well
The well below the valley
Green grows the lilies-o all amongst the bushes

Since you're a man of noble fame
Pray tell to me what happens then
At the well below the valley
Green grows the lilies-o all amongst the bushes

You'll be seven long years a-ringing a bell
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 will save me from hell
At the well below the valley
Green grows the lilies-o all amongst the bushes


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