Queen Elanor's Confession

Traditional


Queen Elanor was a sick woman
And afraid that she would die
So she sent for two Friars out of France
To come to her speedilye

When the King he heard that the Queen had sent
For Friars from over the Sea
He called on his noble Earl Marshal
To come to him speedily

Do you put on one Friar's coat
And I'll put on another
And we shall to Queen Elanor go
One Friar's much like another!

"Oh God forbid," said the Earl Marshal
"That such a thing should be!
For if I should beguile, and damn the Queen,
Then hanged I might be!"

Then the king he swore upon his Oath,
his Sceptre and his Crown,
That whatsoever Queen Elanor said
He would not write it down

So they rode on, and they rode on
Till they came to Whitehall
The bells did ring, and the Choristers sing
And the torches did light withal

"Be you two Friars of France," she said
"As I suppose you be?
For if you be two English Friars
Then hanged I may be!"

"We are two Friars from France," they said,
"As you suppose we be;
And we have not been at any Mass
Since we came over the Sea!"

"The very first sin that ever I did
To you I will unfold:
Earl Marshall had my maidenhead
Underneath this cloth of gold.."

"That is a vile sin," said the King,
"May God forgive it thee.."
"Amen, Amen!" quoth Earl Marshall
With a heavy, heavy heart quoth he!

"The next vile sin that ever I did
To you I'll not deny:
I brewed a pot of poison strong
To poison King Henrye.."

"That is a vile sin," said the King,
"May God forgive it thee.."
"Amen, Amen!" quoth Earl Marshall,
"I wish it so might be!"

"The very next sin that ever I did
To you I will discover:
I poisoned Fair Rosamonde
All in the Woodstock bower.."

"That is a vile sin," said the King,
"May God forgive it thee..." "
Amen, Amen!" quoth Earl Marshal
"I wish it so might be!"

"Do you see yonder little child
A-tossing of that ball?
That is Earl Marshal's son," she said,
"And I love him the best of all!"

"And do you see yonder little child
A-catching of that ball?
That is King Henry's son," she said,
"And I love him the worst of all!"

"His head is like unto an Ox
His nose is like a Boar..."
"No matter for that," King Henry said,
"I love him the better therefore!"

Then the King threw off his Friar's coat
Appeared all in red
She weeped, she cried, she wrung her hands,
She said she'd been betrayed!

Then the King turned to his Earl Marshal,
And a grim look looked he,
And he said: "Earl Marshal, but for my Oath,
Then hanged you would be!"