PRISONER AT THE BAR III

The Judge was there, the Jury too
An' people from afar
A fair young lad of tender years
Was a prisoner at the bar
The great courtroom was crowded, with
Eager anxious throng
And many of a heart were broken
For the boy was 'cused of wrong

A maiden fair with golden hair
Swept swiftly thru the crowd
The people 'mazed an' wondered
But spoke not a word aloud
Then steppin' to the Jury stand
One moment she did pause
Then smiling through her tears, she said,
Judge, let me plead his cause

Tomorrow is our wedd'n day
The joy of a woman's life
And at the altar he will make,
Me his dear loving wife
Unless you mean to plead his life
Don't say that we must part
Remember Judge, your lovin wife
Was once't your dear sweetheart

You have childring of your own
Have mercy, I do pray
Remember Judge, you'll break my heart
If you send him away
Now Judge, don't you remember back
Like those long years gone by
When you were in your early prime
Jest like this lad an' I

The Judge rose quickly from his seat
The court was still as death
The Judge rose quickly from his seat
He spoke with a pleasing breath
I have a little girl at home
With just such baby eyes
And streams of mercy scatter'd here
Will flourish in the sky

Not guilty was the only one
This maiden heerd them say
Her lover clasped her in his arms
Love always has its way

SOURCE:
As sung by Ollie Gilbert, Mountain View, Arkansas on Ocober 28, 1969. The Max Hunter Folksong Collection; http://www.smsu.edu/folksong/maxhunter/0928/index.html