FALSE FOUDRAGE sung by Brian Peters, The Seeds of Time, Harbourtown HARCD021, 1992. I can't get words in stanzas 17, 23, 24. Please, help. Thanks. Roberto
Now the Eastmure king and the Westmure king And the king of Honorie They've courted of a fair young maid All from the North Countrie
King Eastmure's courted her for gold King Westmure for her fee But the king of Honor's won her heart His bride all for to be
King Eastmure swore a dreadful oath All on their wedding day And he has sent for False Foudrage The king all for to slain
And at the dead hour of the night When all were fast a-bed False Foudrage so soft crept in Sat at king Honor's head
And his Lady she awakened All from her drowsy dream She saw her bride-bed swim with blood And her good lord lay slain
O spare my life, False Foudrage Until I lighter be Spare me that I may bear the child King Honor's left with me
Well, if it be a lass – he said Well nursed shall she be But if it be a little boy Then hangéd he will be
For I'll not spare him for his tender age Nor yet for his noble kin But on the day that he is born He'll mount the gallows-pin
Then four and twenty valiant knights Were set the Queen for to guard And four stood at her bower-door To keep both watch and ward
Ah, but when her time drew near its end She's gi'en them beer and wine And she has made them all as drunk As any wildwood swine
And she's stepped out the window She's wandered out and in And in the very swines' stye The Queen brought forth a son
Then they've cast lots all in the town For who should go to the Queen And the lot it fell on Wise William And he's sent his wife for him
This favour, Wise William's wife This favour grant to me Change your lass for my little boy That King Honor's left with me
And you will learn my gay gose-hawke Well how to breast a steed And I will learn your turtle-dove As well to write and read
And you will learn my gay gose-hawke To wield the bow and brand And I will learn your turtle-dove To lay gold all with her hand
When we meet at the market-place We must no more avow Then - Madam, how does my gay gose-hawk? Lady, how does my dove?
Now, when days were gone and years come on Wise William he thought long And he has ta'en King Honor's son And they've a-hunting gone
Do you see that high high castle With walls and towers so fair? Well, if every man had back his own Of it you'd be the heir
For if you should slain False Foudrage You'd set the wrong to right For he has slain your father E'er you ever saw the light
And if you should slain False Foudrage There's no man would you blame For he keeps your mother prisoner And she dare not take you home
So he's set his bow all to his breast He's climbed the castle's wall And there he's met with False Foudrage A-walkin' in the hall
Oh, what ails thee, my bonny boy? What ails thee at me? For I did never do you wrong Your face I ne'er did see
O hold your tongue, False Foudrage For I know you and who you be And he has pierced him through the heart And set his mother free
And he has given to Wise William The best part of this land And he has wed his turtle-dove With a ring from off his hand