Ok, I promise to stop being such a pest, so this will be the last time I ask this. I just can't believe that with all of the combined knowledge of the mudcat continuum, that there isn't somebody out there that doesn't know the answer to this. Vin Garbutt is such a great singer, but his Northumbrian is sometimes impossible to fathom. This skeleton is the best I've been able to do with Percy's Hall, and my numerous omissions are marked by ()'s. I've asked twice before, once poorly formatted, and once worse. Hope this finally looks better at least. Doesn't anybody know this song? I've had so much success finding song lyrics in the past. I've even got the lyrics and translation from Norwegian to an obscure song called Haugebonden. I can't believe that an English Song is going to be my (one of two) Waterloo(s).

Posted twice before:

0.7967 - Thread - Message - LYRIC ?:The Heir to Percy's Hall - Nov 10 1997 3:56PM - NonMember
0.7967 - Thread - Message - LYR Repair: The Heir to Percy's Hall? - Nov 5 1996 1:46PM - NonMember

The Heir to Percy's Hall
as performed by Vin Garbutt

Twas in and about the May Day time when the white flowers sweetly lie
When the primrose ( ) and the ( ) cups and the larks ( ) the sky
That Percy, deBruce, the ( ) son, ( )
From their proud mountain homes went forth to spend a hunting day

And they have left fair ?Killdale's? halls, Skelton's castle fair
The stately walls of Gisborough, to seek the wild boar's lair
They lighted nigh on Eskdaleside upon the fen so brown
They lighted where the wild boar lay, the dread of ?Whittenby? town

The boar, the boar, the brindled boar, Lord Percy loud did cry
Let a silver dirk to him who's pierced the boar of Eskdaleside
And in that ancient forest's green beside the gnarled oak
The hermit meek of Eskdaleside, his lone communing took

Twas there the boar, all red with gore burst into ?open? stead
Wounded and torn, it staggered on, and fell before him dead
Back to your home, proud Percy back, ( ) footsteps trace
"Herbert deBruce" how dare you thus pollute the sacred place

Thou shaven priest how dare you halt the heir to Percy's hall
How dare you stop my ( ) hounds, and keep my prey in thrall
Then pierced him with his good broad sword that ( ) so sharply honed
He smote the hermit on the brow into a deathly wound

( ) horrid outrage spread
That the holy monk of Eskdaleside of his wounds was nigh well dead
So ( ) the abbot did command the youths of Eskdaleside
( ) by my holy mother church, what may this deed betide

What e're this pious hermit asks your punishment shall be
E'en by my soul, though he should ask your doom o'the gallows tree
Alas my lord, the hermit cried, revenge is not of mine
To extend our holy church's bound is a nobler aim ( ) thine

I charge these youths on the ( ) eve, a penance for their crime
( ) in the forest take, and at early morning time
To raise up ( ) yellow shore a hedge that still must stand
Sea tides nor oceans' mighty wave shall wash it from the sand

The hunting horn that from this day their deed of shame shall sound
And all their heirs this tribute give 'til times' remotest bound
His eyes grew dim, his voice voice grew faint, farewell thou smiling shores
Sweet Esk', my Esk', I look at thee well, one cry and all is o'er