Brian Peters - False Foudrage lyrics

The Eastmuir king and the Westmuir king And the king of Honorie They've courted of a fair young maid All from the North country King Eastmuir's courted her for gold King Westmuir for her fee But the King of Honor's won her heart His bride all for to be King Eastmuir swore a dreadful oth All on their wedding day And he has sent for False Foudrage The king all for to slay And at the dead hour of the night When all were fast abed False Foudrage so soft crept in Stood at King Honor's head And his lady, she awakened All from a drowsy dream She saw her bride-bed swim with blood And her good lord lay slain "Oh, spare my life, False Foudrage Until I lighter be Spare me that I may bear the child That King Honor's left with me." "Well, if it be a la**," he said "Well nursed shall she be— But if it be a little boy Then hanged 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." So 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 But when her time drew near its end She's given them beer and wine And she has made them all as drunk As any wildwood swine And she's slipped out of the window She's wandered out and in And in the very swine sty The queen brought forth a son Now, they have cast lots 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 "A favour, Wise William's wife This favour grant to me— Change your la** for my little boy That King Honor's left with me "And you will learn my gay goshawk 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 goshawk To wield the bow and brand; And I will learn your turtle-dove To lay gold all with her hand "And when we meet at the market place We must no more avow Than, 'Madam, how does my goshawk?' '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 slay False Foudrage You'd set the wrong to right For he has slain your father Ere you ever saw the light "And if you should slay 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 wall And there he's met with False Foudrage A-walking in the hall "Oh, what ails you, my bonny boy What ails you at me? For I did never do you wrong And your face I ne'er did see." "Oh, 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 his land And he has wed his turtle-dove With the ring from off his hand