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The Noble Lord Hawkins

[ Roud 195 ; Laws O14 ; Ballad Index LO14 ; trad.]

Nic Jones recorded this song in 1970 for his first album Ballads and Songs. He commented in the album's sleeve notes:

Noble Lord Hawkins may have been the result of another bout of name-adaption. He appears to have existed at one time as Sir Arthur in Sir Arthur and Charming Mollee, the story being more or less the same. Noble Lord Hawkins was collected by H.E.D. Hammod from Mr R. Barrett of Piddleton at it was printed in the Folk Song Journals where I found it.

Lyrics

As noble Lord Hawkins a-hunting did ride,
His horse and his gun and his sword by his side,
As he was a-riding he chanced to see
𝄆 A pretty young woman: her name was Polly. 𝄇

“Oh Polly, oh Polly, my butler shall be
To pour out my wine and to wait upon me.
But to pour out my wine and to wait upon me,
𝄆 How does that take you my pretty Polly?” 𝄇

“Oh noble Lord Hawkins, don't talk so bold,
I'll not be your woman for silver or gold.
For I have a petticoat suits my degree
And I'll 𝄆 n'er have a married man till his wife dies.” 𝄇

“Then Polly, oh Polly, lend me your penknife
And I'll go right home and I'll kill my old wife.
Why I'll kill my old wife and her children three
And 𝄆 then will you love me, my pretty Polly?” 𝄇

“Oh noble Lord Hawkins don't you say so,
But go to your wife and let nobody know.
Go to your wife and your children three
And 𝄆 seven long years I will tarry for thee.” 𝄇

And these seven long years they were over and past,
The lady she goes and dies at last.
And the very same day the old lady did die,
𝄆 He went a-courting of pretty Polly. 𝄇

And so now she's a nobleman's lady so high,
Along with young Hawkins she do ride.
And all you young ladies come following me
𝄆 Come to the wedding of pretty Polly. 𝄇
For six pretty maidens so neat and so trim
𝄆 Shall dance at my wedding on Monday morning 𝄇

Acknowledgements

Song lyrics copied from Rid Smith's Traditional Music Library with adaptions to the actual singing of Nic Jones by Garry Gillard.