> Tim Hart & Maddy Prior > Songs > Queen Eleanor's Confession

Queen Eleanor's Confession

[ Roud 74 ; Child 156 ; Ballad Index C156 ; trad.]

Eleanor of Aquitaine was a colorful character, but the accusations in this song are unlikely to be true. She was not a virgin when she came to Henry: she was the mother of a daughter by her first husband, the King of France. The “noble lady” would be Rosamund Clifford, a long time mistress of Henry.

Tim Hart and Maddy Prior sang Queen Eleanor's Confession in 1969 on their second duo album Folk Songs of Old England Vol. 2. The record's sleeve notes comment:

This narrative ballad concerns the supposed last confession of Henry II's queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Being of a wilful and flirtatious nature she provided the chroniclers with much scandal during her life, but her legend survived her in a rather confused and expanded form and it is from legend rather than fact that this entertaining story was written.

The version is almost completely from Motherwell's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border.

Lyrics

Tim Hart and Maddy Prior sing Queen Eleanor's Confession

Queen Eleanor was a sick woman and sick just like to die
And she has sent for two friars of France to come to her speedily

The King has called his nobles all, by one, by two, by three
Earl Marshal, I'll go shrive the Queen and thou shalt wend with me

Oh no, oh no, cried Earl Marshal, such things can never be
For if the Queen should get word of this then hanged I would be

I swear by the sun, I swear by the moon, and by the stars on high
And by my scepter and my crown, Earl Marshal shall not die

So the King's put on a grey friar's gown and the Earl's put on another
And they are gone to fair London town like friar's both together

And when they came before the Queen, they fell on bended knee
What matter, what matter, our gracious Queen, you've called so speedily

Oh, if you are two friars of France, it's you I wish to see
But if you are two English lords, then hanged you shall be

Oh we are not two English lords, but friars both are we
And we sang the Song of Solomon as we came all o'er the sea

Oh, the first vile sin I did commit, I now will to thee
I fell in love with the Earl Marshal, as he brought me o'er the sea

Oh, that was a vile sin, said the King, may God forgive it thee
Amen, amen, said the Earl Marshal, with a heavy heart spake he

Oh the next vile sin I did commit, I will to you unfold
Earl Marshal had my virgin dower beneath this gown of gold

Oh that was a vile sin, said the King, may God forgive it thee
Amen, amen, said the Earl Marshal, for a frightened man was he

Oh don't you see two yonder little boys a-playing at the ball
Oh that one is Earl Marshal's son and I like him the best of all

Oh don't you see yon other little boy a-playing at the ball
Oh that one is King Henry's son and I like him the worst of all

His head is like a black bull's head, his feet are like a bear
What matter, what matter, cried the King, he's my son and my only heir

And the King pulled off his grey friar's smock and stood in his scarlet so red
Queen Eleanor turned in her bed and cried that she was betrayed

And the King looked o'er his left shoulder and a grim look looked he
Oh, Earl Marshal, but for my oath, then hanged you would be