Herald's Lament ~ Mercedes Lackey

Heralds Lament Lyrics
Mercedes Lackey

A hand to wade along the road
A laugh to lighten any load
A place to bring a burden heart
And heal the ache of sorrow's dart

Who'd willing share in joy or tears
And help to ease the darkest fears
Or my soul like his own defense
And all because he was my friend

No grave could hold so free a soul
I see him in the frisking foal
I hear him laughing on the breeze
That stirs the very tops of trees

He soars with falcons on the wing
He hears the song that night birds sing
Death never dared him captive keep
He lies not there, he does not sleep

[Solo]

But there is silence at my side
That haunts the place he used to ride
And my Companion can't belay
The loss that I sustained this day

How bleak the future now has grown
Since I must face it all alone
My road is weary, dark and steep
And it is for myself I weep
 

~ I do not own this, all rights and credit goes to Mercedes Lackey

Three Ravens ~ Thomas Ravencroft

There were three ravens sat on a tree,
Down a down, hey down, hey down
They were a black as black might be,
With a down.
The one of them said to his mate.
"Where shall we our breakfast take?"
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down.

Down in yonder green field,
Down a down, hey down, hey down
Their lies a knight slain under his shield,
With a down.
His hounds they lie down at his feet
So well they do their master keep.
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down.

His hawks they fly so eagerly
Down a down, hey down, hey down
No other fowl dare him come nigh,
With a down.
Down there comes a fallow doe
As heavy with young as she might go.
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down.

She lifted up his bloody head,
Down a down, hey down, hey down
And kissed his wounds that were so red,
With a down.
She got him up upon her back
And carried him to earthen lake.
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down.

She buried him before the prime,
Down a down, hey down, hey down
She was dead herself ere even-song time,
With a down.

God send every gentleman
Such hawks, such hounds, and such leman,
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down.

Henry Martin ~ Sir Andrew Barton

There were three brothers in merry Scotland,
In merry Scotland there were three
And they did cast lots which of them should go, should go, should go,
And turn robber all on the salt sea.

The lot it fell upon Henry Martin,
The youngest of all of the three
That he should turn robber all on the salt sea, the salt sea, the salt sea,
For to maintain his two brothers and he.

Now they had not been sailing but a long winter's night
And part of a short winter's day,
When he spied a stout lofty ship … ,
Come a-bibbing down on them straightway.

"Hello, hello," cried Henry Martin,
"What makes you sail so nigh?"
"O, I'm a rich merchant ship bound for fair London Town,
And if you please, we shall quickly pass by."

"Oh no, oh no," cried Henry Martin,
"This thing it never could be.
For I have turned robber all on the salt sea,
For to maintain my two brothers and me."

"Come lower your topsail and brail up your mizzen,
And bring your ship under my lee,
Or I will give to you a full cannon ball,
And all your bodies drown in the salt sea."

"Oh no, we won't lower our lofty topsail,
Nor bring our ship under your lee,
And you'll not take from us our rich merchant goods,
No, nor point our bold guns to the sea."

And broadside, and broadside, and at it they went,
For fully two hours or three,
Until Henry Martin gave them the death shot,
And straight to the bottom went she.

Bad news, bad news, to old England came,
Bad news to fair London town,
There's been a rich vessel and she's cast away,
And all of her merry men drowned.

The Chandler's Wife

A man (I) walked into the chandler's shop some candles for to buy,
He (I) looked around the chandler's shop but no one did he (I) spy.
So he turned upon his heels and to the door he sped
[alt 3rd line: I was disappointed and some angry words I said, ]
When he (I) heard the sound of a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK up above my head.
When he (I) heard the sound of a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK up above my head.

Well this young man was a bold young man  so up the stairs he sped,
[alt 1st line: I was slick and I was quick, and up the stairs I sped, ]
And very surprised was he (I) to find the chandler's wife in bed;
And with her was a fine young man of most incredible size,
And they were having a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK right before his (my) eyes. 
And they were having a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK right before his (my) eyes. 

When the fun was over and done and the lady raised her head,
She was quite surprised to find him (me) standing by the bed
"If you would keep my secret sir, if you would be so kind, 
You may drop in for a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK whenever you feel inclined."
"You may drop in for a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK whenever you feel inclined."

So, many a day and many a night when the chandler wasn't home,
Down to the chandler shop, for candles he (I) would roam.
But nary a one she gave to him (me), but gave to him (me) instead,
Just a little bit more of the KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK to light his (my) way to bed. 
Just a little bit more of the KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK to light his (my) way to bed.

So, all you married men take heed, whenever you go to town,
If you must leave your woman alone, be sure to tie her down.
Or, if you would be kind to her, just lay her right down on the floor,
And give her so much of that KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK she doesn't want any more.
And give her so much of that KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK she doesn't want any more.

Bardic in An Tir - Gwynafel Farleigh

We wait for the sun to set
For the wind to ebb away
For the fire to be lit
For the folk to find their way

We wait for Songstress Aria
To pull her drum around
For her voice to give it octave
In the hush we here it pound

We wait for Owen's flute to trill
And his singing of the Yew
Wait for Jazz's clear, sweet voice
A song she's written new

Charles sings to us in french
And Kelly's viking strong
Songs of war and love and death
Of battles right and wrong

Master James last night did speak
True tales he did tell
Of humor and of history
Of An Tir he knows well

The Brave and Bonny Host will ring
All voices filled with power
With (her Excellency) Baroness Mogg to lead the way
Our strong and gentle flower

Master Iago treats us fully
With his music and his prose
Scott and Richard break our hearts
With pinings and with woes

Ysane speaks about her soup
And afterwards:  To Cake!
Hamish plays his bagpipes loud
They echo 'cross the lake

Janice dances, hips a-jingle
She smiles with a wink
Eyes upon her every move
Cheeks aglow and pink

Will MacBrennan tells a story
With words the pull you in
He moves and gestures wildly
and leaves you with a grin

So many others I have heard
Whose names I do not know
You've shared your talents here with us
And left our hearts aglow

So raise your voices every one
And lets all give a cheer
Without them all that speak or sing
There'd be no bardic in An Tir

Into the Battle ~ Caius Kristy

We charged into battle
on the field that day
With the sun beating high on our heads

Our comrades were beside us
and fear rushing inside
But justice led us on our way

Long journeys we've travelled
'til our feet were bone weary
And hearts pumping twice the norm

Ballads and poems
Shall be written of us
Terrifying tales as well

So worry not, fellow soldier
For our vengeance is noble
And we've nothing more to lose

Swords began clashing
Bodies began falling
And death's blood scent tinged the air

For all men must fight
And all must be faithful
But none are allowed to despair

And though we went on
Still we must mourn
Because triumph requires some loss

So we change into battle
onto fields and mountains
For all men must die some day.

Down at the Inn

Chorus

Hey digadin, Hey digadin 

down at the inn, down at the inn

Hey digadin, Hey digadin

everyones down at the inn

My lady's a hostler, a hostler, a hostler

and a mighty fine hostler is she,

All day she mounts horses, mounts horses, mounts horses

and at night she comes home and drinks tea!

Chorsus

My lord is a farmer, a farmer, a farmer

and a mighty fine farmer is he.

All day he plows fields, he plows fields, he plows fields

and at night he goes home and drink tea!

Chorus

My lady's a mason, a mason, a mason

and a mighty fine mason is she.

All day she lays bricks, she lays bricks, she lay bricks

and at night she goes home and drinks tea.

Chorus

My lord is a carpenter, a carpenter, a carpenter

and a mighty fine carpenter is he,

all day he nails planks, he nails planks, he nails planks

and at night he comes home and drinks tea.

Chorus

My ladies a glassblower, a glassblowers, a glassblower,

and a mighty fine glassblower is she.

All day she blows glass, she glows glass, she blows glass,

and at night she comes home and drinks tea.

Chorus

My lord is a blacksmith, a blacksmith, a blacksmith 

and a mighty fine blacksmith is he.

All day he bangs iron, bangs iron, bangs iron,

and at night he comes home and drinks tea!

Chorus

My ladies a herbalist, a herbalist, a herbalist,

and a mighty fine herbalist is she.

All day she drinks tea, she drinks tea, she drinks tea,

and at night she does nothing but pee!




others:
cobblers, tongues shoes
pastry chef, stuffs tarts
driver, goes down
Your father, scolds you
your mother, holds you