The Entreaty

Words and Music: Conn MacNeill
MIDI / NWC / PDF

Quoth the maid when at play in her garden one day
I shall pray to the god of true lovers.
That he make cunning shape to fair art and good grace
A heart made for my heart and no other.

From her bower gathered flowers plucked as bells rang the hours
For their power to seal her entreaty.
She laid round her and vowed her a true heart that found her
As a dower would take up the lily.

Fa la la Fa la la
Fa la la la la le
Fa la la la la
Take up the lily

Noble lord, Windsor horn, setting spurs to swift horse
Seeking boar flesh to grace well his table
When a storm from the north covered darkly his course
He perforce reins for lodging and stable

For climes milder to fly there goes our noblest of riders
Till his eyes are beset with a wonder.
For he spies her as she lies there with the flowers drawn nigh her
And sighs for he'll ne'er love another

Fa la la Fa la la
Fa la la la la lo
Fa la la la la
He'll ne'er love another

Now with care, cloak of vair, he lays over form fair
And her hair shining black as a raven.
Boldly dares, he does share, from the flowers strewn there,
One so rare as to gift this fair maiden

He sees her waking and shaking so to quell her mistaking
He's taking to hand the fair lily.
Never breaking nor forsaking true vows of their making
And to waking the granted entreaty

Fa la la Fa la la
Fa la la la la le
Fa la la la la
The granted entreaty

Fa la la Fa la la
Fa la la la la lo
Fa la la la la
The lady, the lily

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