Lord Thomas and Fair Eleanor
Lord Thomas he was a bold forester and the keeper of our Lord's deer
Fair Eleanor being a young woman Lord Thomas, he loved her so dear
Lord Thomas he loved her so dear.

Come me riddle me, mother, Lord Thomas he said, come riddle me all at one,
Whether I shall have Fair Eleanor or bring the Brown Girl home
Or bring the Brown Girl home.

The Brown Girl she's got riches and land, Fair Eleanor she's got none,
And this I think to my blessing, bring me the Brown Girl home,
Bring me the Brown Girl home.

Lord Thomas he rode to Fair Eleanor's bower and boldly the bell did ring,
There was none so willing as Fair Eleanor to let Lord Thomas in
To let Lord Thomas in.

What news? What news, Lord Thomas? she said. What news has thou brought me?
I have come to invite thee to my wedding, and that's bad news for thee,
And that's bad news for thee.

She dressed herself all in milk white, and her merry men all in green,
And every town that she went through, they took her to be some queen
They took her to be some queen.

Then she rode till she came to Lord Thomas' bower and boldly the bell did ring,
There was none so willing as Lord Thomas to let Fair Eleanor in
To let Fair Eleanor in.

He caught hold of her lily-white hand and led her up the hall
He set her above his own bride above the gay ladies all
Above the gay ladies all.

Is this thy bride, Lord Thomas, she said, I'm sure she looks wondrous brown,
When thou could'st have had me, as fair a lady as ever trod foot to ground,
As ever trod toot to ground.

Despise her not, Lord Thomas he said, despise her not unto me
For better I love thy little finger than I do her whole body
Than I do her whole body.

The Brown Girl had a little penknife that cut both keen and sharp
And between Fair Eleanor's long and short ribs she plunged it into her heart,
She plunged it into her heart.

Then off he cut his own bride's head and dashed it against the wall:
He leaned his sword upon the ground and on the point did fall,
And on the point did fall.

Oh, dig me a grave, Lord Thomas he cried, both long and wide and deep,
And lay Fair Eleanor at my side and the Brown Girl at my feet
The Brown Girl at my feet.

Lord Thomas was buried beneath the church wall, Fair Eleanor in the choir,
Out of Fair Eleanor grew a red rose and out of Lord Thomas a briar,
Out of Lord Thomas a briar.

They grew and grew to the chancel top till they couldn't grow any higher
And there they entwined in a truelover's knot for all the people to admire,
For all the people to admire.


Lord Thomas and Fair Eleanor words and music are in The Copper Family Song Book, but not in Bob Copper's book, A Song for Every Season.
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New: 21 December 2000 | Now: 21 December 2000 | Garry Gillard