This Section contains the songs: Agincourt, Adam lay y buounden, A-roving, All around my hat, Castillon, The Cutty Wren

Agincourt

The French they have stolen the kings lands away
And he in old England no longer will stay
He will cross the wild ocean and he will not rest
Until he's routed his foeman the one he loathes the best

At Harfleur town in royal array
He laid a siege by night and by day
He dazzled his foes with display of such might
That the Frenchmen within it had in them no fight

Then all throughout France he did march with his host
And the French could not stop him for all of their boast
Until he crossed the Somme on the road to Calais
And it fell upon Crispin on Crispinians day

On Agincourt field he did manfully fight
In order than the foe he could valourously fight
And with ten thousand arrows French knighthood was felled
And at such easy slaughter we English excelled

Here's a health to bold Henry whose cause it was just
Here's a pox on all Frenchmen who live in disgust
For we showed them with arrow with sword and bill thrust
What we do to all those who after our lands do lust

Adam lay y bounden

Words 15th century

Adam lay ybounden,
Bounden in a bond;
Four thousand winter
Thought he not too long.

And all was for an apple,
An apple that he took,
As clerkès finden
Written in their book.

Ne had the apple taken been,
The apple taken been,
Ne had never our lady
Abeen heavenè queen.
Blessèd be the time
That apple taken was,
Therefore we moun singen,
Deo gracias!

A-roving

In Amsterdam I met a maid
Mark well what I do say
In Amsterdam I met a maid
And she was a mistress of her trade
CHORUS:
            I'll go no more a-roving with you fair maid
A-roving, A-roving since rovings been my ru-i-n
            I'll go no more a-roving with you fair maid
I put my hand upon her toe
Mark well what I do say
I put my hand upon her toe
She said "Kind sir you're rather low."
            CHORUS
I put my hand upon her knee
Mark well what I do say
I put my hand upon her knee
She said "Kind sir you're rather free."
            CHORUS
I put my hand upon her thigh
Mark well what I do say
I put my hand upon her thigh
She said "Kind sir you're rather high."

CHORUS

I put my hand upon her breast
Mark well what I do say
I put my hand upon her breast
She said "Kind sir you've missed the best."

CHORUS

I put my hand upon her all
Mark well what I do say
I put my hand upon her all
"I looked at his and said that's small" (girl)
You'll go no more a-roving with this fair maid
A-roving, a-roving since rovings been my ru-i-n
You'll go no more a-roving with this fair maid

All around my hat

CHORUS:
            All around my hat
            I will wear the green willow
            And all around my hat
            For a twelve month and a day
            And if anyone should ask me
            The reason why I'm wearing it
            It's all for my true love
            Who's far, far away

Fare-thee-well cold winter
And fare-thee-well cold frost
Nothing have I gained
But my own true love I've lost
I'll sing and I'll be merry
When occasion I can see
Here's a toast to the young man
Let him go fare-well-me

The other night he brought me
A find diamond ring
But he thought to have deprived me
Of a far better thing
But I being careful
Like lovers ought to be
Here's a toast to the young man
Let him go fare-well-me

CHORUS

Here's a quarter pound of reason
And a half a pound of sense
A small sprig of Thyme
And as much of prudence
You mix them all together
And you will plainly see
Here's a toast to the young man
Let him go fare-well-ye

CHORUS

STAFFORDS VERSION

All around my hat
I will wear the green willow
And all around my hat
For a twelve month and a day
And if anyone should ask me
The reason why I'm wearing it
It's my fucking business
And it's my fucking hat!!

Castillon

When I was a young man I served my Lord Talbot
With bow, sword and buckler I full earned my pay
Till we came 'gainst the French on the field of Castillon
And all we had won it was lost on that day

With the strength of our arms and the good grey goose feather
We'd harried the French for fivescore years and more
Till a young witch in armour brought strength to their armies
And we found ourselves fighting a long losing war

So Talbot he took us upon a chevauchee
We marched from Bordeaux in the dead of the night
Took the French by surprise for they did not expect us
And caught their advance guard and put it to flight

Though six times our number we advanced on their earthworks
Though three hundred cannon poured shot through our ranks
No word for retreat came from my brave Lord Talbot
And we died where we stood on their ditches and banks

With bow and with bill we fought long and fought bloody
We died where we stood would not give back a pace
T'was the cannon destroyed my Lord's chance of a victory
Then a French man at arms smashed an axe in his face

With the death of Lord Talbot our spirit was broken
The battle was over our army no more
We fled through the fields and the woods and the valleys
This shattering defeat it had ended our war

So let tambour beat slowly and banner hang lowly
We are now so weak where we once were so strong
And those who are left must return now to England
Leaving comrades to lie in French fields all too long

But forget not Lord Talbot and long live his memory
Remember his courage take heed from his fame
Then gather your companies and follow your captains

And the cross of Saint George shall rule France once again

The cutty wren

There is a Manx legend that during the Irish rebellion, when English
soldiers and Manx Fencibles were in Ireland, the noise made by the wren on
the end of a drum woke a sleeping sentry and thus saved them from being
taken unawares; this was the reason for hunting the wren on St. Stephen's day.

Oh where are you going said Milder to Moulder
Oh we may not tell you said Festel to Fose
We're off to the woods said John the Red Nose
We're off to the woods said John the Red Nose

And what will you do there said Milder to Moulder
Oh we may not tell you said Festel to Fose
We'll shoot the Cutty wren said John the Red Nose
We'll shoot the Cutty wren said John the Red Nose

And how will you shoot us said Milder to Moulder
Oh we may not tell you said Festel to Fose
With bows and with arrows said John the Red Nose
With bows and with arrows said John the Red Nose

Oh that will not do said Milder to Moulder
Oh what will you do then said Festel to Fose
Great guns and great cannon said John the Red Nose
Great guns and great cannon said John the Red Nose

And how will you fetch her said Milder to Moulder
Oh we may not tell you said Festel to Fose
On the backs of four strong men said John the Red Nose
On the backs of four strong men said John the Red Nose

Ah that will not do said Milder to Moulder
Oh what will do then said Festel to Fose
Great carts and great wagons said John the Red Nose
Great carts and great wagons said John the Red Nose

Oh how will you cut her up said Milder to Moulder
Oh we may not tell you said Festel to Fose
With knives and with forks said John the Red Nose
With knives and with forks said John the Red Nose

Oh that will not do said Milder to Moulder
Oh we may not tell you said Festel to Fose
Great hatchets and cleavers said John the Red Nose
Great hatchets and cleavers said John the Red Nose

Oh how will you boil her said Milder to Moulder
Oh we may not tell you said Festel to Fose
In pots and in kettles said John the Red Nose
In pots and in kettles said John the Red Nose

O that will not do said Milder to Moulder
Oh what will do then said Festel to Fose
Great pans and large cauldrons said John the Red Nose
Great pans and large cauldrons said John the Red Nose

Oh who'll get the spare ribs said Milder to Moulder
Oh we may not tell you said Festel to Fose
We'll give 'em all to the poor said John the Red Nose
We'll give 'em all to the poor said John the Red Nose

Song Book 1

Agincourt

Adam lay y bounden

A-roving

All around my hat

Castillon

The cutty wren