Lyrics Geordie (Child 209) - Anaïs Mitchell, Jefferson Hamer

Geordie (Child 209)

As I walked out over London Bridge
On a misty morning early
I overheard a fair pretty maid
Crying for the life of her Geordie
«Saddle me a milk white steed
Bridle me a pony
I’ll ride down to London town
And I’ll beg for the life of my Geordie»
And when she came to the courthouse steps
The poor folks numbered many
A hundred crowns she passed around
Saying, «Pray for the life of my Geordie»
«He never stole a mule or a mare
He never murdered any
If he shot one of the king’s wild deer
It was only to feed his family»
And then she strode through the marble hall
Before the judge and the jury
Down on her bended knee she falls
Crying for the life of her Geordie
«He never stole, he never slew
He never murdered any
He never injured any of you
Spare me the life of my Geordie»
The judge looked over his left shoulder
He says, «I'm sorry for thee
My pretty fair maid, you’ve come too late
He’s been condemned already»
«But six pretty babes I had by him
The seventh one lies in my body
And I would bear them all over again
If you give me the life of my Geordie»
«Your Geordie will hang in a silver chain
Such as we don’t hang many
And he’ll be laid in a coffin brave
For your six fine sons to carry»
«I wish I had you in a public square
The whole town gathered around me
With my broadsword and a pistol too
I’d fight you for the life of my Geordie»