Geordie [Child Ballad #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 broad sword and a pistol too

I’d fight you for the life of my Geordie”

• Artist:Anaïs Mitchell
• Album:Child Ballads