Songs and Lyrics

Version 1

%abc-2.1
X:1
T:Riddles Wisely Expounded
C:Trad
C:D'Urfey (1720)
B:Pills to Purge Melancholy
Z:Webmaster
M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:1/4=80
K:F
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w:There was a la-dy in the north coun-try lay the Bent to the bonny__
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w:broom And she had love-ly daugh-ters three, Fa la la la fa la la ra re.
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W:1
W:There was a lady of the North Country,
W:Lay the bent to the bonny broom
W:And she had lovely daughters three.
W:Fa la la la, fa la la la ra re
W:
W:2
W:There was a knight of noble worth
W:Which also lived in the North.
W:
W:3
W:The knight, of courage stout and brave,
W:A wife he did desire to have.
W:
W:4
W:He knocked at the ladie's gate
W:One evening when it was late.
W:
W:5
W:The eldest sister let him in,
W:And pin'd the door with a silver pin.
W:
W:6
W:The second sister she made his bed,
W:And laid soft pillows under his head.
W:
W:7
W:The youngest daughter that same night,
W:She went to bed to this young knight.
W:
W:8
W:And in the morning, when it was day,
W:These words unto him she did say:
W:
W:9
W:`Now you have had your will,' quoth she,
W:`I pray, sir knight, will you marry me?'
W:
W:10
W:The young brave knight to her replyed,
W:`Thy suit, fair maid,shall not be deny'd.
W:
W:11
W:`If thou canst answer me questions three,
W:This very day will I marry thee.'
W:
W:12
W:`Kind sir, in love, O then,' quoth she,
W:`Tell me what your [three] questions be.'
W:
W:13
W:`O what is longer than the way,
W:Or what is deeper than the sea?
W:
W:14
W:`Or what is louder than the horn,
W:Or what is sharper than a thorn?
W:
W:15
W:`Or what is greener than the grass,
W:Or what is worse than a woman was?`
W:
W:16
W:`O love is longer than the way,
W:And hell is deeper than the sea.
W:
W:17
W:`And thunder is louder than the horn,
W:And hunger is sharper than a thorn.
W:
W:18
W:`And poyson is greener than the grass,
W:And the Devil is worse than woman was.'
W:
W:19
W:When she these questions answered had,
W:The knight became exceeding glad.
W:
W:20
W:And having [truly] try'd her wit,
W:He much commended her for it.
W:
W:21
W:And after, as it is verifi'd,
W:He made of her his lovely bride.
W:
W:22
W:So now, fair maidens all, adieu,
W:This song I dedicate to you.
W:
W:23
W:I wish that you may constant prove
W:Unto the man that you do love.

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Song by Thomas d'Urfey
Country of origin: England

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