Brian Peters False Foudrage
The Eastmuir king and the Westmuir king
And the king of Honorie
They've courted of a fair young maid
All from the North country
King Eastmuir's courted her for gold
King Westmuir for her fee
But the King of Honor's won her heart
His bride all for to be
King Eastmuir swore a dreadful oth
All on their wedding day
And he has sent for False Foudrage
The king all for to slay
And at the dead hour of the night
When all were fast abed
False Foudrage so soft crept in
Stood at King Honor's head
And his lady, she awakened
All from a drowsy dream
She saw her bride-bed swim with blood
And her good lord lay slain
"Oh, spare my life, False Foudrage
Until I lighter be
Spare me that I may bear the child
That King Honor's left with me."
"Well, if it be a lass," he said
"Well nursed shall she be—
But if it be a little boy
Then hanged he will be
"For I'll not spare him for his tender age
Nor yet for his noble kin
But on the day that he is born
He'll mount the gallows pin."
So four and twenty valiant knights
Were set the queen for to guard
And four stood at her bower door
To keep both watch and ward
But when her time drew near its end
She's given them beer and wine
And she has made them all as drunk
As any wildwood swine
And she's slipped out of the window
She's wandered out and in
And in the very swine sty
The queen brought forth a son
Now, they have cast lots in the town
For who should go to the queen
And the lot it fell on Wise William
And he's sent his wife for him
"A favour, Wise William's wife
This favour grant to me—
Change your lass for my little boy
That King Honor's left with me
"And you will learn my gay goshawk
Well how to breast a steed;
And I will learn your turtle-dove
As well to write and read
"And you will learn my gay goshawk
To wield the bow and brand;
And I will learn your turtle-dove
To lay gold all with her hand
"And when we meet at the market place
We must no more avow
Than, 'Madam, how does my goshawk?'
'Lady, how does my dove?'"
Now, when days were gone and years come on
Wise William he thought long
And he has ta'en King Honor's son
And they've a-hunting gone
"Do you see that high, high castle
With walls and towers so fair?
Well, if every man had back his own
Of it you'd be the heir
"For if you should slay False Foudrage
You'd set the wrong to right
For he has slain your father
Ere you ever saw the light
"And if you should slay False Foudrage
There's no man would you blame
For he keeps your mother prisoner
And she dare not take you home."
So he's set his bow all to his breast
He's climbed the castle wall
And there he's met with False Foudrage
A-walking in the hall
"Oh, what ails you, my bonny boy
What ails you at me?
For I did never do you wrong
And your face I ne'er did see."
"Oh, hold your tongue, False Foudrage
For I know you and who you be."
And he has pierced him through the heart
And set his mother free
And he has given to Wise William
The best part of his land
And he has wed his turtle-dove
With the ring from off his hand