Mary Hamilton by Joan Baez

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The Ballad of Mary Hamilton
by Joan Baez

Word is to the kitchen gone, and word is to the Hall
And word is up to Madam the Queen, and that's the worst of all
That Mary Hamilton has borne a babe
To the highest Stuart of all

Oh rise, arise Mary Hamilton
Arise and tell to me
What thou hast done with thy wee babe
I saw and heard weep by thee

I put him in a tiny boat
And cast him out to sea
That he might sink or he might swim
But he'd never come back to me

Oh rise arise Mary Hamilton
Arise and come with me
There is a wedding in Glasgow town
This night we'll go and see

She put not on her robes of black
Nor her robes of brown
But she put on her robes of white
To ride into Glasgow town

And as she rode into Glasgow town
The city for to see
The bailiff's wife and the provost's wife
Cried Alack and alas for thee

You need not weep for me she cried
You need not week for me
For had I not slain my own wee babe
This death I would not dee

Oh little did my mother think
When first she cradled me
The lands I was to travel in
And the death I was to dee

Last night I washed the Queen's feet
And put the gold in her hair
And the only reward I find for this
The gallows to be my share

Cast off cast off my gown she cried
But let my petticoat be
And tie a napkin round my face
The gallows I would not see

Then by them come the king himself
Looked up with a pitiful eye
Come down come down Mary Hamillton
Tonight you will dine with me

Oh hold your tongue my sovereign liege
And let your folly be
For if you'd a mind to save my life
You'd never have shamed me here

Last night there were four marys
Tonight there'll be but three
T'was Mary Beaton and Mary Seton
And Mary Carmichael and me.