minstrel: Carlisle Wall

[Greg Lindahl]

Welcome to the minstrel list, Cara!

I looked in a couple of the usual places for older music, without
finding either "Carlisle Wall" or the first line "It was an english
ladye bright".  One such source is Simpson's "The British Broadside
Ballad And Its Music", the other is Bruce Olsen's online 17th century
Ballad index. The Digital Tradition website, which is pretty good for
finding lyrics for more modern music, doesn't have it. Searching with
Google reveals a few copies of Scott's version.

Sorry that I can't help. Here's Scott's version.

-- Gregory Blount

1     It was an English ladye bright,
2         (The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,)
3     And she would marry a Scottish knight,
4         For Love will still be lord of all.

5     Blithely they saw the rising sun
6         When he shone fair on Carlisle wall;
7     But they were sad ere day was done,
8         Though Love was still the lord of all.

9     Her sire gave brooch and jewel fine,
10       Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall;
11   Her brother gave but a flask of wine,
12       For ire that Love was lord of all.

13   For she had lands both meadow and lea,
14       Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,
15   And he swore her death, ere he would see
16       A Scottish knight the lord of all.

17   That wine she had not tasted well
18       (The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,)
19   When dead, in her true love's arms, she fell,
20       For Love was still the lord of all!

21   He pierced her brother to the heart,
22       Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall:--
23   So perish all would true love part
24       That Love may still be lord of all!

25   And then he took the cross divine,
26       Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,
27   And died for her sake in Palestine;
28       So Love was still the lord of all.

29   Now all ye lovers, that faithful prove,
30       (The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,)
31   Pray for their souls who died for love,
32       For Love shall still be lord of all!