Ravenscroft Songbook: There Were Three Ravens

This page is part of the Ravenscroft Songbook.

Source: Thomas Ravenscroft's Melismata # 20 (1611)

mp3 facsimile modern edition

This is an extremely dismal song. Each verse only has 2 lines; one repeats 3 times, the second once. You can halve the time to sing it by singing each line only once. The lyrics involve a lot of symbolism: a knight's hawks and hounds steadfastly stand by their master's body, until a supernatural creature comes to bear his body away. In later centuries this song was parodied in "Twa Corbies", in which the knight's hawks and hounds abandon his body, etc. Twa Corbies doesn't use the same tune. "Three Ravens" actually also survived into later centuries, again with a different tune. It was cataloged by Francis Child (#26).

You can find another recording over at Cantaria.

1. There were three Ravens sat on a tree,
  Downe a downe, hay down, hay downe.
There were three Ravens sat on a tree,
  with a downe,
There were three Ravens sat on a tree,
they were as blacke as they might be,
  with a down derrie, derrie, downe, downe.

2. The one of them said to his mate,
  Downe a downe, hay down, hay downe.
The one of them said to his mate,
  with a downe,
The one of them said to his mate
Where shall we our breakefast take?
  with a down derrie, derrie, downe, downe.

3. Downe in yonder greene field
There lies a Knight slain under his shield,

4. His hounds they lie downe at his feete,
So well they can their Master keepe,

5. His Haukes they flie so eagerly,
There's no fowle dare him come nie,

6. Downe there comes a fallow Doe
As great with young as she might goe,

7. She lift up his bloudy hed,
And kist his wounds that were so red,

8. She got him up upon her backe,
And carried him to earthen lake,

9. She buried him before the prime,
She was dead her selfe ere euen-song time

10. God send every gentleman
Such haukes, such hounds, and such a Leman,

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Greg Lindahl