Martin Carthy & Eliza Carthy - Bonny Moorhen lyrics

rate me

You brave lads of Weardale, I pray lend an ear

The account of a battle you quickly shall hear

Fought by the miners so well you may ken

Claimin' a right 2 their bonny moorhen

Now this bonny moorhen, as she plainly appeared

Belonged 2 the miners some hundreds of years

The miners of Weardale they're all gallant men

They'll fight till they die for their bonny moorhen

Now the miners in Weardale, they're bred 2 the game

Level their piece & make sure of their aim;

When the bonny moorhen she mounts up in the air

They will bring her down neatly, I vow & declare

Now, times bein' hard, provisions bein' dear

The miners were starvin' almost we do hear

They'd nought 2 depend on, so well you may ken

But 2 make what they could of their bonny moorhen

But the fat man of Auckland & Durham the same

Laid claim 2 the moors & likewise 2 the game

Sent word 2 the miners they'd have them 2 ken

They would stop them from shootin' the bonny moorhen

Now these word was carried 2 Weardale with speed,

It made those poor miners 2 hang down their heads

Sent them an answer they'd have them 2 ken

They would fight till they died for their bonny moorhen

When this word it reached 2 the gentlemen’s ears

An army was risen, it quickly appears

Land stewards, bum bailiffs, & gamekeepers 2

Were all ordered 2 Weardale 2 fight their way through

Now a captain was wanted at the head of the clan

H Wye, of great Oakland, was choosed for their man

His legs were 2 short & not fit for the stocks

& his head not so hard for 2 suffer the knocks

This captain he had an attack dog of his own

Taught by her master 'twas very well known

Either beggars or tinkers, she'll pull off their bags

& if that would not do she would rive them 2 rags

Now this army set out straight away as we hear

H Wye in the front, attack dog in the rear

They marched on 2 Wolsingham, then they made a halt

Concernin' the battle began 2 consult

For they heard that the miners' grand army was strong

& the captain that led them was full six foot long

That put H Wye in a bodily fear

& back great Oakland he wished for 2 steer

Up spoke the gamekeepers: cheer up, never fear

Through Stanhope, through Weardale the way we will clear

In Durham or Oakland we'll never have said

That by a few miners our army was beat

Now this battle was fought, fought in Stanhope town

Where the chimneys did reek & the soot it fell down

Such a battle was never fought in Stanhope before

& I hope such a battle will never be fought more

For they unhorsed the riders straightway on the plain

H Wye & his attack dog in the battle was slain

Them that ran fastest got pushed out of town

& away they went home with their tails hangin' down

Now the bonny moorhen, she's got feathers anew

Many fine colors, & none of them blue

The miners of Weardale, they're all gallant men

They'll fight till they die for their bonny moorhen