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On her first album ('Joan Baez'), Baez does this in the key of B. (In 'The Joan Baez
Song Book', it's in D.)
C F C G7
Word is to the kitchen gone, and word is to the hall,
F G7 C Am
And word is up to Madam the Queen
C G7 C
And that is the worst of all.
F G7 C Am C G7 C
That Mary Hamilton has borne a babe, to the highest Stuart of all.
C F C G7
'Arise, arise Mary Hamilton, arise and tell to me,
F G7 C Am C G7 C
What thou hast done with thy wee babe I saw and heard weep by thee?'
C F C G7
'I put him in a tiny boat, and cast him out to sea,
F G7 C Am C G7 C
That he might sink or he might swim, but he'd never come back to me.'
C F C G7
'Arise, arise Mary Hamilton, arise and come with me;
F G7 C Am C G7 C
There is a wedding in Glasgow town, this night we'll go and see.'
C F C G7
She put not on her robes of black, nor her robes of brown.
F G7 C Am C G7 C
But she put on her robes of white, to ride into Glasgow town.
C F C G7
And as she rode into Glasgow town the city for to see,
F G7 C Am C G7 C
The bailiff's wife and the provost's wife cried 'ach and alas for thee.'
C F C G7
'Ah you need not weep for me,' she cried,'you need not weep for me.
F G7 C Am C G7 C
For had I not slain my own wee babe this night I would not die.'
C F C G7
Ah little did my mother think when first she cradled me,
F G7 C Am C G7 C
The lands I was to travel in and the death I was to die.'
C F C G7
Last night I washed the Queen's feet and put the gold in her hair,
F G7 C Am C G7 C
And the only reward I find for this is the gallows to be my share.'
C F C G7
'Cast off, cast off my gown,' she cried,'but let my petticoat be,
F G7 C Am C G7 C
And tie a napkin 'round my face; the gallows I would not see.'
C F C G7
Then by and come the King himself, looked up with a pitiful eye,
F G7 C Am C G7 C
'Come down, come down Mary Hamilton, tonight, you will dine with me.'
C F C G7
'Ah hold your tongue, my sovereign liege, and let your folly be;
F G7 C Am C G7 C
For if you'd a mind to save my life, you'd never have shamed me here.
C F C G7
Last night there were four Marys, tonight there'll be but three.
F G7 C Am C G7 C
There was Mary Beaton and Mary Seaton and Mary Carmichael and me.'
Written by Traditional