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."
