Annotation:Once I was at a nobleman's wedding (1)
Back to Once I was at a nobleman's wedding (1)
ONCE I WAS AT A NOBLEMAN'S WEDDING [1]. AKA - "Another Man's Wedding," "Faultless Bride (The)," "Love Token (The)," "Once I was invited to a noble wedding (3)," "Nobleman's Wedding (The)." Irish, Air (2/4 time). E Flat Major: F Mixolydian: G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). One part. A broadside ballad [Roud No. 567, Laws P31] known throughout Ireland and Britain, with versions collected in North America as well. The following lyric was printed in Padraic Colum's (1881–1972) Anthology of Irish Verse (1922):
Once I was at a nobleman’s wedding—
’Twas of a girl that proved unkind,
But now she begins to think of her losses
Her former true lover still runs in her mind.
“Here is the token of gold that was broken,
Seven long years, love, I have kept it for your sake
You gave to me as a true lover’s token,
No longer with me, love, it shall remain.”
The bride she sat at the head of the table,
The words he said she marked them right well;
To sit any longer she was not able,
And down at the bridegroom’s feet she fell.
“One request I do make of you
And I hope you will grant it to me,
To lie this night in the arms of my mother,
And ever after to lie with thee.”
No sooner asked than it was granted,
With tears in her eyes she went to bed,
And early, early, the very next morning
He rose and found that this young bride was dead.
He took her up in his arms so softly,
And carried her to the meadow so green,
And covered her over with green leaves and laurels,
Thinking she might come to life again.
See note for P.W. Joyce's "Annotation:Nobleman's Wedding (The)."
Source for notated version: "As sung by Margaret Callan," "From Mr. Fitzgerald," "From (the Irish collector) Mr. Joyce" [Stanford/Petrie].
Printed sources: Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; Nos. 491, 492 & 493, p. 124.
Recorded sources:
See also listing at:
See note at Mainly Norfolk [1]
See thread on "Nobleman's Wedding" at Mudcat [2]
See Ballad Index entry [3]