Clerk Saunders
June Tabor Lyrics

Oh it was a sad and a rainy night
The setting of the story is a gloomy and somber night, accompanied by relentless rain.

And the rain did rain from town to town;
The rain is widespread, affecting everywhere from town to town, enhancing the overall melancholic mood of the night.

Clerk Saunders and his lady gay
Clerk Saunders, alongside his lover, are the lead characters of the story.

Were a-walking through the fields so brown.
The couple were taking a stroll through the fields, presumably enjoying each other's company on this dreadful night.

“Oh a bed, a bed,” Clerk Saunders cried,
Clerk Saunders expresses his desire to rest in a bed.

“A bed, a bed for you and me.”
Saunders pleads for a bed to share with his lover.

“Oh never a bed,” says the gay lady,
The lady refuses to sleep in a bed with Saunders until they get married.

“Until it we'd to married be.
She asks Saunders to wait until they're married.

For it's I have seven brothers bold
The lady tells Saunders that she has seven protective brothers.

And unto you they bear no good will,
Her brothers don't have any good intentions towards Saunders.

And if they catch you in my bower
If her brothers find Saunders in her private chamber, they will harm or kill him.

Oh they'd value not your blood to spill.”
They wouldn't think twice to harm him.

“Oh, I'll take the sword out from my scabbard
Saunders decides to defend himself if necessary.

And slowly, slowly lift up the pin,
He prepares to open the door to her bower.

That you might swear and save your oath
He wants her to swear that she never let him into her private chamber.

That you never let Clerk Sandy in.
Saunders wants her to save her oath that she never let him into her bower.

Then take me up all in your arms
Saunders carries his lover to bed.

And carry me unto your bed,
He asks her to carry him to bed.

That you might swear and save your oath:
He reminds her to save her oath.

Clerk Sandy never i' your bower did tread.”
That she never let him into her bower.

So he's taken the sword out from his scabbard
Saunders is prepared to defend himself.

And slowly, slowly lifted the pin,
He prepares to open the door.

That she might swear and save her oath
He asks her to swear she never let him in.

That she never let Clerk Sandy in.
He reminds her to save her oath.

Then she's taken him up in her two arms
She lifts him and carries him to bed.

And carried him unto her bed,
She carries him to bed.

That she might swear and save her oath
She reminds herself to save her oath.

Clerk Sandy never i' her bower did tread.
She swears she never let Saunders in.

And then it's in and came her brothers bold
Her brothers arrive to find Saunders in her bed.

And all their torches burning bright,
The brothers have a clear view of the couple, thanks to their torches.

Says they, “We have but the one sister
The brothers talk about their only sister.

And see, she's lying with a knight.”
They realize their sister is lying beside Saunders.

And then it's up and spoke the first o' them,
The brothers begin to talk.

“I know they have been lovers dear.”
The first brother understands the couple's affection for each other.

And up and spoke the next o' them,
Another brother speaks up.

“Oh they've been in love for many's the year.”
The second brother reveals that the couple has been in love for years.

And then it's up and spoke the third o' them,
The third brother speaks up.

“'T would be a shame these two to twain.”
He thinks it would be shameful to separate the couple.

And up and spoke the fourth o' them,
The fourth brother also expresses his opinion.

“Oh it's a sin to kill a sleeping man.”
He notes that it would be a sin to kill Saunders, who is unaware of their presence.

And then it's up and spoke the fifth o' them,
Another brother starts speaking.

“I swear they'll never be harmed by me.”
He promises not to harm the couple.

And up and spoke the sixth o' them,
The sixth brother gives his view.

“Oh we'll take our leave and we'll go our way.”
He suggests they leave the couple alone and go their way.

And then it's up and spoke the seventh brother,
Lastly, the seventh brother speaks up.

Saying, “Though there be no man but me,
Although he's the only one who hasn't spoken yet.

I bear the brand all in my hand,
He shows off his sword.

Shall surely make Clerk Sandy die!”
He threatens to kill Saunders.

And then he's taken out his nut brown sword
The seventh brother draws out his sword.

And drawn it three times through the straw,
He tests his sword's sharpness on the floor's straw.

And through and through Clerk Saunders' body,
The brother stabs Saunders multiple times.

Oh he's got that rusty rapier go!
His sword penetrates Saunders' flesh with ease.

And they have lain all night in each other's arms
The couple cuddle throughout the night.

Until the day began to dawn,
Morning approaches.

And kindly to him she did say,
She speaks nicely to Saunders.

“Oh it's time, my love, that you were away.
She thinks it's time for Saunders to leave.

Oh you are the sleepiest young man
She teases Saunders about his laziness.

That ever my two eyes did see,
She playfully exaggerates his sleepiness.

For you've lain all night all in my arms
She calls him out for cuddling all night.

And I'm sure it is a shame to be.”
She jokingly tells Saunders that it's a shame to be lazy.

And then she's drawn the blankets to the foot
She moves the blankets to the end of the bed.

And turned the sheets unto the wall,
She flips the sheets to hide Saunders' wounds.

And there she's seen his bloody wounds
She notices Saunders' injuries.

And his two grey eyes all pale and cold.
She sees that his eyes have turned pale and cold due to his fatal injuries.

And it's, “Cursed be my bloody brothers!
She curses her brothers for their actions.

Aye an an ill death may he die!
She wishes her brother to suffer a terrible death.

For you dared not fight him in the field
She claims her brothers couldn't face Saunders in a fair duel.

But you slew him as he lay with me.
She accuses her brothers of treacherously attacking Saunders when he was with her.

And it's I will do for my love's sake
She pledges to do something drastic for Saunder's sake.

What many a lady will not do,
She will go to any length for Saunders, even if other women won't.

Seven long years shall come and go
She predicts that seven years will pass before her next actions.

Before I wear stocking or I wear shoe.
She vows not to wear stockings or shoes for seven years.

And there's never a shirt goes on my back
She won't wear any shirts.

And never a comb goes in my hair,
She abandons her personal hygiene.

Never a fire nor a candle light
She will live in complete darkness without any light sources.

Shine in my bower anymore.”
She will decline every form of luxury and comfort in her life.