They released their first album, Weave & Spin in 2011, and their second, Mayday, in 2013. Their third album, Cycle, was released in October 2016
Lady Maisry
Lady Maisery Lyrics
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They have a-wooing gone,
To win the love of Lady Maisry,
But of them she'll have none
And they have courted Lady Maisry,
With brooches, rings and all,
And they have followed Lady Maisry,
Oh, Hold your tongues young men, she said,
And think no more on me,
For I've given my love to an English lord,
Who is to marry me
And word has gone to her father dear,
Through chamber and through hall,
That his only daughter Lady Maisry
Goes with child by an English lord,
Then in comes her father dear,
So stately by the door,
They tell to me, my daughter Maisry,
That you have become a whore
A whore, father? A whore, father?
Oh that I'll never be,
But I am with child by an English lord,
Who is to marry me
You could have had a duke or a lord,
All from your own country,
But instead you've gone with an English lord,
To bring this shame on me
Will you give up this English lord,
When your young babe is born?
Oh I'll never give up my English Lord,
Or my life would be forlorn
Oh in then came this lady's nurse,
Dear Maisry! She did cry,
And before she spoke another word,
The tears did blind her eyes,
Your father to the greenwood's gone,
And your brother to the broom,
All to make a bonfire bold,
For to burn your body in
Oh, where will I get a bonny, bonny boy,
Who can an errand run?
Who will go to England fair,
And bid my lord to come
Oh, I have here a bonny, bonny boy,
Who will your errand run,
And he will go to England fair,
And bid thy lord to come
Then in comes her father dear,
And fast he has her bound,
And he's brought the fiercest of his men,
To drag her through the town
The first two miles, the bonny boy walked,
And the next two he did run,
He ran till he came to the broad waterside,
And he fell on his breast and he swam
He swam till he came to the English lord's gate,
Where they all sat down at meat,
Oh lord, if you knew what I had to say,
How little you would eat
Oh is my castle fallen down?
Or is my tower won?
Or is my Lady lighter yet,
Of a daughter or a son?
Your castle has not fallen down,
Nor is your tower won,
Nor is your Lady lighter yet,
Of a daughter or a son,
But if you do not come in haste,
For you this day she'll burn
Go! Saddle me the black! He cried,
Or saddle me the brown!
Go saddle me the swiftest steed,
That ever rode through the town
So he rode as fast as he could ride,
Upon this noble steed,
Till the buttons leapt right off his breast,
And his nose began to bleed
Oh, her father he's put up a stake,
And her brother's made a fire,
And her mother sits in a golden chair,
For to watch her daughter die
Oh, they blew on the fire and they kindled the fire,
Till it did reach her head,
Oh, mother! Mother! Quench the fire!
For I am nearly dead
When her true love, he did come,
He leapt in boots and all,
And he thought to kiss her rosy lips,
But lifeless she did fall
Oh, who has been so false? He cried,
And who has been so cruel?
For to build a bonfire bold,
And burn my own dear jewel?
Oh, we have been so false! They cried,
And we have been so cruel,
For we'll not see an English lord,
Be married with our own dear jewel
Oh, for your sake, dear Maisry,
I will burn your father and mother
And for your sake, dear Maisry,
I will burn your only brother
And many a bed shall be a tomb,
And many shall lose their kin,
When I burn for you dear Maisry,
The town that you died in.
The song "Lady Maisry" by Lady Maisery is a ballad about a young woman who falls in love with an English lord and becomes pregnant out of wedlock, bringing shame upon her family. The lords of the North Country court her with brooches, rings, and other treasures, but she has already given her love to the English lord who is going to marry her. When word reaches her father that she is pregnant by an English lord, he calls her a whore and decides to burn her at the stake. When all seems lost, the English lord arrives just in time to witness her tragic end.
The lyrics portray a sexist society where women are nothing but objects of desire for men. Lady Maisry's suitors shower her with gifts and pursue her relentlessly, but they cannot have her because she has already given her love to someone else. Despite her father's attempts to control her life, she chooses to be with the man she loves, even if it means being burned at the stake. The song highlights the injustice of a system that punishes women for being in love, while men can cheat and get away with it without consequences.
The song's narrative is moving and tragic, and the haunting melody adds to the melancholic atmosphere. The harmonization of the female voices creates an ethereal effect that enhances the somber tone of the song. Lady Maisery's version of the ballad highlights the story's emotional depth and offers a commentary on gender roles and societal norms, making it a powerful work of art.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, all the lords of the North Country,
They have a-wooing gone,
To win the love of Lady Maisry,
But of them she'll have none
Lady Maisry rejected all the lords of the North Country who were trying to woo her.
And they have courted Lady Maisry,
With brooches, rings and all,
And they have followed Lady Maisry,
Through chamber and through hall
The lords presented Lady Maisry with gifts and followed her everywhere to win her affection.
Oh, Hold your tongues young men, she said,
And think no more on me,
For I've given my love to an English lord,
Who is to marry me
Lady Maisry told the lords to stop pursuing her because she was in love with an English lord who was going to marry her.
And word has gone to her father dear,
Through chamber and through hall,
That his only daughter Lady Maisry
Goes with child by an English lord,
Lady Maisry's father heard that she was pregnant with the child of the English lord.
Then in comes her father dear,
So stately by the door,
They tell to me, my daughter Maisry,
That you have become a whore
Lady Maisry's father accused her of being a whore for getting pregnant by the English lord.
A whore, father? A whore, father?
Oh that I'll never be,
But I am with child by an English lord,
You could have had a duke or a lord,
All from your own country,
But instead you've gone with an English lord,
To bring this shame on me
Lady Maisry denied being a whore but admitted that she was pregnant with the child of the English lord. Her father was ashamed that she had chosen an English lord over a duke or lord from their own country.
Will you give up this English lord,
When your young babe is born?
Oh I'll never give up my English Lord,
Or my life would be forlorn
Lady Maisry refused to give up the English lord even after her child was born because she loved him too much.
Oh in then came this lady's nurse,
Dear Maisry! She did cry,
And before she spoke another word,
The tears did blind her eyes,
Lady Maisry's nurse came to see her and cried when she heard about her situation.
Your father to the greenwood's gone,
And your brother to the broom,
All to make a bonfire bold,
For to burn your body in
Lady Maisry's father and brother planned to burn her body in a bonfire.
Oh, where will I get a bonny, bonny boy,
Who can an errand run?
Who will go to England fair,
And bid my lord to come
Lady Maisry needed someone to go and fetch the English lord from England.
Oh, I have here a bonny, bonny boy,
Who will your errand run,
And he will go to England fair,
And bid thy lord to come
Someone offered to go and fetch the English lord for Lady Maisry.
And fast he has her bound,
And he's brought the fiercest of his men,
To drag her through the town
Lady Maisry was captured and tied up to be taken to the bonfire by the English lord's men.
The first two miles, the bonny boy walked,
And the next two he did run,
He ran till he came to the broad waterside,
And he fell on his breast and he swam
The person sent to fetch the English lord ran the first two miles, then ran the next two and finally, he swam across a river to reach the English lord's castle.
He swam till he came to the English lord's gate,
Where they all sat down at meat,
Oh lord, if you knew what I had to say,
How little you would eat
The person sent to fetch the English lord reached his castle and told him something which made him lose his appetite.
Oh is my castle fallen down?
Or is my tower won?
Or is my Lady lighter yet,
Of a daughter or a son?
The English lord asked if there was an emergency because the person who came to fetch him looked worried.
Your castle has not fallen down,
Nor is your tower won,
Nor is your Lady lighter yet,
Of a daughter or a son,
But if you do not come in haste,
For you this day she'll burn
Lady Maisry was about to be burned in a bonfire and the English lord had to come quickly to save her.
Go! Saddle me the black! He cried,
Or saddle me the brown!
Go saddle me the swiftest steed,
That ever rode through the town
The English lord hastily ordered his men to saddle the fastest horse available so that he could ride to Lady Maisry's rescue.
So he rode as fast as he could ride,
Upon this noble steed,
Till the buttons leapt right off his breast,
And his nose began to bleed
The English lord rode very fast to save Lady Maisry's life and he was so focused that he didn't notice his buttons falling off and his nose bleeding.
Oh, her father he's put up a stake,
And her brother's made a fire,
And her mother sits in a golden chair,
For to watch her daughter die
Lady Maisry's family prepared to kill her by burning her in a bonfire and her mother watched the event from a golden chair.
Oh, they blew on the fire and they kindled the fire,
Till it did reach her head,
Oh, mother! Mother! Quench the fire!
For I am nearly dead
Her family lit the bonfire and it started burning her hair. Lady Maisry begged her mother to put out the fire because she was going to die.
When her true love, he did come,
He leapt in boots and all,
And he thought to kiss her rosy lips,
But lifeless she did fall
The English lord arrived and jumped into the fire to save Lady Maisry but she had already passed away.
Oh, who has been so false? He cried,
And who has been so cruel?
For to build a bonfire bold,
And burn my own dear jewel?
The English lord realized that Lady Maisry's family was responsible for killing her and he was saddened by their cruelty.
Oh, we have been so false! They cried,
And we have been so cruel,
For we'll not see an English lord,
Be married with our own dear jewel
Lady Maisry's family realized their mistake and were remorseful because they didn't want an English lord marrying their daughter.
Oh, for your sake, dear Maisry,
I will burn your father and mother
And for your sake, dear Maisry,
I will burn your only brother
And many a bed shall be a tomb,
And many shall lose their kin,
When I burn for you dear Maisry,
The town that you died in.
The English lord decided to take revenge for Lady Maisry's death by burning her family members and the entire town they lived in.
Contributed by Kylie V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.