James Hatley
Martin Carthy Lyrics

False Fenwick plied in the carriage high
Fenwick rode in a carriage, pretending to be innocent

All he was walking in for me
But actually, he was doing it for me

For he robbed the queen of her finest jewel
Fenwick was the actual thief who stole the queen's jewel

And laid the blame on James Hatley.
He falsely blamed James Hatley for the crime

James Hatley's bound down in iron strong,
James Hatley is imprisoned and awaiting execution

James Hatley he is condemned to die;
He is sentenced to death

And there is no one who can be found,
No one can be found

Who will say one word that will set him free.
No one is willing to speak up for him and prove his innocence

Except it be for the king's daughter
The only exception is the king's daughter

And oh but she loved him tenderly
She had strong feelings of love for James Hatley

She stole the keys from her father's pillow
She took the keys to James Hatley's cell surreptitiously

And she run down to him, James Hatley.
She ran down to James Hatley's cell

"Ah, tell it now, young man," she cries,
She asked James Hatley to tell her the truth

"Tell it true and tell it to me,
She wanted him to be completely honest with her

And I'll make a vow, and I'll keep it true,
She promised to make a vow and keep it

That you never will be the worse for me."
She promised that she won't cause him any harm

"I never robbed, lady," he cries,
James Hatley denied being the thief to the lady

"Not by the night nor by the day,
He maintained his innocence, denying that he ever committed the crime

It was Fenwick came thief in the night
He revealed that it was Fenwick who committed the crime

And now he has laid the blame on me."
Fenwick put the blame on James Hatley

"One asking, asking, oh father dear,
The king's daughter begged her father

Oh, just one asking, oh, grant to me,
She pleaded with him to fulfill her request

I never asked once in all my life;
She emphasized that she has never asked for anything from him before

And I'm sure that now you'll grant this to me."
She was confident that he would grant her request

"For I want none of your gold, father,
She didn't want any material reward from her father

And I want none of your land and fee;
She wasn't interested in his wealth or inheritance

All that I ask and I ask it now,
She asked for one thing

James Hatley never shall be hanged high."
She asked for James Hatley's life to be spared

"Another asking, oh father dear,
She made another request to her father

Another asking, oh, grant to me:
She pleaded with him to fulfill her second request

And let these two men go to the sword,
She suggested a solution

And let them try their verity."
She proposed a test of truthfulness

"Oh, bravely asked, oh my daughter dear,
Her father praised her for her courage

But now your asking it saddens me.
He felt sad about her requests

For James Hatley's fifteen years old,
He mentioned James Hatley's young age

And Fenwick he is thirty-three.
He compared James Hatley's age to Fenwick's age

False Fenwick strolled on the field of battle
Fenwick appeared on the battlefield

All for to show his verity.
He wanted to prove his innocence

And all the people stood roundabout,
The crowd watched

Cried, "A dead man are you, James Hatley."
They accused James Hatley of being dead

And the very first blow that false Fenwick struck,
Fenwick made the initial attack

He made the blood run speedily.
He caused severe injury to James Hatley

And all the people stood roundabout,
The crowd continued to watch

They cried, "Oh, at last for you, James Hatley."
They were glad that James Hatley finally fought back

But he stood back, him fifteen years old,
Despite being young and inexperienced, James Hatley retreated

He's waiting for opportunity.
He waited for the right moment

And with his sword both long and sharp
He attacked with his weapon

He has run it through false Fenwick's body.
He fatally injured Fenwick

He struck him swift and he struck him sure,
He dealt the fatal blow efficiently

He struck him down all to his knee.
He made Fenwick fall to his knees

And all the people stood roundabout
The crowd watched in awe

Heard Fenwick cry loud in misery.
They heard the sound of Fenwick's pain and suffering

"Oh, hold your hand now, young man," he cries,
Fenwick begged James Hatley to spare his life

And let the breath still remain in me,
He asked James Hatley not to kill him

It was I who came thief in the night
He confessed to being the true thief

Your disgrace and shame it is now on me."
He accepted the blame for James Hatley's false accusation and impending execution

"Oh, shed no more of my noble blood,
Fenwick asked James Hatley to spare him

This great disgrace to my loyalty,
He appealed to his sense of loyalty

It was I who came thief in the night
He reiterated his confession

And I laid the blame on James Hatley."
He admitted to falsely blaming James Hatley

And up and spoke him an English lord,
An English lord spoke up

And oh, but he spoke haughtily:
He spoke arrogantly

"I would have give all of my estate
He claimed that he would give his entire estate

Just to see James Hatley be hanged high."
He expressed his desire to see James Hatley executed

But up she rose then, the queen herself,
The queen herself stood up

I heard her voice ring so loud and high:
Her voice was loud and clear

"There's men would have fought blood up to their knee,
She pointed out that some men would fight to the death in such situations

Before you'd hanged him, James Hatley."
She opposed the execution of James Hatley

And up and rose him the king's own son,
The king's son stood up

"Come home, James Hatley, and dine with me;
He invited James Hatley to dine with him

I've made a vow and I'll keep it true,
He made a promise

You'll be my captain by land and sea."
He offered James Hatley a prestigious role

And up and spoke up the king's daughter,
The king's daughter also spoke up

"Come home, James Hatley, and dine with me;
She invited James Hatley to dine with her

For I've made a vow and I'll keep it true,
She made a vow as well

You will wed and bed with no one but me."
She proposed to James Hatley