Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre
Encyclopedia
Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre ("Marlborough Has Left for the War" also known as Mort et convoi de l'invincible Malbrough, "The Death and Burial of the Invincible Marlbrough") is one of the most popular folk songs in the French language
. This burlesque lament on the death of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
(1650–1722) was written on a false rumour of that event after the Battle of Malplaquet
in 1709. It tells how Marlborough's wife, awaiting his return from battle, is given the news of her husband's death.
The melody probably predates the song's lyrics, and it is the same tune used by two other songs, "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
" and "The Bear Went Over the Mountain
."
For years it was only known traditionally, and does not appear among the many anecdotic songs printed in France
during the middle of the 18th century. However, suddenly around the year 1780, it burst out afresh and became the rage. For instance, the tune concludes a Sonata
(in D-major) for Viola d'Amore
and Viola
composed by Carl Stamitz
in 1780 while in Paris. And it happened that when Louis XVII of France
was born in 1785 (son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette
and heir to the French throne) he was nursed by a peasant nicknamed Madame Poitrine. The nurse, whilst rocking the royal cradle, sang Marlborough s'en va-t-en guerre and the dauphin, it is said, opened his eyes at the name of the great general. The name, the simplicity of the words, and the melodiousness of the tune, interested the queen, and she frequently sang it. Everybody repeated it after her, including the king. The song was sung in the state apartments of Versailles
; in the kitchens and in the stables - it became immensely popular.
From the court it was adopted by the tradespeople of Paris
, and it passed from town to town, and country to country. It became as popular in England
as in France. It is said that a French gentleman wishing, when in London
, to be driven to Marlborough Street
, had totally forgotten its name; but on humming the tune, the coachman drove him to the proper address with no other direction. Johann von Goethe, who travelled in France during the same period, was so annoyed with the universal concert of Marlborough, that he took a hatred to the duke who was the innocent cause of the musical epidemic.
The popularity of the song was such that it gave its name to fashions, to silks
, to head-dresses, carriages and soups. The subject of the song was printed on fire-screens, on fans
and on porcelain
; it was embroidered on tapestries and engraven on toy
s and keepsakes
. The rage endured for many years, slowly fading after the French Revolution
, although, it is said that Napoleon liked to hum the tune - for instance, when crossing the Memel (June 1812) at the beginning of his fatal Russian campaign.
Ludwig van Beethoven
used the tune in his musical work Wellington's Victory
, which, like Tchaikovsky's later 1812 Overture
, features real cannon shots.
The song is referenced in Fyodor Dostoyevsky's novel Crime and Punishment
, where Katerina Ivanovna Marmeladova tries to make her children sing the popular Russian version of the song in public shortly before her death.
An operetta
produced in Paris in December 1867 borrowed the title of the song. One act each was written by Georges Bizet
, Léo Delibes
, Émile Jonas and Legouix (see Classical music written in collaboration
).
In pop culture it is also sung by Rasputine in Hugo Pratt
's "The Golden House of Samarkand" Corto Maltese
adventure, first issued in 1920 (French and Italian version).
The song has been translated into several languages. The English version shown below was written by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
in the 19th Century.
The Swedish version, Mellbom, is in certain academic circumstances (mainly at Östgöta Nation) traditionally combined with a humoristic pantomime describing the plot. Traditionally the fourth officer in the funeral parade, the one who was “left nothing to carry”, performs in the nude. The Mellbom pantomime was invented by Måns Hultin, a member of Östgöta Nation, 1856. Due to the large number of female students at the present day Nation, Mellbom shows have grown rare during the last 20 years.
Malbrough hath gone to war
darnadarandaranda
Malbrough hath gone to war
Who knows of his return?
Return he will to Easter
-"-
Return he will to Easter
Or to All Saints Feast
But so All Saints Feast passed
-"-
But so All Saints Feast passed
Malbrough hath not yet come
Milady hath bid expected
-"-
Milady hath bid expected
But none bid hath yet come
Milady spied her good page
-"-
Milady spied her her good page
But dressed in mourning black
My page ah my good page
-"-
My page ah my good page
What news bringest thou?
The bid I bear is morbid
-"-
The bid I bear is morbid
Following burning tears
Quittest thy fair habit
-"-
Quittest thy fair habit
For mourning cloaks like me
For alas Malbrough is dead
-"-
For alas Malbrough is dead
Dead and laid in earth
For I have seen him buried
-"-
For I have seen him buried
By his four officers
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. This burlesque lament on the death of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
(1650–1722) was written on a false rumour of that event after the Battle of Malplaquet
Battle of Malplaquet
The Battle of Malplaquet, fought on 11 September 1709, was one of the main battles of the War of the Spanish Succession, which opposed the Bourbons of France and Spain against an alliance whose major members were the Habsburg Monarchy, Great Britain, the United Provinces and the Kingdom of...
in 1709. It tells how Marlborough's wife, awaiting his return from battle, is given the news of her husband's death.
The melody probably predates the song's lyrics, and it is the same tune used by two other songs, "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
"For He's A Jolly Good Fellow" is a song which is sung to congratulate a person on a significant event, such as, a promotion, a birthday, the birth of a child, or the winning of a championship sporting event. The melody originates from that of the French song "Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre...
" and "The Bear Went Over the Mountain
The Bear Went Over the Mountain
The Bear Went Over the Mountain is a novel by William Kotzwinkle. The movie rights for the book have been sold to Jim Henson. The book can be read as a fantasy based story but also has elements of satire, particularly in its depiction of the publishing industry.The book was nominated for the 1997...
."
For years it was only known traditionally, and does not appear among the many anecdotic songs printed in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during the middle of the 18th century. However, suddenly around the year 1780, it burst out afresh and became the rage. For instance, the tune concludes a Sonata
Sonata
Sonata , in music, literally means a piece played as opposed to a cantata , a piece sung. The term, being vague, naturally evolved through the history of music, designating a variety of forms prior to the Classical era...
(in D-major) for Viola d'Amore
Viola d'amore
The viola d'amore is a 7- or 6-stringed musical instrument with sympathetic strings used chiefly in the baroque period. It is played under the chin in the same manner as the violin.- Structure and sound :...
and Viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
composed by Carl Stamitz
Carl Stamitz
Karl Philipp Stamitz , who later changed his given name to Carl, was a German composer of partial Czech ancestry , and a violin, viola and viola d'amore virtuoso...
in 1780 while in Paris. And it happened that when Louis XVII of France
Louis XVII of France
Louis XVII , from birth to 1789 known as Louis-Charles, Duke of Normandy; then from 1789 to 1791 as Louis-Charles, Dauphin of France; and from 1791 to 1793 as Louis-Charles, Prince Royal of France, was the son of King Louis XVI of France and Queen Marie Antoinette...
was born in 1785 (son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
and heir to the French throne) he was nursed by a peasant nicknamed Madame Poitrine. The nurse, whilst rocking the royal cradle, sang Marlborough s'en va-t-en guerre and the dauphin, it is said, opened his eyes at the name of the great general. The name, the simplicity of the words, and the melodiousness of the tune, interested the queen, and she frequently sang it. Everybody repeated it after her, including the king. The song was sung in the state apartments of Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
; in the kitchens and in the stables - it became immensely popular.
From the court it was adopted by the tradespeople of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and it passed from town to town, and country to country. It became as popular in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
as in France. It is said that a French gentleman wishing, when in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, to be driven to Marlborough Street
Marlborough Street
Marlborough Street or Marlboro Street can refer to the following streets:*Great Marlborough Street in London, England, often called Marlborough Street*V8 Marlborough Street in Milton Keynes, England, formally Marlborough Street...
, had totally forgotten its name; but on humming the tune, the coachman drove him to the proper address with no other direction. Johann von Goethe, who travelled in France during the same period, was so annoyed with the universal concert of Marlborough, that he took a hatred to the duke who was the innocent cause of the musical epidemic.
The popularity of the song was such that it gave its name to fashions, to silks
Silks
Aerial silk is a type of performance in which one or more artists perform aerial acrobatics while hanging from a special fabric...
, to head-dresses, carriages and soups. The subject of the song was printed on fire-screens, on fans
Fan (implement)
A hand-held fan is an implement used to induce an airflow for the purpose of cooling or refreshing oneself. Any broad, flat surface waved back-and-forth will create a small airflow and therefore can be considered a rudimentary fan...
and on porcelain
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
; it was embroidered on tapestries and engraven on toy
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
s and keepsakes
Keepsakes
Keepsakes - A Collection is an anthology by All About Eve released on 13 March 2006. It is available either as a double CD or as a limited edition double CD and DVD set ....
. The rage endured for many years, slowly fading after the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, although, it is said that Napoleon liked to hum the tune - for instance, when crossing the Memel (June 1812) at the beginning of his fatal Russian campaign.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
used the tune in his musical work Wellington's Victory
Wellington's Victory
Wellington's Victory, or, the Battle of Vitoria, Op. 91 is a minor orchestral work composed by Ludwig van Beethoven to commemorate the Duke of Wellington's victory over Joseph Bonaparte's forces at the Battle of Vitoria in Basqueland on June 21, 1813...
, which, like Tchaikovsky's later 1812 Overture
1812 Overture
The Year 1812, Festival Overture in E flat major, Op. 49, popularly known as the 1812 Overture or the Overture of 1812 is an overture written by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1880 to commemorate Russia's defense of Moscow against Napoleon's advancing Grande Armée at the Battle of...
, features real cannon shots.
The song is referenced in Fyodor Dostoyevsky's novel Crime and Punishment
Crime and Punishment
Crime and Punishment is a novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It was first published in the literary journal The Russian Messenger in twelve monthly installments during 1866. It was later published in a single volume. This is the second of Dostoyevsky's full-length novels following his...
, where Katerina Ivanovna Marmeladova tries to make her children sing the popular Russian version of the song in public shortly before her death.
An operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
produced in Paris in December 1867 borrowed the title of the song. One act each was written by Georges Bizet
Georges Bizet
Georges Bizet formally Alexandre César Léopold Bizet, was a French composer, mainly of operas. In a career cut short by his early death, he achieved few successes before his final work, Carmen, became one of the most popular and frequently performed works in the entire opera repertory.During a...
, Léo Delibes
Léo Delibes
Clément Philibert Léo Delibes was a French composer of ballets, operas, and other works for the stage...
, Émile Jonas and Legouix (see Classical music written in collaboration
Classical music written in collaboration
In classical music, it is relatively rare for a work to be written in collaboration by multiple composers. This contrasts with popular music, where it is common for more than one person to contribute to the music for a song...
).
In pop culture it is also sung by Rasputine in Hugo Pratt
Hugo Pratt
Hugo Eugenio Pratt was an Italian comic book creator who was known for combining strong storytelling with extensive historical research on works such as Corto Maltese...
's "The Golden House of Samarkand" Corto Maltese
Corto Maltese
Corto Maltese is a comics series featuring an eponymous character, a complex sailor-adventurer. It was created by Italian comic book creator Hugo Pratt in 1967...
adventure, first issued in 1920 (French and Italian version).
The song has been translated into several languages. The English version shown below was written by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet and educator whose works include "Paul Revere's Ride", The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline...
in the 19th Century.
The Swedish version, Mellbom, is in certain academic circumstances (mainly at Östgöta Nation) traditionally combined with a humoristic pantomime describing the plot. Traditionally the fourth officer in the funeral parade, the one who was “left nothing to carry”, performs in the nude. The Mellbom pantomime was invented by Måns Hultin, a member of Östgöta Nation, 1856. Due to the large number of female students at the present day Nation, Mellbom shows have grown rare during the last 20 years.
Verses
| Original French | Spanish | German | English | |
| Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre, mironton, mironton, mirontaine, Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre, Ne sait quand reviendra. Il reviendra-z-à Pâques, mironton, mironton, mirontaine, Il reviendra-z-à Pâques, ou à la Trinité. La Trinité se passe, mironton, mironton, mirontaine, la Trinité se passe, Marlbrough ne revient pas. Madame à sa tour monte, mironton, mironton, mirontaine, Madame à sa tour monte si haut qu'elle peut monter. Elle voit venir son page, mironton, mironton, mirontaine, elle voit venir son page, tout de noir habillé. Beau page, mon beau page, mironton, mironton, mirontaine, beau page, mon beau page, quelles nouvelles apportez? Aux nouvelles que j'apporte, mironton, mironton, mirontaine, aux nouvelles que j'apporte, vos beaux yeux vont pleurer! Quittez vos habits roses, mironton, mironton, mirontaine, quittez vos habits roses, et vos satins brodés! Monsieur Marlbrough est mort. mironton, mironton, mirontaine, Monsieur Marlbrough est mort. Est mort et enterré. Je l'ai vu porter en terre, mironton, mironton, mirontaine, Je l'ai vu porter en terre, par quatre-z-officiers. L'un sa cuirasse mironton, mironton, mirontaine, l'un sa cuirasse l'autre son bouclier. L'autre son grand sabre, mironton, mironton, mirontaine, L'autre son grand sabre, et l'autre ne rien. On planta sur sa tombe mironton, mironton, mirontaine, on planta sur sa tombe un beau rosier fleuri. La cérémonie faite, mironton, mironton, mirontaine, la cérémonie faite chacun s'en fut coucher... |
Mambrú se fue a la guerra, ¡qué dolor, qué dolor, qué pena!, Mambrú se fue a la guerra, no sé cuándo vendrá. Do-re-mi, do-re-fa Solfege In music, solfège is a pedagogical solmization technique for the teaching of sight-singing in which each note of the score is sung to a special syllable, called a solfège syllable... , no sé cuándo vendrá. Si vendrá por la Pascua, ¡qué dolor, qué dolor, qué gracia!, si vendrá por la Pascua, o por la Trinidad. Do-re-mi, do-re-fa, o por la Trinidad. La Trinidad se pasa, ¡qué dolor, qué dolor, qué guasa!, la Trinidad se pasa Mambrú no viene ya. Do-re-mi, do-re-fa, Mambrú no viene ya. Por allí viene un paje, ¡qué dolor, qué dolor, qué traje!, por allí viene un paje, ¿qué noticias traerá? Do-re-mi, do-re-fa, ¿qué noticias traerá? Las noticias que traigo, ¡del dolor, del dolor me caigo! las noticias que traigo son tristes de contar, Do-re-mi, do-re-fa, son tristes de contar. Que Mambrú ya se ha muerto, ¡qué dolor, qué dolor, qué entuerto!, que Mambrú ya se ha muerto, lo llevan a enterrar. Do-re-mi, do-re-fa, lo llevan a enterrar. En caja de terciopelo, ¡qué dolor, qué dolor, qué duelo!, en caja de terciopelo, y tapa de cristal. Do-re-mi, do-re-fa, y tapa de cristal. Y detrás de la tumba, ¡qué dolor, qué dolor, qué turba!, y detrás de la tumba, tres pajaritos van. Do-re-mi, do-re-fa, tres pajaritos van. Cantando el pío-pío, ¡qué dolor, qué dolor, qué trío!, cantando el pío-pío, cantando el pío-pa. Do-re-mi, do-re-fa, cantando el pío-pa. |
Marlbrough zieht aus zum Kriege, Die Fahne läßt er ; Da reicht zum Kampf und Siege Die Hand ihm Prinz Eugen. Sie mustern ihre Truppen Bei Höchstädt auf dem Plan: "Gut stehn im Brett die Puppen, Frisch auf, wir greifen an." Und wie sie mit dem Haufen Dem Feind entgegen ziehn, Da kommt gejagt mit Schnaufen Ein Hofkurier aus Wien. Er springt in buntem Staate Vom Roß und neigt sich tief: "Vom hohen Kriegshofrate, Durchlaucht'ger, hier ein Brief!" Der kleine Kapuziner Schiebt in die Brust ihn sacht: "Der Herrn ergebner Diener, Das les' ich nach der Schlacht. Jetzt ist kein Zaudern nütze, Jetzt heißt es dran und drauf! Schon spielen die Geschütze Tallards zum Kampf uns auf. Er wirft sich auf die Franzen, Marlbrough bleibt nicht zurück; Bei Höchstädt an den Schanzen Das ward ihr Meisterstück. Wohl krachts von Wall und Turme, Wohl sinken Roß und Mann, Doch vorwärts geht's im Sturme, Die Feldherrn hoch voran. Im dichten Kugelregen, Den Degen in der Hand, Erklimmen sie verwegen Des Lagers steilen Rand. Da packt den Feind ein Grausen, Da weicht er fern und nah, Und hinter ihm mit Brausen Ertönt's: "Viktoria!" Und wie des Kaisers Reiter Nachrasseln Stoß auf Stoß, Da frommt kein Haltruf weiter, Geworfen ist das Los. Ersiegte Fahnen prangen Zweihundert an der Zahl, Man bringt daher gefangen, Tallard, den General. Doch abends als die Flaschen, Im Kreis ums Feuer gehn, Da zieht aus seiner Taschen Sein Brieflein Prinz Eugen. Studiert's und reicht's dem Briten, Der blickt hinein und lacht: "Parbleu! die Herrn verbitten In Wien sich jede Schlacht. Nur kurze Retirade Sauvier'uns meint der Wisch: Erlesner Senf! Nur schade, Für diesmal Senf nach Tisch!" |
Marlbrook the Prince of Commanders Is gone to war in Flanders Flanders Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp... , His fame is like Alexander's, But when will he ever come home? Mironton, mironton, mirontaine. Perhaps at Trinity Feast Trinity Sunday Trinity Sunday is the first Sunday after Pentecost in the Western Christian liturgical calendar, and the Sunday of Pentecost in Eastern Christianity... , or Perhaps he may come at Easter Easter Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday... , Egad! he had better make haste or We fear he may never come home. Mironton etc. For Trinity Feast is over, And has brought no news from Dover, And Easter is pass'd moreover, And Malbrook still delays. Milady in her watch-tower Spends many a pensive hour, Not knowing why or how her Dear lord from England stays. While sitting quite forlorn in That tower, she spies returning A page clad in deep mourning, With fainting steps and slow. "O page, prithee Prithee Prithee is an archaic English interjection formed from a corruption of the phrase pray thee, which was initially an exclamation of contempt used to indicate a subject's triviality... come faster! What news do you bring of your master? I fear there is some disaster, Your looks are so full of woe." "The news I bring fair lady," With sorrowful accent said he, "Is one you are not ready So soon, alas! to hear. "But since to speak I'm hurried," Added this page, quite flurried, "Malbrook is dead and buried!" And here he shed a tear. "He's dead! He's dead as a herring! For I beheld his berring, And four officers transferring His corpse away from the field. "One officer carried his sabre, And he carried it not without labour, Much envying his next neighbour, Who only bore a shield. "The third was helmet bearer - That helmet which in its wearer Fill'd all who saw it with terror, And cover'd a hero's brains. "Now, having got so far, I Find that - by the Lord Harry!- The fourth is left nothing to carry.- So there the thing remains." Mironton, mironton, mirontaine. |
Literal translation
As Longfellow's English translation above is far from literal, a more literal and unversified translation of the French is provided below. The recurring refrain "mironton, mironton, mirontaine" ("rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat-tat") is omitted.- Marlborough has left for the war / Nobody knows when he will come back.
- He will come back at EasterEasterEaster is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
/ Or on Trinity SundayTrinity SundayTrinity Sunday is the first Sunday after Pentecost in the Western Christian liturgical calendar, and the Sunday of Pentecost in Eastern Christianity...
. - Trinity Sunday goes by. / Marlborough does not return.
- My ladySarah Churchill, Duchess of MarlboroughSarah Churchill , Duchess of Marlborough rose to be one of the most influential women in British history as a result of her close friendship with Queen Anne of Great Britain.Sarah's friendship and influence with Princess Anne was widely known, and leading public figures...
climbs up her tower / As high as she can climb. - She sees her page coming / All clothed in black.
- "Good page, my good page / What news do you bring?"
- "At the news that I bring / Your pretty eyes will start crying!
- "Take off your pink clothing / and your embroidered satins!
- "My lord Marlborough is dead; / he is dead and buried.
- "I have seen him borne to the grave / by four officers.
- "One of them carried his breastplate / another his shield.
- "Another carried his great sabre / and the last carried nothing.
- "On his tomb was planted / a beautiful flowering rosebush.
- "When the ceremony was over / Everyone went to bed."
Alternative translation
This translation follows the french version more exactly in the sense that it does not ryhme nor is is a litteral translation. The minotrone sound has been replaced to make it more singable in English. The language is also constructed to match some grammatical structures used in 1709 when it was written. The usage of thou is to correspond to the french "vous" which would have been used between master and servant, "you" does not really have the same nuance, also this translation includes the most frequently sing verses.Malbrough hath gone to war
darnadarandaranda
Malbrough hath gone to war
Who knows of his return?
Return he will to Easter
-"-
Return he will to Easter
Or to All Saints Feast
But so All Saints Feast passed
-"-
But so All Saints Feast passed
Malbrough hath not yet come
Milady hath bid expected
-"-
Milady hath bid expected
But none bid hath yet come
Milady spied her good page
-"-
Milady spied her her good page
But dressed in mourning black
My page ah my good page
-"-
My page ah my good page
What news bringest thou?
The bid I bear is morbid
-"-
The bid I bear is morbid
Following burning tears
Quittest thy fair habit
-"-
Quittest thy fair habit
For mourning cloaks like me
For alas Malbrough is dead
-"-
For alas Malbrough is dead
Dead and laid in earth
For I have seen him buried
-"-
For I have seen him buried
By his four officers