Hughie the Graeme


As it befell upon one time

About midsummer of the year

Every man was taxed of his crimes

For the stealing of the Bishop's mare.



Our lords are to the hunting gone

Over the moors and mountains clear

And they have gripped Hugh the Graeme

For stealing of the Bishop's mare.



They have tied him hand and foot

And led him into Carlisle town

The lads and lasses stood on the walls

Crying, "Hugh the Graeme thou'll ne'er go down."


Then they have chosen a jury of men

'Mong all their best nobility

And twelve of them cried out at once

"Sir Hugh the Graeme he now must die."


Then it's up and spoke the lady Hume

As she sat by the Bishop's knee

"Five hundred measures of gold I'll give

To grant Sir Hugh the Graeme to me."


"O hold your tongue," the Bishop said,

"And ye'll let all your pleadings be.

Though all the Graemes were in this court

He should be hanged high for me."


They've ta'en him to the gallows-knoll

He looked to the gallows tree

Yet never colour left his cheek

Nor ever did he blink his eye.



He looked over his left shoulder

It was to see what he might see

And there he saw his old father

And he was weeping bitterly.



"O hold your tongue my father dear,

And with your weeping let it be.

Thy weeping's sorer on my heart

Than all that they can do to me."


"You'll give my brother John the sword

That's pointed with the metal clear,

And bid him come at eight of the clock

To see me pay the Bishop's mare."


"Remember me to Maggie my wife,

The next time you gang o'er the moor.

She is the cause I lose my life,

She with the Bishop played the whore."


"And you may tell my kith and kin

I never did disgrace their blood,

And when they meet the Bishop's cloak

To make it shorter by the hood."

Bookmark this Hughie the Graeme traditional Scottish song lyrics web site now.

To get up to 120 free downloads of Songs from my music player. Just click on my name at top of player and follow instructions.

Join me or visit me on Facebook

Bob Ferguson

Create Your Badge

For Irish Song Lyrics click here

FREE MP3 DOWNLOADS ON MY MUSIC PLAYER ALSO FREE SONG LYRICS.

FREE SCOTTISH FOLK MUSIC MP3 DOWNLOADS.

FREE SCOTTISH FOLK SONG LYRICS.

FREE IRISH MUSIC MP3 DOWNLOADS.

FREE IRISH SONG LYRICS DOWNLOAD.

Bob Ferguson webmaster of this site, performs with Beggars Row, Celtic Horizon, Celtic Hearts and Celtic Crazy Clan. He also performs in his own solo acts Bob Shortcut, Mister Sunshine, The Parody Man and his own Bob Ferguson Band coming in 2012.