Mark Well My Heavy Doleful Tale

A Carol For Twelfth Day

 

Words: English Traditional from New Christmas Carols, 1642

 

Music to the tune of "The Lady's Fall"

 

Source: A. H. Bullen, A Christmas Garland (London: John C. Nimmo, 1885)pp. 239-41.

1. Mark well my heavy doleful tale,
    For Twelfth-day now is come,
And now I must no longer sing,
    And say no words but mum;
For I perforce must take my leave
    Of all my dainty cheer,
Plum-porridge, roast beef, and minced pies,
    My strong ale and my beer.

2. Kind-hearted Christmas, now adieu,
    For I with thee must part,
And for to take my leave of thee
    Doth grieve me at the heart;
Thou wert an ancient housekeeper,
    And mirth with meat didst keep,
But thou art going out of town,
    Which makes me for to weep.

3. God knoweth whether I again
    Thy merry face shall see,
Which to good-fellows and the poor
    That was so frank and free.
Thou lovedst pastime with thy heart,
    And eke good company;
Pray hold me up for fear I swoon,
    For I am like to die.

4. Come, butler, fill a brimmer up
    To cheer my fainting heart,
That to old Christmas I may drink
    Before he doth depart;
And let each one that's in this room
    With me likewise condole,
And for to cheer their spirits sad
    Let each one drink a bowl.

5. And when the same it hath gone round
    Then fall unto your cheer,
For you do know that Christmas time
    It comes but once a year.
But this good draught which I have drunk
    Hath comforted my heart,
For I was very fearful that
    My stomach would depart.

6. Thanks to my master and my dame
    That doth such cheer afford;
God bless them, that each Christmas they
    May furnish thus their board.
My stomach having come to me,
    I mean to have a bout,
Intending to eat most heartily;
    Good friends, I do not flout.

Note from Bullen:

"Christmas festivities were not wholly ended on Twelfth day. The 7th of January, Distaff day (otherwise called Rock day), was given up partly to business and partly to play, as Herrick tells us in the following dainty poem (two lines of which I am forced to omit) :—

“Partly work and partly play
Ye must on Saint Distaff’s day,
From the plough soon free your team,
Then come home and fodder them.
If the maids a-spinning go,
Burn the flax and fire the tow.

Bring in pails of water then,
Let the maids bewash the men.
Give Saint Distaff all the right,
Then bid Christmas sport good night;
And next morrow, every one
To his own vocation.”

"On Candlemas day, the 2nd of February, the holly and ivy were taken down, and all traces of Christmas disappeared, as Herrick tells us in his Ceremonies for Candlemas Eve. Lector benevole, vale.

Yule's come and Yule's gane,
And we have feasted weel;
Sae Jock maun to his flail again,
And Jenny to her wheel.

See: Ceremonies For Christmas.

Note from William Chappell, The Ballad Literature and Popular Music of the Olden Time. London: Chappell & Co., 1859, pp. 196-8.

Pescod Time

The tune of In Pescod Time (i.e., peas-cod time, when the field peas are gathered), was extremely popular towards the end of the sixteenth century. It is contained in Queen Elizabeth’s and Lady Neville’s Virginal Books; in Anthony Holborne’s Citharn Schools (1597); and in Sir John Hawkins’ transcripts; but so disguised by point, augmentation, and other learned contrivances, that it was only by scanning the whole arrangement (by Orlando Gibbons) that this simple air could be extracted. In Queen Elizabeth’s Virginal Book, the same air is called The Hunt’s up, in another part of the book.

The words are in England’s Helicon, 1600 (or reprint in 1812, p. 206); in Miss Cooper’s The Muses’ Library, 8vo, p. 281; and in Evans’ Old Ballads, i. 332 (ed. of 1810).

Two very important and popular ballads were sung to the tune: Chevy Chace, and The Lady’s Fall.

Chevy Chace had also a separate air (see page 199); but the earlier printed copies of the ballad direct it to be sung to “In Pescod Time.”

The “Lamentable ballad of the Lady’s Fall, to the tune of In Pescod Time,” will be found in the Douce, Pepys, and Bagford Collections, and has been reprinted by Percy and Ritson. It commences thus :—

“Mark well my heavy doleful tale,
    You loyal lovers all;
And heedfully bear in your breast
    A gallant lady’s fall.”

Among the ballads to the tune of The Lady’s Fall are The Bride’s Burial, and The Lady Isabella’s Tragedy; both in Percy’s Reliques. The life and death of Queen Elizabeth, in the Crown Garland of Golden Roses, 1612 (page 39 of the reprint), and in Evans’ Old Ballads, iii. 171. The Wandering Jew, or the Shoe maker of Jerusalem, who lived when our Saviour Christ was crucified, and appointed to live until his coming again; two copies in the British Museum, and one in Mr. Halliweli’s Collection; also reprinted by Washbourne. It has the burden, "Repent, therefore, O England,” and is, perhaps, the ballad by Deloney, to which Nashe refers in Have with you to Saffron- Walden (ante page 107). The Cruel Black; see Evans’ Old Ballads, iii. 232. A Warning for Maidens, or young Bateman; Roxburghe Collection, i. 501. It begins, “You dainty dames so finely framed.” And You dainty dames is sometimes quoted as a tune; also Bateman, in a ballad entitled “A Warning for Married Women, to a West-country tune called The Fair Maid of Bristol, or Bateman, or John True; Roxburghe, i. 502.

The following Carol is from a Collection, printed in 1642, a copy of which is in Wood’s Library, Oxford. I have not seen it elsewhere.

“A Carol for Twelfth Day, to the tune of The Lady’s Fall.”

Mark well my heavy doleful tale,
    For Twelfth Day now is come,
And now I must no longer stay,
    And say no word but mum.
For I perforce must take my leave
    Of all my dainty cheer—
Plum porridge, roast beef, and minc’d pies,
    My strong ale and my beer.

Kind-hearted Christmas, now adieu,
    For I with thee must part;
But oh! to take my leave of thee
    Doth grieve me at the heart.
Thou wert an ancient housekeeper,
    And mirth with meat didst keep;
But thou art going out of town,
    Which causes me to weep.

God knoweth whether I again
    Thy merry face shall see;
Which to good fellows and the poor
    Was always frank and free.
Thou lovest pastime with thy heart,
    And eke good company;
Pray hold me up for fear I swound [swoon],
    For I am like to die.

Come, butler, fill a brimmer full,
    To cheer my fainting heart,
That to old Christmas I may drink
    Before he does depart.
And let each one that’s in the room
    With me likewise condole,
And now, to cheer their spirits sad,
    Let each one drink a bowl.

And when the same it hath gone round,
    Then fall unto your cheer;
For you well know that Christmas time
    It comes but once a year.
But this good draught which I have drank
    Hath comforted my heart;
For I was very fearful that
    My stomach would depart.

Thanks to my master and my dame,
    That do such cheer afford;
God bless them, that, each Christmas, they
    May furnish so their board.
My stomach being come to me,
    I mean to have a bout;
And now to eat most heartily,—
    Good friends, I do not flout.

Tune: In Peascod Time
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF

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