The Earl Of Aboyne chords by June Tabor

Intro:
Bm  F#m Bm F#m7 Bm x2

Verse:
                   F#m
Oh, the Earl of Aboyne to London has gone
  Bm   F#m7  Bm
And all his nobles with him
               F#m
Sad was the heart of his lady fair
 Bm    F#m7     Bm
Because she could not go with him

Verse:
    D         F#m7
Oh, the Earl of Aboyne to London has gone
  Bm       F#7
And all his nobles with him
Bm           F#m
Better he had stayed at home
  Bm    F#m7 Bm
Or taken his lady with him

Verse:
                F#m
And as she walked out upon the green
 Bm    F#m7 Bm
Among the gentlewomen
                  F#m
Sad was the letter that came to her hand
     Bm    F#m7  Bm
That her lord was wed in London

Verse:
                 F#m
And as she looked over the castle wall
  Bm   F#m7  Bm
She saw two boys a-running
                    F#m
“What news, what news, my bonny little boys
   Bm    F#m7  Bm
What news have you of London?”

Verse:
     D          F#m7
“Oh, good news, good news, my lady gay
    Bm        F#7
For the Earl of Aboyne is coming
  Bm                F#m
And ere he's within two miles of your walls
  Bm    F#m7  Bm
You hear his bridles ringing”

Verse:
                F#m
“Oh, my groom's all be well in call
  Bm    F#m7   Bm
And happy all days are shining
                F#m
Oh, gone are days spent on the stays
     Bm    F#m7   Bm
Since the lord of Aboyne is coming

Verse:
               F#m
“And my mate's all be well in call
  Bm   F#m7    Bm
And happier flowers are shining
                     F#m
And cover the stair with herbs sweet and fair
    Bm       F#m7  Bm
And the floors with the finest linen

Verse:
                 F#m
“And deck my body in the finest array
  Bm     F#m7   Bm
My hood of the brightest linen
                    F#m
And my apron shall be of the good silk cloth
     Bm    F#m7   Bm
Since the lord of Aboyne is coming”

Verse:
  D          F#m7
So stately she stepped down the stair
  Bm      F#7
To see if he was coming
    Bm             F#m
And her gown was of the good green silk
    Bm    F#m7   Bm
Trimmed with her red silk trimming

Verse:
                 F#m
She's called to Kate, her waiting maid
  Bm    F#m7 Bm
And Jean, her gentlewoman
                    F#m
“Come fetch me a glass of the very best wine
  Bm    F#m7     Bm
To drink his health, he's coming”

Instrumental:
Bm  F#m Bm F#m7 Bm
Bm  F#m Bm F#m7 Bm
D  F#m7 Bm  F#7
Bm  F#m Bm F#m7 Bm

Verse:
                     F#m
She's gone out to the close to greet her lord
    Bm   F#m7   Bm
Says, “Welcome for your coming”
                     F#m
She's gone out to the close to greet her lord
    Bm    F#m7   Bm
Says, “Thrice welcome from London”

Verse:
    D      F#m7
“Oh, if I be of this welcome as you say
   Bm       F#7
Then kiss me for my coming
   Bm                 F#m
For tomorrow should have been my wedding day
    Bm     F#m7   Bm
If I'd stayed any longer in London”

Verse:
     D             F#m7
Oh, she's turned then around with a look of distaste
    Bm        F#7
Says, “Woe's me for your coming
    Bm                  F#m
Since tomorrow should have been your wedding day
    Bm    F#m7   Bm
Then go kiss your whore in London”

Verse:
                 F#m
“My nobles, all come, mount your steed
  Bm  F#m7  Bm
I'm sorry for my coming
                     F#m
Tonight we shall lie at the bonny Bogie's side
    Bm     F#m7     Bm
Since tomorrow the course is to London”

Verse:
  D        F#m7
“Oh Tom, my man, run after him
  Bm         F#7
And beg him to take me with him.”
     Bm                  F#m
“Oh, I've asked him once and I've asked him the more
     Bm         F#m7   Bm
And it's never a mile you'll ride with him.”

Verse:
                  F#m
Then a year and a day she lived in woe
    Bm   F#m7   Bm
And the doctors they were dealing
              F#m
Until at last her heart it broke
  Bm      F#m7  Bm
And letters were sent to London

Verse:
                   F#m
When he saw the letters all edged in black
     Bm    F#m7   Bm
Oh, he's bound to grievest weeping
               F#m
“Oh, she is dead that I loved best
   Bm    F#m7   Bm
And I had but a heart in keeping.”

Verse:
                 F#m
There were fifteen of the noblest lords
   Bm   F#m7   Bm
That London could provide him
                            F#m
From their hose to their hat, they were all dressed in black
  Bm    F#m7    Bm
To mourn for bonny Peggy Irvine

Verse:
    D          F#m7
And the farther he rode the sorer he wept
    Bm         F#7
For he had but a heart in keeping
   Bm                 F#m
“Oh, sooner I had lost all the lands of Aboyne
    Bm
Than my bonnie Peggy Irvine.”