Print This Page#01365 Print This Page
"Rise up, young Willie Riley, and come along with me,
I mean for to go with you and leave this country;
I leave my father's dwellings, his houses, and his land,
And I'll go with Willie Riley, I'm his fair Colleen Bawn."
They go by hills and mountains and by yon lonesome streams,
Through shady groves and valleys, all dangerous to refrain;
But her father followed after with a well-armed band,
And taken was poor Riley and his fair Colleen Bawn.
It's home then she was taken and in her closet bound,
Poor Riley all in Sligo jail lay on the stony ground;
Till at the bar of justice before the judge did stand,
For nothing but the stealing of his fair Colleen Bawn.
The judge he said, "This lady being in her tender youth,
If Riley he deluded her she will declare the truth."
Then like a spotless angel before them she did stand,
"You're welcome here," says Riley, "my fair young Colleen Bawn."
"So good my Lord, he stole from her her diamonds and her rings,
Gold watch and silver buckle, and many costly things;
I gave them to my daughter, they cost one thousand pounds,
When Riley was first taken, those things with him were found."
"So good my Lord, I gave to him in token of true love,
He never stole my jewels, I swear by all above;
If you've got them with you, Riley, pray send them home to me."
"I will, my generous lady, with many thanks," said he.
Up spoke the noble lord, "You may let the prisoner go,
The lady has quite cleared him, the jury well doth know;
She hath released young Riley, the bill must be withdrawn,
Then set at large the lover of the fair young Colleen Bawn."
Up spoke the noble fox then who stood attentive by,
"Gentlemen of this jury, for justice we reply;
To hang a man for love is foul murder you may see,
So spare the life of Riley but banished let him be."
She says, "There's a ring amongst them, lad, I'll wish you for to wear,
It's set with costly diamonds and it's plaited with my hair;
It's a token of true love, lad, wear it on your right hand,
That you'll think of a broken heart, love, when you're in a foreign land.
Collected in 1950 from Raymond Noseworthy of Pouch Cove, NL, and published in MacEdward Leach And The Songs Of Atlantic Canada © 2004 Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA).
MacEdward Leach collected two other variants in 1951, one from Will Sutton of Trepassey, and one from Mrs. Ghaney of Fermeuse, NL, which were both published as Willie Riley in MacEdward Leach And The Songs Of Atlantic Canada © 2004 Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA).
MacEdward Leach also collected a variant in 1951 from Pat Critch of Flatrock, NL, which was published as Galway Town in MacEdward Leach And The Songs Of Atlantic Canada © 2004 Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA).
