Info
This song appears in print in the early 17th century. (source: Sail Away, Locke)
Lyrics
(English folk song)
Sir Eglamore was a valiant knight,
fa la lanky down dilly,
He took up his sword and he went to fight,
fa la lanky down dilly.
And as he rode o’er hill and dale,
All armored in a coat of mail.
Refrain
Fa lanky down, l lanky down, fa lanky down dilly.
Out came a dragon from her den…
That killed God knows how many men…
When she saw Sir Eglamore,
You should have hear that dragon roar. Refrain
Well, then the trees began to shake…
Horse did tremble and man did quake…
The birds betook them all to peep,
it would have made a grown man weep. Refrain
But all in vain it was to fear…
For now they fall to fight like bears…
To it they go and soundly fight,
the live-long day from more ’till night. Refrain
This dragon had a plaguey hide…
That could the sharpest steel abide…
No sword could enter through her skin,
Which vexed the knight and made her grin. Refrain
But as in choler she did burn…
He fetched the dragon a great good turn…
As a yawning she did fall,
he thrust his sword up, hilt and all. Refrain
Like a coward she did fly…
To her den which was hard by…
There she lay all night and roared,
the knight was sorry for his sword. Refrain
See also
- Country: England
- Type: ballad
- Form: AB
- Harmony: chords I, II, IV, V
- Meter: 6/8
- Scale: major
- Source: Sail Away: 155 American Folk Songs to sing, read, and play, Eleanor G. Locke, 1981
YouTube
- PDF of song with chords
- MIDI file
- Listen to the melody
2 thoughts on “Sir Eglamore”
This song is on Chappells Music of the Olden Time published in the 1850s. Chappell cites sources back to 1615 (The Melancholy Knight). He describes the song as a satire on the deeds recounted in old romances. This aspect seems to be overlooked in modern versions which omit the last two verses.
When all this was done to the alehouse he went
And by and by his tuppence was spent
For he was so hot with tugging the dragon
That nothing could quench him but a whole flagon
Now God preserve our King and Queen
And eke in London may be seen
As many knights and as many more
And all so good as Sir Eglamore.
I think the City Waite’s recording from 1974 captures the satire of the lyrics quite nicely. More modern versions seem to me to miss the point.
The dragon spat out the chewed up sword
She looked at Sir Egg and again she roared
Without a sword Egg had to flee
Or Drag would have him poached for tea
Once bold Sir Egg had fled in fear
A lady fair gave Drag a cheer
She couldn’t put her trust in men
It’s safer far in her dragon’s den