Ah, welladay! ye lords so great, Whose counsels guide our sovereign king, Who rule each province of the state, To him our tale of sorrow bring. The keys of this fair realm you hold, Then bid him pass the just decree, (Assisted by his barons bold) Which from our woes may set us free. Thus underneath his gentle sway, No more we'll sing, 'Ah, welladay!' Ah, welladay! ye counts so brave, In dread we bear your heavy thralls. While rain pours down and winds do rave, We stand upon your castle-walls. 'And while, with night's all-piercing dew So numb and cold, we keep the guard, Your captains beat us black and blue, Swearing we sleep upon our ward. And all because we sorrowing say, In murmurs low, 'Ah, welladay!' Ah, welladay! thus beaten sore, Full many a crown we needs must pay, To fill that maw which craves for more While insolence oppressive sway More bitter renders!--but is this The claim of reason or of right? Ah, simple are ye, well we wis, Who proudly deal us such despite! Simple, in sooth; or ye would say Pitying our moan, 'Ah, welladay!' Ah, welladay! against our will, Thus of your captains we complain; But sheep and lambs, and hogs they steal, And rifle all our store of grain. And if in pity ought they leave, The sergeants glean the scanty dole; And all the gear your towers receive, For shelter, pays a grievous toll. 'The castellan, whom thus we pay, Recks not our cry, 'Ah, welladay!' Ah, welladay! what end of trouble! When royal taxes are decreed, We tillers of the land pay double, Albeit in times of greatest need, Your men at arms, like hungry thieves, Prowl through our fields with sharpened eye, And drive and slay our fattest beeves! Or if protection ye supply, Both gold and grain therefor we pay. Well may we then sing 'Welladay!' Ah, welladay! ye men at arms, Little it boots us to complain, Albeit ye multiply our harms, And seize perforce our stacks of grain. But well I wot that frost and snow Shall be the guerdon of your crimes, And ravenous Death shall lay you low, As Pharaoh fell in elder times. Then shall we smile, nor longer say In grief of heart, 'Ah, welladay!' 'Ah, welladay! ye lawyers grave, Your simple clients to embroil, A subtle web of quirks ye weave, And fill your purses by our spoil. Thus do you, by your dark deceit, Make wrong seem right, and right seem wrong, While artless husbandmen ye cheat, And all our woes and griefs prolong, When you should join our doleful lay, And cry with us, 'Ah, welladay! Ah, welladay! ye burghers too, Whom erst our rents and toils maintained: When times were good, our jovial crew With plenteous cheer ye entertained; But now that loathsome poverty, And debts, consume our squalid band, Reckless ye view our misery, And will not stretch the helping hand. Thus held in scorn we sorrowing say, In doleful dumps, 'Ah, welladay!'