Agnes’ Lament
(to the tune “The Three Ravens” - Child #26)

      Dm                       C                         Dm                     Am
I’ll tell you when my woes began, I’m down a down so very down
        Dm                C                              Dm      Am
The second time I gave my hand, very down
         F                     C                   Dm                        Am
King Leopold went on his knee, “Agnes, love, pray marry me”
          Dm     C                   Am           Dm
Very down, lady do your duty, don’t frown

   Dm                              C                           Dm                    Am
I thought that we might wed for love, I’m down a down so very down
           Dm                      C                         Dm      Am
Don’t know what I was thinking of, very down
    F                 C                        Dm              Am
I saw in him a man to care, he saw in me a brooding mare
         Dm     C                   Am        Dm
Very down, lady do your duty, lie down

      Dm                           C                          Dm                              Am
I’d borne some children years before, I’m down a down so very down
Dm                C                              Dm       Am
Leo gave me eighteen more, very down
       F                 C                                   Dm            Am
His ardor never once did show, but my belly it did ebb and flow
         Dm     C                   Am        Dm
Very down, lady do your duty, lie down

   Dm                 C                       Dm                             Am
Eleven children live today, I’m down a down so very down
       Dm                         C                               Dm        Am
My husband’s prowess well displayed, very down
            F                               C                                Dm                  Am
You’d think now he’d have time for me, but he’s busy founding monkeries
         Dm     C                    Am            Dm
Very down, lady do your duty, don’t frown

       Dm                     C                                Dm                             Am
My labors made my husband’s name, I’m down a down so very down
    Dm                 C                              Dm          Am
I doubt I’ll ever share his fame, very down
F                   C                                Dm              Am
I have never understood why they call him Leopold “the Good”
         Dm     C                   Am        Dm
Very down, lady do your duty, lie down
C                     Am            Dm
Lady do your duty, don’t frown

Written for Crystal Ball (Nov. 1992)
In honor of St. Leopold’s Day

lyrics ©1992 Gwyn Singer

The Story behind the Song:

In 1992, Crystal Ball honored a member of  Wurm Wald (I’m assuming) named Leopold.  If  I remember correctly, his “sainthood” was the result of a photograph of him that happened to catch him in a shaft of light.  One of the activities that day was a song competition, and the song had to be about St. Leopold.  The above song was my entry, which was the winner of said competition.

Since I didn’t know the Leopold they were honoring, I delved into some reference material about a Leopold that lived in Austria from 1073 - 1136 and was margrave from 1095 - 1136.  He was known as Leopold “the Good” for his founding a number of monasteries (three still exist today!), and was made a saint in 1485.  He lives on (in a manner of speaking) as the patron saint of Austria.  His feast day is November 15th, if you should be interested in celebrating Leomas. 

In 1105, Leopold married the daughter of Holy Roman Emporer Henry IV, named Agnes of Germany (1072 - 1143).  Agnes was married at 13 to Frederick I, Duke of Swabia.  Frederick died in 1105, leaving Agnes free to wed Leopold at the age of 33.

She had a number of children from her first marriage of 25 years, and during her 31 year second marriage had 18 more children, 11 of whom lived to adulthood. We don’t know much about her hobbies, but we know she was good at having babies!

I found myself wondering how she might have felt about all of this.  I can’t claim that this song accurately captures her feelings, but who knows?