There was a king, a glorious king, a king of noble fame,
And he had daughters only one, Lady Diamond was her name.
He had a boy, a kitchen boy, a boy of muckle scorn.
She loved him long, she loved him aye, til the grass o'ergrew the corn.
It fell upon a winter's night, the king could get no rest.
He came onto his daughter dear, just like a wandering ghost.
He came unto his daughter dear, pulled back the curtains long.
"What aileth thee, my Diamond dear, I fear you've gotten wrong."
"Oh, if I have, despise me not, for he is all my joy.
I will forsake both dukes and earls and marry your kitchen boy."
"Oh, bring to me my merry men all, by thirty and by three.
And bring to me my kitchen boy, we'll murder him secretly."
Not a sound into the hall and ne'er a word was said
Until they had him safe and sure between two feather beds.
"Now cut the heart from out of his breast, put it in a cup of gold,
And present it to my Diamond dear, for she was both stout and bold."
"Oh, come to me, my hinny, my heart, oh, come to me my joy.
Oh, come to me, my hinny, my heart, my father's kitchen boy."
She took the cup from out of their hands, set it at her bed head,
Washed it with tears that fell from her eyes; next morning she was dead.
"Oh, where were you, my merry men all, when I gave meat and wage,
That you didn't stay my cruel hand when I was in a rage?
"For gone is all my heart's delight, oh, gone is all my joy,
For my dear Diamond, she is dead, likewise my kitchen boy."
And he had daughters only one, Lady Diamond was her name.
He had a boy, a kitchen boy, a boy of muckle scorn.
She loved him long, she loved him aye, til the grass o'ergrew the corn.
It fell upon a winter's night, the king could get no rest.
He came onto his daughter dear, just like a wandering ghost.
He came unto his daughter dear, pulled back the curtains long.
"What aileth thee, my Diamond dear, I fear you've gotten wrong."
"Oh, if I have, despise me not, for he is all my joy.
I will forsake both dukes and earls and marry your kitchen boy."
"Oh, bring to me my merry men all, by thirty and by three.
And bring to me my kitchen boy, we'll murder him secretly."
Not a sound into the hall and ne'er a word was said
Until they had him safe and sure between two feather beds.
"Now cut the heart from out of his breast, put it in a cup of gold,
And present it to my Diamond dear, for she was both stout and bold."
"Oh, come to me, my hinny, my heart, oh, come to me my joy.
Oh, come to me, my hinny, my heart, my father's kitchen boy."
She took the cup from out of their hands, set it at her bed head,
Washed it with tears that fell from her eyes; next morning she was dead.
"Oh, where were you, my merry men all, when I gave meat and wage,
That you didn't stay my cruel hand when I was in a rage?
"For gone is all my heart's delight, oh, gone is all my joy,
For my dear Diamond, she is dead, likewise my kitchen boy."