American Old Time Song Lyrics: 13 Henry Green Of Troy

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 13

HENRY GREEN OF TROY.

Good people, come, both old and young, and hear a story told.
Concerning a young damsel, 'twill make your blood run cold;
A young and beautiful woman, Miss White, it was her name,
Who was murdered by her husband, and he hanged for the same.

Miss White, I'm told, was handsome unto a high degree.
Young Henry was wealthy, as you shall plainly see;
He went unto her dwelling and this to her did say:
' Dear Mary, will you be my wife? oh, pray, do name the day."

"Oh, Henry, dear Henry, I fear this ne'er will do.
For you have proud relations, and I'm not as rich as you;
And when your parents come to know, they'll spurn uc from the door,
They'd rather you'd marry some other girl with wealth laid up in store."

"Oh, Mary, dearest Mary, pray, why torment me so?
I swear by all that's sacred, I ever will prove true;
And if you do not give consent, I'll surely take my life,
For I no longer wish to live, unless you are my wife."

She hearing all that he had said, believing it was true,
Soon gave consent to be his wife, but little did she know;
Oh, little did she dream, indeed, how could she e'er suspect,
That he would shortly take the life he had sworn to protect.

They had been married scarce a week when she was taken ill.
Great doctors quick were summoned, who tried their utmost skill;
They tried their best in every way, but none her life could save,
And soon it was proclaimed that she must go down to the grave.

Her brother hearing of the same, straightway to her did go,
Saying:" Sister, you are dying, pray, tell me is it so?
Have you not been murdered by one you thought your friend?
Oh, tell the truth before you die, do not the guilty 'fend."

"As I am on the bed of death, and know that I must die.
And that I'm going to meet my God, I'll not the truth deny;
Young Henry Green has poisoned me-oh, quickly for him send.
For still I love him, just as well as when he was my friend."

Young Henry Green was summoned his dying wife to see,
Three times she said: "Oh, Henry, were you e'er deceived by me?
She cast on him one loving look, then dropped into death's swoon,
While he gazed on her with a tearful eye, then in silence left the room.

At an inquest on the body, according to the law,
Twas ascertained by doctors that arsenic was the cause;
Young Henry was arrested and cast into Troy jail.
There to await his trial, as the court would take no hail.

When his trial day arrived he was brought upon the stand.
To answer for the blackest crime committed in our land;
He said he was Innocent and did her friends defy,
But Judge Parker passed his sentence, and he was condemned to die.