Over moors and valleys deep,
To the dark peak and the white,
There two tragic lovers sleep
In gritstone blood and lime.
Clara's such a tender girl,
Virtuous and fair to see,
Daughter of a wealthy lord,
but cruel as death was he.
Suitors rich and mighty came,
all for Clara's favour strove,
But only one, with fortunes none,
bold Henry stole her love.
Come, my Clara, let's be gone
Slipping silent, out of sight
From your father's house we'll steal
Fast they rode to lands unknown
Through the dark peak and the white
Seeking for a place renowned
But pitying young love's plight
So to Peak Forest they were led
Where the martyr's bells do chime
And in God's house these two were wed
In gritstone blood and blind
Now this couple joined as one,
laugh so glad the valleys ring
But as they ride for Castleton,
cold night comes creeping in
In when it's past so dark and deep,
five murderous miners lingered there
this hapless two were caught so unaware
Long young Henry struggled brave,
fought with every breath of power
Till at last his strength is gone,
And he's wrestled to the ground
And with poor Clara's desperate cry
A knife is drawn across his throat
Now turning on this girl so dear
With one swift ax blow she too fell
Oh how good grace and justice slumbered
Darker and darker grows the sky
Through the dale the whirlwind howls
On its head the black cloud glows
Where hard the grey rock growls
But these five most murderous men
All fell foul to fate's revenge
One tumbled down that self
And one was crushed to death
One with guilt his own life took
And one died mad before his time
And the last on his deathbed
Confessed this terrible crime
See in speed while cavern there
Clara's saddle still at hand
All that's left to tell the tale
That's buried in this land
Over moors and valleys deep,
through the dark peak and the white,
There two tragic lovers sleep,
in gritstone, blood, and blind.
4.6
