Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

The Confession

Traditional

“The Confession” as printed in The Black-Bird Songster (1840).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 415 1840 · historical text
Public domainScottish songSongster
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Black-Bird Songster, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

With sorrow and repentance true,

Father, I trembling come to you;

I know I've too indulgent been

To one, but oh! forgive the sin.

To one whom still I love, tho he

Ungrateful proves, and false to me;

Then let me on my knees confess

How I've been tempted to transgress.

Verse 2

Oh! rev'rend father, if you know

The charms of him, alas! untrue;

O had you heard the false one swear

I was the fairest of the fair;

You could not, holy Sir, refuse

So slight a weakness to excușe;

He swore my eyes were loveliness,

Ah! let me then my fault confess.

Verse 3

To grief, eternal grief a prey,

His name is all my heart can say;

When bath'd in sad repentant tears,

Still to my mind his name appears;

Yes, 'tis that name, that name alone,

Which bends me now before thy throne;

Alcander-- but I can't express,

Oh! Father, must I then confess?

Verse 4

Ah! tell him, should he come to you,

Should he, like me, for mercy sue;

Of all tho crimes by heav'n accurst,

Tell him inconstancy's the worst;

Tell him that lie who's false in love,

Can ne'er hope pity from above;

Tell him that I alone can bless,

And send him to me to confess.

Credits

Written by Traditional

Traditional words. Historical text published in The Black-Bird Songster (1840); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Black-Bird Songster (1840), “The Confession”

Every contribution in this 1840 songster predates modern copyright terms; any contributor died more than 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-26. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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