King Henry

Let never the man a-wooing ride E'er forget things three A routh of gold, a heart of love Full of charity For it happened to King Henry As a-hunting he did ride Ta'en his hawk his good greyhound Running loud down by his side He's chased the roe deer him before He's chased the buck all down to his den And the fattest deer in all the flock Young King Henry he has slain King Henry he ate of the venison The dogs ate of the blood They lay down they fell asleep Asleep as they were dead It fell about the midnight hour The hour when all men lay asleep Such chill winds blew around the house The very trees they did weep Great shakings sthe house about Shakings split the door The foulest woman that e'er there was Came a-stamping on the floor Her head hit the roof of the hunting lodge Her waist her waist you could hardly span If a fouler woman lived She was not known to God or man Oh meat meat ye king an't be Meat give thou to me What meat's there i' the house lady That you're not welcome to So she has ta'en his good brown steed And oh but oh his heart was sore She's ate it up both skin and bone Left nothing but hide and hair Oh more meat ye king an't be More meat give thou to me What meat's there i' the house lady That you're not welcome to So she has ta'en his gay goshawk And oh but oh his heart was sore She's ate it up all skin and bone Left nothing but feathers bare Oh more meat ye king an't be More meat give thou me What meat's there i' the house lady That you're not welcome to So she has ta'en his good greyhound And oh but oh his heart was sore She's ate it up both skin and bone Left nothing but hide and hair Oh drink drink ye king an't be Drink give thou to me What drink's there i' the house lady That you're not welcome to So he's sewn up his horse's hide And wine and good wine he has put in She drank it up she drank it down There was no drop left in A bed a bed ye king an't be A bed for you and me I do vow and I do swear Tonight to lie down with thee Oh take your boots off O King Henry And let all your clothes fall For you and I will in one bed lie And I'll lie next to the wall The night was gone the day was come The sun shone through the hall The fairest woman that e'er there was Lay twixt him and the wall Oh what is this cries young King Henry How long will this last with me And there up spoke the fair young lady Even till the day you dead be For I've met many's the gentleman Who gave to me all my fill Ne'er met I such a gentleman Who gave to me all my will For I've met many's the gentleman, sir Who gave to me all my fill Ne'er met I such a gentleman Who gave to me all my will "Now King Henry, you courteous knight, Your horse's hide you'll bring." And o'er it she has raised her hand And lively he did spring. "And likewise bring your hounds their skins And your hawks their feathers bare." And soon the hounds they leapt about And the hawks flew in the air. Then Henry he has mounted up, Put his lady on before. And straightway to the church they rode To keep the oath he swore. And they rode on into the town From out the wild woods green. And the people clammered all around To see their strange new queen.