King Henry

Let never a man a wooing wendThat lacketh thingis three;A routh o’ gold, an open heartAnd fu’ o’ courtesye.

As this I speak of King Henry,For he lay burd-alone;An’ he’s doen him to a jelly hunt’s ha’Was seven mile frae a town.

He’s chased the deer down him before,An’ the roe down by the den,Till the fattest buck in a’ the flockKing Henry he has slain.

O he has doen him to his ha’To make him bierly cheer;An’ in it came a griesly ghostSteed stappin’ i’ the fleer.

Her head hat the roof-tree o’ the house,Her middle ye weel mot span;He’s thrown to her his gay mantle,Says, ‘Lady, hap your lingcan.’

Her teeth were a’ like teather stakes,Her nose like club or mell;An’ I ken naething she ’pear’d to beBut the fiend that wons in hell.

‘Some meat, some meat, ye King Henry,Some meat ye gie to me!’--‘An’ what meat’s in this house, ladye,That ye’re not welcome tae?’--‘O ye’se gae kill your berry-brown steed,And serve him up to me.’

O whan he slew his berry-brown steed,Wow but his heart was sair!She ate him a’ up, skin an’ bane,Left naething but hide an’ hair.

‘Mair meat, mair meat, ye King Henry,Mair meat ye gie to me!’--‘An’ what meat’s in this house, ladye,That ye’re not welcome tae?’--‘O do ye slay your good grey-houndsAn’ bring them a’ to me.’

O whan he slew his good grey-hounds,Wow but his heart was sair!She ate them a’ up, skin an’ bane,Left naething but hide an’ hair.

‘Mair meat, mair meat, ye King Henry,Mair meat ye gie to me!’--‘An’ what meat’s in this house, ladye,That ye’re not welcome tae?’--‘O do ye kill your gay goss-hawksAn’ bring them a’ to me.’

O whan he fell’d his gay goss-hawks,Wow but his heart was sair!She’s ate them a’ up, skin an’ bane,Left naethin’ but feathers bare.

‘Some drink, some drink, now, King Henry,Some drink ye bring to me!’--‘O what drink’s in this house, ladye,That ye’re not welcome tae?’--‘O ye sew up your horse’s hide,An’ bring in drink to me.’

O he’s sew’d up the bluidy hide,A puncheon o’ wine put in;She’s drunk it a’ up at a waught,Left na ae drap ahin’.

‘A bed, a bed, now King Henry,A bed ye’se mak’ to me!’--‘An’ what’s the bed in this house, ladye,That ye’re not welcome tae?’--‘O ye maun pu’ the heather green,An’ mak’ a bed to me.’

Syne pu’d he has the heather green,An’ made to her a bed,An’ up has he ta’en his gay mantle,An’ o’er it he has spread.

‘Tak’ off your claiths now, King Henry,An’ lie down by my side!’--‘O God forbid,’ says King Henry,‘That ever the like betide;That ever a fiend that wons in hellShou’d streak down by my side!’

But whan day was come, and night was gane,An’ the sun shone thro’ the ha’,The fairest ladye that ever was seen

‘O weel is me!’ says King Henry,‘How lang’ll this last wi’ me?’Then out an’ spake that fair ladye,‘Even till the day you dee.

‘For I’ve met wi’ many a gentle knightThat’s gien me sic a fill;But never before wi’ a courteous knightThat ga’e me a’ my will.’