KING HENRY



Let never a man a wooing wend

That lacketh thinges three

A store of gold, an oaken heart,

And full of charity



And this was seen of King Henry

And he likewise alone

For he's taken him to a haunted hall

Seven miles from the town



He's chased the deer, now him before

And the doe down by the den

Till the fattest buck in the all the flock

King Henry he has slain



His huntsmen followed him to the hall

To make them burly cheer

When loud the wind was heard to sound

And an earthquake rocked the floor



And darkness covered all the hall

Where they sat at their meat

The grey dogs, yowling, left their food

And crept to Henry's feet



And louder howled the rising wind

And burst the fastened door

And in there came a grisley ghost

Stamping on the floor



Her head hit the roof tree of the house

Her middle you could not span

Each frightened huntsman fled the hall

And left the King alone



Her teeth were like the tether stakes

Her nose like club or mell

And nothing less she seemed to be

Than a fiend that comes from Hell



Some meat, some meat

Yo King Henry some meat you give to me

Go kill your horse, you King Henry,

And bring him here to me



He's gone and slain his berry brown steed

Though it made his heart full sore

For she's eaten up, both flesh and bone

Left nothing but hide and hair



More meat, more meat

Yo King Henry more meat you give to me

Go kill your greyhounds King Henry,

And bring them here to me



And when he's slain his good greyhound

It made his heart full sore

For she's eaten up, both flesh and bone

Left nothing but hide and hair



More meat, more meat

Yo King Henry more meat you give to me

Go fell your gosshawks King Henry,

And bring them here to me



And when he's slain his gay gosshawks

It made his heart full sore

For she's eaten them up, both skin and bone

Left nothing but feathers there



Some drink, some drink

Now King Henry some drink you give to me

Oh you sew up your horse's hide

And bring in a drink to me



And he's sewn up the bloody hide

And a pipe of wine put in

And she drank it up, all in one draught

Left never a drop therein



A bed, a bed, now King Henry

A bed you'll make for me

Oh you must pull the heather green

And make it soft for me



And pulled has he the heather green

And made for her a bed

And taken has he his gay mantle

And over it he has spread



Take off your clothes now King Henry

And lie down by my side

Now swear, now swear you King Henry

To take me for your bride



Oh God forbid said Kind Henry

That ever the like betide

That ever a fiend that comes from Hell

Would stretch down by my side



BREAK



When the night was gone and the day was come

And the sun shone through the hall

The fairest lady that e'er was seen

Lay between him and the wall





I've met with many a gentle knight

That gave gave me such a fill

But never before with a courtious knight

That gave me all my will



Child #32 known prior to 1790

Recorded by Steeleye Span on "Please to See the King"

@ghost @royalty @myth

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