Digital Tradition Mirror

King Henry

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

(alternate:)

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

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 "Below the Salt"
play.exe KINGHENR
DC

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!