Steeleye Span: 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