Capt. Wedderburn's Courtship Songtext
von Maddy Prior & Tim Hart

The Laird o′ Roslin's daughter
Walked through the woods alone
When by come Captain Wedderburn,
A servant of the King.
He said unto his servant man,
"Were it not against the law
I′d take her into my own bed
And lie her next to the wall."

Then he jumped off his milk-white steed
And he set the lady on,
And all the way he walked on foot
And he held her by the hand.
He held her by the middle of the waist
For fear that she should fall
Till he took her to his own bed
To lie her next to the wall.


"Oh," said the pretty lady,
"Before you do gain me
It's you must dress me dishes yet
And that is dishes three.
It's dishes three you must dress me,
Though I′ll not eat at all
Before I′ll lie in your bed
At either stock or wall."

"Oh you must get for supper
A cherry without a stone,
And you must get for supper
A chicken without a bone,
And you must get for supper
A bird without a gall
Before I'll lie in your bed
At either stock or wall."

"A cherry when it is in bloom,
I′m sure it has no stone,
And the chicken when it's in the egg,
I′m sure it has no bone.
The dove she is a gentle bird
And she flies without a gall,
So we'll lie both in one bed
And you′ll lie next to the wall."


"Oh," said the pretty lady,
"Before you me perplex
It's you must answer questions yet
And that is questions six.
Questions six you must tell me
And that is three times twa
Before I'll lie in your bed
At either stock or wall."

"Oh, what is greener than the grass?
What′s higher than the trees?
Oh, what is worse than woman′s vice?
What's deeper than the seas?
What was the first bird that did crow?
And what did first down fall?
Before I′ll lie in your bed
At either stock or wall."

"Oh, death is greener than the grass
And is higher than the trees.
The Devil is worse than a woman's vice,
Hell is deeper than the seas.
The cock was the first bird that did crow
And the dew did first down fall,
So we′ll lie both in one bed
And you'll lie next to the wall."

Oh little did that fair maid think
That morning when she rose
That this would be the very last
Of all her maiden days.
And in the parish where they live
They′re the happiest pair of all
And they both lie in one bed
And she lies next to the wall.