King Henry Songtext
von Steeleye Span

Let never a man a-wooing went
That lacketh things three
A store of gold, an open heart
And full of charity
And this was seen of King Henry
As he lay quite alone
For it′s taken him to a haunted hall
Seven miles from the town
He's chased the deer now hidden before
And the doe down by the den
Till the fattest buck in all the flock
King Henry he had slain
His huntsmen followed him to the hall
To make them burly cheer
And loud the wind was heard to sound
And an earthquake was 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 grizzly ghost
Stamping on the floor
Her head hit the roof-tree of the house
Her middle you could not tell
Each frightened huntsman fled the hall
And left the king alone
But she were like the tenners' stake
Her nose like carmel-mel
And nothing less she seemed to be
Than a fiend that comes from hell
Some meat, some meat, King Henry
Some meat you give to me
Go kill your horse, King Henry
And bring him here to me
He's gone and slain his very brown steed
Though it made his heart full sore
And she′s eaten it up, all skin and bone
Left nothing but hide and hair
More meat, more meat, King Henry
More meat you give to me
Go kill your greyhounds, King Henry
And bring them here to me
He′s gone and slain his good greyhounds
Though it made his heart full sore
And she's eaten them up, all skin and bone
Left nothing but hide and hair
More meat, more meat, King Henry
More meat you give to me
Go fell your goshawks, King Henry
And bring them here to me
He′s gone and slain his gay goshawks
Though it made his heart full sore
And she's eaten them up, all skin and bone
Left nothing but feathers and hair
Some drink, some drink, 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′s drank it up all in one draught
Left never a drop therein
A bed, a bed, King Henry
A bed you 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 o'er it he has spread
Take off your clothes, King Henry
And lie down by my side
Now swear, now swear, King Henry
To take me for your bride
Oh God forbid, says King Henry
The heaven and life betide
That ever a fiend that comes from hell
Should stretch down by my side
When the night was gone and the day was come
And the sun shone through the hall
The fairest maid that ever was seen
Laid between him and the wall
I've met with many a gentle knight
Who gave me such a thrill
But never before were there courteous knights
Who gave me all my fill
Let never a man a-wooing went
That lacketh things three
A store of gold, an open heart
And full of charity
And this was seen of King Henry
As he lay quite alone
For it′s taken him to a haunted hall
Seven miles from the town