Willie o Winsbury (Child 100) Songtext
von Anaïs Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer
Willie o Winsbury (Child 100) Songtext
The king has been a prisoner
And a prisoner long in Spain
And Willie of the Winsbury
Has lain long with his daughter Jane
"What ails you, what ails you, my daughter Jane? Why you look so pale and wan?
Oh have you had any ill sickness?
Or yet been sleeping with a man?"
"I have not had any ill sickness Nor yet been sleeping with a man It is for you my father dear
For biding so long in Spain"
"Cast off, cast off your robe and gown Stand naked on the stone
That I might know you by your shape If you be a maiden or none"
And she′s cast off her robe and gown
Stood naked on the stone
Her apron was tight and her waist was round Her face was pale and wan
"And was it with a lord or a gentleman Or a man of wealth and fame?
Or was it with one of my servingmen While I was a prisoner in Spain?"
"No it wasn't with a lord or a gentleman Or a man of wealth and fame
It was with Willie of Winsbury
I could bide no longer alone"
And the king has called his servingmen By one, by two and by three Saying, "Where is this Willie of Winsbury? For hanged he shall be"
And when they came before the king
By one, by two and by three
Willie should have been the first of them But the last of them was he
And Willie of the Winsbury
All dressed up in red silk
His hair hung like the strands of gold
His breast was white as milk
"No wonder, no wonder," the King he said "That my daughter′s love you did win
If I were a woman as I am a man
In my own bed you would have been"
"And will you marry my daughter Jane
By the faith of your right hand?
And I'll make you the lord of my servingmen I'll make you the heir to my land"
"Oh yes, I′ll marry your daughter Jane By the faith of my right hand
But I′ll not be the lord of any man
I'll not be the heir to your land"
And he′s raised her up on a milk white steed And himself on a dapple grey
He has made her the lady of as much land As she can ride in a long summer's day
And a prisoner long in Spain
And Willie of the Winsbury
Has lain long with his daughter Jane
"What ails you, what ails you, my daughter Jane? Why you look so pale and wan?
Oh have you had any ill sickness?
Or yet been sleeping with a man?"
"I have not had any ill sickness Nor yet been sleeping with a man It is for you my father dear
For biding so long in Spain"
"Cast off, cast off your robe and gown Stand naked on the stone
That I might know you by your shape If you be a maiden or none"
And she′s cast off her robe and gown
Stood naked on the stone
Her apron was tight and her waist was round Her face was pale and wan
"And was it with a lord or a gentleman Or a man of wealth and fame?
Or was it with one of my servingmen While I was a prisoner in Spain?"
"No it wasn't with a lord or a gentleman Or a man of wealth and fame
It was with Willie of Winsbury
I could bide no longer alone"
And the king has called his servingmen By one, by two and by three Saying, "Where is this Willie of Winsbury? For hanged he shall be"
And when they came before the king
By one, by two and by three
Willie should have been the first of them But the last of them was he
And Willie of the Winsbury
All dressed up in red silk
His hair hung like the strands of gold
His breast was white as milk
"No wonder, no wonder," the King he said "That my daughter′s love you did win
If I were a woman as I am a man
In my own bed you would have been"
"And will you marry my daughter Jane
By the faith of your right hand?
And I'll make you the lord of my servingmen I'll make you the heir to my land"
"Oh yes, I′ll marry your daughter Jane By the faith of my right hand
But I′ll not be the lord of any man
I'll not be the heir to your land"
And he′s raised her up on a milk white steed And himself on a dapple grey
He has made her the lady of as much land As she can ride in a long summer's day
Writer(s): Anais Mitchell, Jefferson Hamer Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com
