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I
LET never a man a wooing wend | |
| That lacketh thingis three; | |
| A routh o’ gold, an open heart | |
| And fu’ o’ courtesye. | |
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II
As this I speak of King Henry, | 5 |
| For he lay burd-alone; | |
| An’ he’s doen him to a jelly hunt’s ha’ | |
| Was seven mile frae a town. | |
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III
He’s chased the deer down him before, | |
| An’ the roe down by the den, | 10 |
| Till the fattest buck in a’ the flock | |
| King Henry he has slain. | |
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IV
O he has doen him to his ha’ | |
| To make him bierly cheer; | |
| An’ in it came a griesly ghost | 15 |
| Steed stappin’ i’ the fleer. | |
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V
Her head hat the roof-tree o’ the house, | |
| Her middle ye weel mot span; | |
| He’s thrown to her his gay mantle, | |
| Says, ‘Lady, hap your lingcan.’ | 20 |
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VI
Her teeth were a’ like teather stakes, | |
| Her nose like club or mell; | |
| An’ I ken naething she ’pear’d to be | |
| But the fiend that wons in hell. | |
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VII
‘Some meat, some meat, ye King Henry, | 25 |
| Some meat ye gie to me!’— | |
| ‘An’ what meat’s in this house, ladye, | |
| That ye’re not welcome tae?’— | |
| ‘O ye’se gae kill your berry-brown steed, | |
| And serve him up to me.’ | 30 |
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VIII
O whan he slew his berry-brown steed, | |
| Wow but his heart was sair! | |
| She ate him a’ up, skin an’ bane, | |
| Left naething but hide an’ hair. | |
| |
IX
‘Mair meat, mair meat, ye King Henry, | 35 |
| Mair meat ye gie to me!’— | |
| ‘An’ what meat’s in this house, ladye, | |
| That ye’re not welcome tae?’— | |
| ‘O do ye slay your good grey-hounds | |
| An’ bring them a’ to me.’ | 40 |
| |
X
O whan he slew his good grey-hounds, | |
| Wow but his heart was sair! | |
| She ate them a’ up, skin an’ bane, | |
| Left naething but hide an’ hair. | |
| |
XI
‘Mair meat, mair meat, ye King Henry, | 45 |
| Mair meat ye gie to me!’— | |
| ‘An’ what meat’s in this house, ladye, | |
| That ye’re not welcome tae?’— | |
| ‘O do ye kill your gay goss-hawks | |
| An’ bring them a’ to me.’ | 50 |
| |
XII
O whan he fell’d his gay goss-hawks, | |
| Wow but his heart was sair! | |
| She’s ate them a’ up, skin an’ bane, | |
| Left naethin’ but feathers bare. | |
| |
XIII
‘Some drink, some drink, now, King Henry, | 55 |
| Some drink ye bring to me!’— | |
| ‘O what drink’s in this house, ladye, | |
| That ye’re not welcome tae?’— | |
| ‘O ye sew up your horse’s hide, | |
| An’ bring in drink to me.’ | 60 |
| |
XIV
O he’s sew’d up the bluidy hide, | |
| A puncheon o’ wine put in; | |
| She’s drunk it a’ up at a waught, | |
| Left na ae drap ahin’. | |
| |
XV
‘A bed, a bed, now King Henry, | 65 |
| A bed ye’se mak’ to me!’— | |
| ‘An’ what’s the bed in this house, ladye, | |
| That ye’re not welcome tae?’— | |
| ‘O ye maun pu’ the heather green, | |
| An’ mak’ a bed to me.’ | 70 |
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XVI
Syne pu’d he has the heather green, | |
| An’ made to her a bed, | |
| An’ up has he ta’en his gay mantle, | |
| An’ o’er it he has spread. | |
| |
XVII
‘Tak’ off your claiths now, King Henry, | 75 |
| An’ lie down by my side!’— | |
| ‘O God forbid,’ says King Henry, | |
| ‘That ever the like betide; | |
| That ever a fiend that wons in hell | |
| Shou’d streak down by my side!’ | 80 |
| |
XVIII
But whan day was come, and night was gane, | |
| An’ the sun shone thro’ the ha’, | |
| The fairest ladye that ever was seen | |
| [Cam’ to his armès twa]. | |
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XIX
‘O weel is me!’ says King Henry, | 85 |
| ‘How lang ’ll this last wi’ me?’ | |
| Then out an’ spake that fair ladye, | |
| ‘Even till the day you dee. | |
| |
XX
‘For I’ve met wi’ many a gentle knight | |
| That’s gien me sic a fill; | 90 |
| But never before wi’ a courteous knight | |
| That ga’e me a’ my will.’ | |
| | | GLOSS: routh] plenty. burd-alone] lone as a maid. jelly] jolly. jovial. bierly] stout, handsome. fleer] floor. hat] hit. mot] might. hap] cover. lingcan for lycam] body. teather stakes] tether pegs. mell] mallet. wons] dwells. ye’se gae] you shall go. waught] draught. ahin’] behind. streak] stretch. |
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