Lyrics Willie O Winsbury - Ye Vagabonds

Willie O Winsbury

The king he has been a poor prisoner
And a prisoner long in Spain
While Willie o' Winsbury
Has lain long with his daughter at home
«What ails you, what ails you, my daughter dear
Why you look so pale and wan?
Oh, have you had any sore sickness
Or yet been sleeping wi' a man?»
«I have not had any sore sickness
Nor yet been sleeping wi' a man
Twas grieving for you, my father dear
After biding so long in Spain.»
«Well cast off, cast off your berry-brown gown
Stand naked upon a stone
That I may know you by your shape
Whether you be a maiden or nae.»
And she’s cast off her berry-brown gown
Stood naked upon a stone
Her haunches were round and her apron was short
Her face it was pale and wan
«Oh, is he a lord or a duke or a knight
Or a man of birth and fame
Or is he one of my serving men
That’s lately come out of Spain?»
«He wasnae a lord, nor a duke or a knight
Nor a man of birth and fame
But he is Willie o' Winsbury
I could bide no longer alone.»
Well the king has called on his merry men all
His merry men thirty and three
Saying, «Bring me Willie o' Winsbury
For hanged he shall be.»
But when he came the king before
He was clad all in the red silk
His hair it was like the strands of gold
His skin it was white as milk
«Well, it is nae wonder,» says the king
«My daughter’s heart you did win
For if I were a woman, as I am a man
My bedfellow you would have been.»
«And will you marry my daughter Janet
By the truth of your right hand?
And will you marry my daughter Janet?
And be a lord of the land.»
«Yes, I will marry your daughter Janet
By the truth of my right hand
And I will marry your daughter Janet
But I won’t be a lord of the land.»
So he’s mounted her on a milk-white steed
And himself on a dapple grey
And he’s made her a lady of as much land
As they could ride in a long summer’s day