| Let never a man a wooing wend
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| That lacketh things three
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| A store of gold, an open heart
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| And full of charity;
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| And this was seen of King Henry
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| Though he lay quite alone
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| For he’s taken him to a haunted hall
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| Seven miles from the town
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| He’s chased the deer now him before
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| And the doe down by the den
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| Till the fattest buck in all the flock
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| King Henry he has slain
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| His huntsmen followed him to the hall
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| To make them burly cheer
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| When loud the wind was heard to sound
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| And an earthquake rocked the floor
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| And darkness covered all the hall
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| Where they sat at their meat
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| The grey dogs, yowling, left their food
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| And crept to Henry’s feet
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| And louder howled the rising wind
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| And burst the fastened door
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| And in there came a grisly ghost
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| Stramping on the floor
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| Her head hit the roof-tree of the house
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| Her middle you could not span
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| Each frightened huntsman fled the hall
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| And left the king alone
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| Her teeth were like the tether stakes
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| Her nose like club or mell
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| And nothing less she seemed to be
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| Than a fiend that comes form hell
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| Some meat, some meat you King Henry
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| Some meat you give to me
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| Go kill your horse you King Henry
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| And bring him here to me;
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| He’s gone and slain his berry brown steed
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| Though it made his heart full sore
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| For she’s eaten up both skin and bone
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| Left nothing but hide and hair
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| More meat, more meat you King Henry
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| More meat you give to me
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| Go Kill your greyhounds King Henry
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| And bring them here to me;
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| And when he’s slain his good greyhounds
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| It made his heart full sore
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| She’s eaten them up both skin and bone
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| Left nothing but hide and hair
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| More meat, more meat you King Henry
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| More meat you give to me
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| Go fell your goshawks King Henry
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| And bring them here to me;
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| And when he’s slain his gay goshawks
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| It made his heart full sore
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| She’s eaten them up both skin and bone
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| Left nothing but feathers bare
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| Some drink, some drink now King Henry
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| Some drink you give to me
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| Oh you sew up your horse’s hide
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| And bring in a drink to me
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| And he’s sewed up the bloody hide
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| And a pipe of wine put in
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| And she’s drank it up all in one draught
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| Left never a drop therein
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| A bed, a bed now King Henry
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| A bed you’ll make for me
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| Oh you must pull the heather green
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| And make it soft for me;
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| And pulled has he the heather green
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| And made for her a bed
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| And taken has he his gay mantle
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| And o’er it he has spread
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| Take off your clothes now King Henry
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| And lie down by my side
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| Now swear, now swear you King Henry
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| To take me for your bride
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| Oh God forbid, says King Henry
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| That ever the like betide
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| That ever a fiend that comes from hell
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| Should stretch down by my side
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| When the night was gone and the day was come
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| And the sun shone through the hall
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| The fairest lady that ever was seen
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| Lay between him and the wall
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| I’ve met with many a gentle knight
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| That gave me such a fill
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| But never before with a courteous knight
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| That gave me all my will |