Martin Carthy - Willie's Lady lyrics

King Willie he's sailed over the raging foam, He's wooed a wife and he's brought her home. He wooed her for her long golden hair, His mother wrought her a mighty care. A weary spell she's laid on her: She'd be with child for long and many's the year But a child she would never bear. And in her bower she lies in pain. King Willie at her bedhead he do stand As down his cheeks salten tears do run. King Willie back to his mother he did run, He's gone there as a begging son. Says, "Me true love has this fine noble steed The like of which you ne'er did see. At every part of this horse's mane There's hanging fifty silver bells and ten There's hanging fifty bells and ten. This goodly gift shall be your own If back to my own true love you'll turn again That she might bear her baby son." "Oh, the child she'll never lighter be Nor from sickness will she e'er be free. But she will die and she will turn to clay And you will wed with another maid." Then sighing said this weary man As back to his own true love he's gone again, "I wish my life was at an end." King Willie back to his mother he did run, He's gone there as a begging son. Says, "me true love has this fine golden girdle Set with j**els all about the middle At every part of this girdle's hem There's hanging fifty silver bells and ten There's hanging fifty bells and ten. This goodly gift shall be your own If back to my own true love you'll turn again That she might bear her baby son." "Oh, of her child she'll never lighter be Nor from sickness will she e'er be free. But she will die and she will turn to clay And you will wed with another maid." Sighing says this weary man As back to his own true love he's gone again, "I wish my life was at an end." Then up and spoke his noble queen And she has told King Willie of a plan How she might bear her baby son. She says, "You must go get you down to the market place And you must buy you a loaf of wax. And you must shape it as a babe that is to nurse And you must make two eyes of gla**. Ask your mother to a christening day, And you must stand there close as you can be That you might hear what she do say" King Willie he's gone down to the market place And he has bought him a loaf of wax. And he has shaped it as a babe that is to nurse And he has made two eyes of gla**. He asked his mother to a christening day And he has stood there close as he could be That he might hear what she did say. How she spoke and how she swore, She spied the babe where no babe could be before, She spied the babe where none could be before. Says, "Who was it who undid the nine witch knots Braided in amongst this lady's locks? And who was it who took out the combs of care Braided in amongst this lady's hair? And who was it slew the master kid That ran and slept all beneath this lady's bed That ran and slept all beneath her bed? And who was it unlaced her left shoe And who was it that let her lighter be That she might bear her baby boy?" And it was Willie who undid the nine witch knots Braided in amongst this lady's locks. And it was Willie who took out the combs of care Braided in amongst this lady's hair. And it was Willie the master kid did slay And it was Willie who unlaced her left foot shoe And he has let her lighter be. And she is born of a baby son And greater the blessings that be them upon And greater the blessings them upon.