Long and easy to read:

Willie O'Winsbury    Traditional

(D)(G) (C) (G) (Bm)    (Em) (G) (C)
The king has (G)been a priso(D)ner,
And a (Am)prisoner long (Am7)in (C)Spain,
And (G)Willie (C)of the (G)Winsbu(Bm)ry
Has lain (Em)long with his (G)daughter at (C)home.

"What ails you, what (G)ails you, my daughter (D)Janet,
Why you (Am)look so pale (Am7)and (C)wan?
Oh, (G)have you (C)had any (G)sore sick(Bm)ness
Or (Em)yet been (G)sleeping with a (C)man?"

"I have not (G)had any sore sick(D)ness,
Nor (Am)yet been sleeping (Am7)with a (C)man.
It (G)is for (C)you, my (G)father (Bm)dear,
For (Em)biding so (G)long in (C)Spain."

"Cast off, cast (G)off your berry-brown (D)gown,
You stand (Am)naked upon (Am7)the (C)stone,
That (G)I may (C)know you (G)by your (Bm)shape,
If (Em)you be a (G)maiden or (C)no."

And she's cast (G)off her berry-brown (D)gown
She stood (Am)naked upon (Am7)the (C)stone
Her (G)apron was (C)low and her (G)haunches were (Bm)round,
Her (Em)face was (G)pale and (C)wan.

"Oh, was it with a (G)lord or a duke or a (D)knight,
Or a (Am)man of birth (Am7)and (C)fame,
Or (G)was it with (C)one of my (G)serving (Bm)men
That's (Em)lately come (G)out of (C)Spain?"

"It wasn't with a (G)lord, nor a duke or a (D)knight,
Nor a (Am)man of birth (Am7)and (C)fame,
But (G)it was with (C)Willie of (G)Winsbu(Bm)ry,
I could (Em)bide no (G)longer a(C)lain."

And the king has (G)called on his merry men (D)all,
By (Am)thirty and (Am7)by (C)three,
Says, (G)"Fetch me this (C)Willie of (G)Winsbu(Bm)ry,
For (Em)hanged (G)he shall (C)be."
- Instrumental verse -

But when he (G)came the king be(D)fore,
He was (Am)clad all in the (Am7)red (C)silk.
His (G)hair was (C)like the (G)strands of (Bm)gold,
His (Em)skin was as (G)white as the (C)milk.

And "It is no (G)wonder," said the (D)king,
"That my (Am)daughter's love you (Am7)did (C)win.
For if (G)I was a (C)woman, as (G)I am a (Bm)man,
My (Em)bedfellow (G)you would have (C)been."

"And will you (G)marry my daughter (D)Janet,
By the (Am)truth of your (Am7)right (C)hand?
Oh, (G)will you (C)marry my (G)daughter (Bm)Janet?
I will (Em)make you the (G)lord of my (C)land."

"Oh yes, I will (G)marry your daughter (D)Janet.
By the (Am)truth of my (Am7)right (C)hand.
Why (G)yes, I will (C)marry your (G)daughter (Bm)Janet,
But I'll (Em)not be the (G)lord of your (C)land."

And he's mounted (G)her on a milk-white (D)steed,
And him(Am)self on a dap(Am7)ple (C)grey.
He has (G)made her the (C)lady of (G)as much (Bm)land
As she shall (Em)ride in a (G)long summer's (C)day.

This is The Pentangle´s version from the 1972 album 'Solomon´s Seal'.

janhauenstein@gmx.de