The Baffled Knight

Child #112B

      C
There was a knight and he was young,
              G
Riding on the way, o,
    C
And there he met a fair young maid
 G                 C
Among the cocks of hay, o.
    F                C
"Oh lady mine, shall you and I
G                   G
Among the grass lie down a?
    C
And I shall have a special care
       G                C
Of the rumpling of your gown a.


"There is a dew upon the grass
Would spoil your silken gown a,
That must have cost your father dear
Many a shilling and pound a;
But there is a wind up from the East,
It soon will dry the ground a,
And I shall have a special care
Of the rumpling of your gown a."

"If you will go along with me,
To my father's hall, sir,
There you shall have my maidenhead
And my estate and all, sir."
So he mounted her on a milk-white steed
And he rode on another,
And off they rode along the way,
Like sister and like brother.

And when they reached her father's hall
'Twas moated round about, sir,
The lady stepped within the gate
And shut the young knight out, sir.
"Here is a purse of gold, good knight,
Take it for your pains, sir;
And I will send my father's men
To go home with you again, sir.

"And if you meet a lady fair
As you go by the town, sir,
You must not mind the dew on the grass,
Nor the rumpling of her gown, sir.
And if you meet a lady gay
As you go by the hill, sir,
If you will not when you may,
You shall not when you will, sir."