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Willie of Winsbury (Child 100) Lyrics by Anaïs Mitchell, Jefferson Hamer

Child Ballads

2013

The king has been a prisoner
And a prisoner long in Spain
And Willie of the Winsbury
Has lain long with his daughter Jane
"What ails you, what ails you, my daughter Jane?
Why, you look so pale and wan
Oh, have you had any ill sickness
Or yet been sleeping with a man?"
"I have not had any ill sickness
Nor yet been sleeping with a man
It is for you my father dear
For biding so long in Spain"
"Cast off, cast off your robe and gown
Stand naked on the stone
That I might know you by your shape
If you be maiden or none"
And she's cast off her robe and gown
Stood naked on a stone
Her apron was tight and her waist was round
Her face was pale and wan
"And was it with a lord or a gentleman
Or a man of wealth and fame?
Or was it with one of my servingmen
While I was a prisoner in Spain?"
"No, it wasn't with a lord or a gentlemen
Or a man of wealth and fame
It was with Willie of Winsbury
I could bide no longer alone"
And the king has called his servingmen
By one, by two, by three
Saying "Where is this Willie of Winsbury?
For hanged he shall be"
And when they came before the king
By one, by two, and by three
Willie should have been the first of them
But the last of them was he
And Willie of the Winsbury
All dressed up in red silk
His hair hung like the strands of gold
His breast was white as milk
"No wonder, no wonder", the king he said
"That my daughter's love you did win
If I were a woman as I am a man
In my own bed you would have been -
And will you marry my daughter Jane
By the faith of your right hand?
And I'll make you the lord of my servingmen
I'll make you the heir to my land"
"Oh yes, I'll marry your daughter Jane
By the faith of my right hand
But I'll not be the lord of any man
I'll be not be the heir to your land"
And he's raised her up on a milk white steed
And himself on a dapple gray
He has made her the lady of as much land
As she can ride on a long summer's day
Credits
Anaïs Mitchell

Anaïs Mitchell

Jefferson Hamer

Jefferson Hamer

About “Willie of Winsbury (Child 100)” by Anaïs Mitchell

Read the complete lyrics to "Willie of Winsbury (Child 100)" by Anaïs Mitchell, Jefferson Hamer from the album "Child Ballads" in 2013. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop, Folk.

"Willie of Winsbury (Child 100)" is performed by Anaïs Mitchell, Jefferson Hamer. from the album "Child Ballads" in 2013 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Willie of Winsbury (Child 100)", explore more songs by Anaïs Mitchell, Jefferson Hamer using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Willie of Winsbury (Child 100)" is credited to Anaïs Mitchell, Jefferson Hamer. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Willie of Winsbury (Child 100)" appears on "Child Ballads" in 2013.

Visit the Anaïs Mitchell, Jefferson Hamer artist page at /artist/anais-mitchell for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.