Willy O'Winsbury Lyrics And Guitar Chords
This is a traditional Scottish song [ lyrics ] which was Recorded by Andy Irvine and sweeney's men along with Pentangle, Anne Briggs and Ye Vagabonds. The sheet music and tin whistle notes are included in a few different keys.Willie O' Winsbury mandolin / tenor banjo tab included.
Willy O'Winsbury guitar tab notes in C Major
guitar tab in D Major
(D)The king has (A)been a poor pris(E)oner
And a(D) prisoner (E)long in (D)Spain
And (A)Willie (D)of the (A)Winsbu(Bm)ry
Has(D) lain long with his (E)daughter at (D)home
"What ails you, what ails you, my daughter dear
Why you look so pale and wan
Have you had any sore sickness
Or yet been sleeping with a man?"
"I have not had any sore 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 berry-brown gown
Stand naked on the stone
That I may know you by your shape
If you be a maiden or none"
So she cast off her berry-brown gown
Stood naked on the stone
Her apron was low, her haunches round
Her face was pale and wan
"Oh is he a lord or a duke or a knight
Or a man of birth and fame
Or was it with one of my serving men
That's lately come out of Spain?"
"No it wasn't with a lord or a duke or a knight
Nor a man of birth and fame
But it was with Willie of Winsbury
I could bide no longer alone"
The king has called on his merry men all
By thirty and by three
Saying "Fetch me this Willie of Winsbury
For hanged he shall be"
But when he came the king before
He was clad all in the red silk
His hair was like the strands of gold
His skin was as white as the milk
"And it is no wonder," said the king
"That my daughter's love you did win
For if I was a woman, as I am a man
My bedfellow you would have been"
"Now will you marry my daughter Janet
By the truth of your right hand?
Oh will you marry my daughter Janet
I'll make you lord of my land"
"Well yes, I'll marry your daughter Janet
By the truth of my right hand
Well yes I'll marry your daughter Janet
But I'll not be the lord of your land"
He's mounted her on a milk-white steed
Himself on a dapple grey
He has made her the lady of as much land
As she shall ride in a long summer's day.
And a(D) prisoner (E)long in (D)Spain
And (A)Willie (D)of the (A)Winsbu(Bm)ry
Has(D) lain long with his (E)daughter at (D)home
"What ails you, what ails you, my daughter dear
Why you look so pale and wan
Have you had any sore sickness
Or yet been sleeping with a man?"
"I have not had any sore 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 berry-brown gown
Stand naked on the stone
That I may know you by your shape
If you be a maiden or none"
So she cast off her berry-brown gown
Stood naked on the stone
Her apron was low, her haunches round
Her face was pale and wan
"Oh is he a lord or a duke or a knight
Or a man of birth and fame
Or was it with one of my serving men
That's lately come out of Spain?"
"No it wasn't with a lord or a duke or a knight
Nor a man of birth and fame
But it was with Willie of Winsbury
I could bide no longer alone"
The king has called on his merry men all
By thirty and by three
Saying "Fetch me this Willie of Winsbury
For hanged he shall be"
But when he came the king before
He was clad all in the red silk
His hair was like the strands of gold
His skin was as white as the milk
"And it is no wonder," said the king
"That my daughter's love you did win
For if I was a woman, as I am a man
My bedfellow you would have been"
"Now will you marry my daughter Janet
By the truth of your right hand?
Oh will you marry my daughter Janet
I'll make you lord of my land"
"Well yes, I'll marry your daughter Janet
By the truth of my right hand
Well yes I'll marry your daughter Janet
But I'll not be the lord of your land"
He's mounted her on a milk-white steed
Himself on a dapple grey
He has made her the lady of as much land
As she shall ride in a long summer's day.
Guitar chords to all the verses.
one of the greatest traditional ballads: “Willie of Winsbury.”
This version (Child Ballad 100) fits beautifully in D major, the key you started in, using simple folk progressions that match the song’s stately narrative.
Below is the full version with guitar chords embedded naturally into every verse.
I’ve kept the same rhythm and phrasing as common folk arrangements by Anne Briggs / Andy Irvine — haunting and modal but easy to play.
🎵 Willie of Winsbury(Traditional – Key: D Major / modal feel)
[Verse 1]
(D)The king has (A)been a poor pris(E)oner,
And a (D)prisoner (E)long in (D)Spain,
And (A)Willie (D)of the (A)Winsbu(Bm)ry,
Has (D)lain long with his (E)daughter at (D)home.
[Verse 2]
“What (D)ails you, what (A)ails you, my (E)daughter dear,
Why (D)you look so (E)pale and (D)wan?
Have you (A)had any (D)sore (A)sick(Bm)ness,
Or (D)yet been sleeping (E)with a (D)man?”
[Verse 3]
“I (D)have not (A)had any (E)sore sickness,
Nor (D)yet been (E)sleeping with a (D)man,
It (A)is for (D)you, my (A)father (Bm)dear,
For (D)biding so long (E)in (D)Spain.”
[Verse 4]
“(D)Cast off, (A)cast off your (E)berry-brown gown,
And (D)stand na(E)ked on the (D)stone,
That (A)I may (D)know you (A)by your (Bm)shape,
If (D)you be a (E)maiden or (D)none.”
[Verse 5]
So (D)she cast (A)off her (E)berry-brown gown,
And (D)stood there (E)on the (D)stone,
Her (A)apron (D)was low, her (A)haunches (Bm)round,
Her (D)face was (E)pale and (D)wan.
[Verse 6]
“Oh (D)is he a (A)lord or a (E)duke or a knight,
Or a (D)man of (E)birth and (D)fame?
Or (A)was it (D)with one (A)of my (Bm)serving men,
That’s (D)lately come (E)out of (D)Spain?”
[Verse 7]
“No (D)it wasn’t (A)with a (E)lord or knight,
Nor a (D)man of (E)birth or (D)fame,
But (A)it was (D)with Willie (A)of Wins(Bm)bury,
I (D)could bide no (E)longer (D)alone.”
[Verse 8]
The (D)king has (A)called on his (E)merry men all,
By (D)thirty (E)and by (D)three,
Saying, “(A)Fetch me (D)this Willie (A)of Wins(Bm)bury,
For (D)hanged he (E)shall be.”
[Verse 9]
But (D)when he (A)came the (E)king before,
He was (D)clad all (E)in the (D)red silk,
His (A)hair was (D)like the (A)strands of (Bm)gold,
His (D)skin was as (E)white as (D)milk.
[Verse 10]
“And (D)it is (A)no wonder,” (E)said the king,
“That my (D)daughter’s (E)love you did (D)win,
For (A)if I (D)was a (A)woman, (Bm)as I am a (D)man,
My (D)bedfellow (E)you would (D)have been.”
[Verse 11]
“Now (D)will you (A)marry my (E)daughter Janet,
By the (D)truth of (E)your right (D)hand?
Oh (A)will you (D)marry my (A)daughter (Bm)Janet,
I’ll (D)make you (E)lord of my (D)land.”
[Verse 12]
“Well (D)yes, I’ll (A)marry your (E)daughter Janet,
By the (D)truth of (E)my right (D)hand,
Well (A)yes, I’ll (D)marry your (A)daughter (Bm)Janet,
But I’ll (D)not be (E)lord of your (D)land.”
[Verse 13]
He’s (D)mounted her (A)on a (E)milk-white steed,
Him(D)self on a (E)dapple (D)grey,
He (A)has made (D)her the (A)lady (Bm)of
As (D)much land (E)as she shall (D)ride in a long sum(E)mer’s (D)day.
🎸 Notes:
one of the greatest traditional ballads: “Willie of Winsbury.”
This version (Child Ballad 100) fits beautifully in D major, the key you started in, using simple folk progressions that match the song’s stately narrative.
Below is the full version with guitar chords embedded naturally into every verse.
I’ve kept the same rhythm and phrasing as common folk arrangements by Anne Briggs / Andy Irvine — haunting and modal but easy to play.
🎵 Willie of Winsbury(Traditional – Key: D Major / modal feel)
[Verse 1]
(D)The king has (A)been a poor pris(E)oner,
And a (D)prisoner (E)long in (D)Spain,
And (A)Willie (D)of the (A)Winsbu(Bm)ry,
Has (D)lain long with his (E)daughter at (D)home.
[Verse 2]
“What (D)ails you, what (A)ails you, my (E)daughter dear,
Why (D)you look so (E)pale and (D)wan?
Have you (A)had any (D)sore (A)sick(Bm)ness,
Or (D)yet been sleeping (E)with a (D)man?”
[Verse 3]
“I (D)have not (A)had any (E)sore sickness,
Nor (D)yet been (E)sleeping with a (D)man,
It (A)is for (D)you, my (A)father (Bm)dear,
For (D)biding so long (E)in (D)Spain.”
[Verse 4]
“(D)Cast off, (A)cast off your (E)berry-brown gown,
And (D)stand na(E)ked on the (D)stone,
That (A)I may (D)know you (A)by your (Bm)shape,
If (D)you be a (E)maiden or (D)none.”
[Verse 5]
So (D)she cast (A)off her (E)berry-brown gown,
And (D)stood there (E)on the (D)stone,
Her (A)apron (D)was low, her (A)haunches (Bm)round,
Her (D)face was (E)pale and (D)wan.
[Verse 6]
“Oh (D)is he a (A)lord or a (E)duke or a knight,
Or a (D)man of (E)birth and (D)fame?
Or (A)was it (D)with one (A)of my (Bm)serving men,
That’s (D)lately come (E)out of (D)Spain?”
[Verse 7]
“No (D)it wasn’t (A)with a (E)lord or knight,
Nor a (D)man of (E)birth or (D)fame,
But (A)it was (D)with Willie (A)of Wins(Bm)bury,
I (D)could bide no (E)longer (D)alone.”
[Verse 8]
The (D)king has (A)called on his (E)merry men all,
By (D)thirty (E)and by (D)three,
Saying, “(A)Fetch me (D)this Willie (A)of Wins(Bm)bury,
For (D)hanged he (E)shall be.”
[Verse 9]
But (D)when he (A)came the (E)king before,
He was (D)clad all (E)in the (D)red silk,
His (A)hair was (D)like the (A)strands of (Bm)gold,
His (D)skin was as (E)white as (D)milk.
[Verse 10]
“And (D)it is (A)no wonder,” (E)said the king,
“That my (D)daughter’s (E)love you did (D)win,
For (A)if I (D)was a (A)woman, (Bm)as I am a (D)man,
My (D)bedfellow (E)you would (D)have been.”
[Verse 11]
“Now (D)will you (A)marry my (E)daughter Janet,
By the (D)truth of (E)your right (D)hand?
Oh (A)will you (D)marry my (A)daughter (Bm)Janet,
I’ll (D)make you (E)lord of my (D)land.”
[Verse 12]
“Well (D)yes, I’ll (A)marry your (E)daughter Janet,
By the (D)truth of (E)my right (D)hand,
Well (A)yes, I’ll (D)marry your (A)daughter (Bm)Janet,
But I’ll (D)not be (E)lord of your (D)land.”
[Verse 13]
He’s (D)mounted her (A)on a (E)milk-white steed,
Him(D)self on a (E)dapple (D)grey,
He (A)has made (D)her the (A)lady (Bm)of
As (D)much land (E)as she shall (D)ride in a long sum(E)mer’s (D)day.
🎸 Notes:
- Chords used: D, A,Bm E — easy folk shapes; E adds a modal lift.
- Tempo: Slow ballad (♩ ≈ 80), free rhythm.
- Style: Strum gently or fingerpick arpeggios (D–A-Bm–E).
- Optional: Capo 2 → play in C for a warmer tone (C–G–Am–D).
Alternative chords
Key Of G Major
(G)The king has (D)been a poor pris(A)oner
And a(G) prisoner (A)long in (G)Spain
And (D)Willie (G)of the (D)Winsbu(Em)ry
Has(G) lain long with his (A)daughter at (G)home
Key Of C
(C)The king has (G)been a poor pris(D)oner
And a(C) prisoner (D)long in (C)Spain
And (G)Willie (C)of the (G)Winsbu(Am)ry
Has(C) lain long with his (D)daughter at (C)home
Key Of G Major
(G)The king has (D)been a poor pris(A)oner
And a(G) prisoner (A)long in (G)Spain
And (D)Willie (G)of the (D)Winsbu(Em)ry
Has(G) lain long with his (A)daughter at (G)home
Key Of C
(C)The king has (G)been a poor pris(D)oner
And a(C) prisoner (D)long in (C)Spain
And (G)Willie (C)of the (G)Winsbu(Am)ry
Has(C) lain long with his (D)daughter at (C)home
Willy O'Winsbury sheet music with letter notes
Willie O' Winsbury mandolin / tenor banjo tab
Willie O' Winsbury mandolin / tenor banjo tab
Ye Vagabonds sing Willy O' Winsbury
