The king has been a prisoner
And a prisoner long in Spain
And Willie of the Winsbury
Has lain long with his daughter at home
"What ails you, what ails you, my daughter Janet
Why you look so pale and wan?
Oh, 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
You stand naked upon the stone
That I may know you by your shape
If you be a maiden or no."
And she's cast off her berry-brown gown
She stood naked upon the stone
Her apron was low and her haunches were round
Her face was pale and wan
"Oh, was it with 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?"
And a prisoner long in Spain
And Willie of the Winsbury
Has lain long with his daughter at home
"What ails you, what ails you, my daughter Janet
Why you look so pale and wan?
Oh, 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
You stand naked upon the stone
That I may know you by your shape
If you be a maiden or no."
And she's cast off her berry-brown gown
She stood naked upon the stone
Her apron was low and her haunches were round
Her face was pale and wan
"Oh, was it with 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?"
"Willy o'Winsbury" is a ballad, a folksong from the middle ages performed by a minstrel as a dancing song. This particular tune is a traditional Scottish ballad thought to be from sometime before 1775. This is one of several variations of the original ballad, recorded in 1973 by Pentangle.
The ballad is the story of a girl namd Janet who’s father, a king, returns to Spain only to learn that she’s pregnant. He learns that it was the doing of Willy o' Winsbury and threatens to hang him. However, when he sees how beautiful Willy is, he forgives him and instead asks him to marry Janet.
It is thought that this ballad may be based on James V’s courtship of and marriage to Madeleine de Valois of France in which he comes to see her in diguise and instead meets the princess who falls in love with him.
Francis James Child in, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads
Anne Briggs in the same tune.
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