1. It befell at Martin mass
When weather waxed cold-e
Captain Care said to his men :
We must go take a hold-e.
Sick, sick and too, too sick
And sick and like to die
The sickest night that ever I abode
God Lord have mercy on me !
2. Hail master, and wither you will,
And wither ye like it best ;
Ti the castle of Crecynbroghe,
And there we'll take our rest.
3. I know where is gay castle,
Is built of lime and stone ;
Within is a gay lady,
Her lord is rid from home.
4. Ther were no sooner a supper set,
Then after said the grace,
Or Captain Care and all his men
Were light about the place.
5. Give over thy house, thou lady gay,
And I will make thee a bond,
Tonight thou shall lie within my arms,
Tomorrow be the heir of my land.
6. I will not give over my house, she saith,
Neither for lord nor lown,
Nor yet for traitor Captain Care,
The lord of Easter-town.
7. Fetch me my pistolet, she said,
And charge ye well my gun,
That I may shoot yonder bloody butcher
The lord of Eastern-town !
8. Stiffly upon her wall she stood
And let the pellets flee ;
But the she missed the bloody butcher
And yet slew other tree.
