My love she is a gentlewoman Has her living by the seam I know how she has provided This night for me and my foot-groom He is gone to Annie's door Gently tirled at the pin You sleep, you wake, my true love Annie? Rise up and let your love in My love Annie, my dear Annie I would be at your desire But what about the old matron As she sits by the fire? William, keep your heart, she said Keep up your heart and do not fear It's seven years or even more Since her feet did touch the floor They had not kissed nor sworn devotion As lovers when they meet When up rose the old matron And well she's spread her feet O woe be for the old matron So clever she has jumped the gate And she's gone over the long, long hill Knocked at the sherrif's gate You sleep, you wake, my Lord? she said Are you at your bower within? There's a man lies with your daughter I fear she has gone wrong He had his horse with corn well foddered His men all armed in mail He gave the matron half a mile To show them o'er the hill William slept, but Annie wakened When she heard their bridles ring She tapped on her true lover's shoulder And said You've slept too long O save me, save me, blessed lady Till I've got on my shooting gear I do not fear the sherif himself Though all his men were here Then they shot in and William out, The arrow grazed his bow The maid she wept and tore her hair Says, This can never do They shot in and he shot out The bow burnt Williams's hand But then he kissed her ruby lips And Says, My dear, we will stand He set his horn to his mouth And has blown both loud and shrill And he has called his brother John In the woods where he lay still The first shot that John shot He wounded fifty and fifteen The next shot that he did let fly He put out the sherriff's eye O some of you lend him an arm Says William to the sherrif's men And you that came for strife this day Take horse and ride fast home But woe be to you old matron An ill death may you see I'll burn you on yon high hill-head Blow your ashes in the sea