Ian & Sylvia – Captain Woodstock's Courtship lyrics

[Verse 1]
As I rode out one May mornin' down by a shady lane
Met with Captain Woodstock, the keeper of the game
He said unto his servant, if it was not for the law
I'd have that maid in bed with me as she lay next to the wall

[Verse 2]
("Oh, what is rounder than a ring? What is higher than a tree?
What is worse than a woman's tongue? What is deeper than the sea?"
What tree buds first, and what bird sings best? Now, answer my questions all
Before I'll lay one night with you at either stock or wall")

[Verse 3]
"Well, the world is rounder than a ring; Heaven's higher than a tree
The Devil is worse than a woman's tongue; Hell is deeper than the sea
And the oak buds first, the rush sings best, and I've answered your questions all
So shake you up that old straw bed, you're gonna lie next to the wall"

[Verse 4]
("It's for my breakfast, you must bring me chickens without bones
For my dinner, you must bring me cherries without stones
And for my supper, you must bring me a bird without a gall
Before I'll lay one night with you at either stock or wall")

[Verse 5]
"Well, when the chicken is in the egg, I'm sure it has no bone
When a cherry's in blossom, I'm sure it has no stone
A dove, she is a gentle bird, and she flies without a gall
So shake you up that old straw bed, you're gonna lie next to the wall"

[Verse 6]
("Oh, you must bring me a summer fruit that in December grew
And you must bring me a silken gown, a web that never went through
And you must bring me a priest unmourned to join us one and all
Before I'll lay one night with you at either stock or wall")

[Verse 7]
"Well, my father's got a summer fruit that in December grew
Mother's got a silken gown, a web that never went through
Melchizedek is a priest unmourned, who'll join us one and all
So shake you up that old straw bed, you're gonna lie next to the wall"

[Outro]
"So shake you up that old straw bed, you must lie next to the wall"