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Title
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Death and the maid
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Singer
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Harvey, Henry [Wassail]
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Song Lyrics
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Verse 1
As I walked forth alone one day,
'Twas in the pleasant month of May,
The birds did whistle and the lambs did play,
I met an old man by the way.
Verse 2
His head was bald, his beard was grey,
His flesh was like to mortal clay,
I asked of him where he came from,
Or to what place he did belong.
Verse 3
'My name is Death. Pray! Don't you see?
Lords, Dukes and Squires bow down to me;
And you are one of those branches three,
And it's you, fair maid, must go with me.'
Verse 4
'I'll give you gold and jewels rare,
I'll give you costly fine robes to wear,
I'll give you all my wealth in store,
If you'll let me live a few years more.'
Verse 5
'I want not your gold nor jewels rare,
Nor yet your fine costly robes to wear,
Your time is come and you cannot stay,
Your time is come and you must obey' -
These were the words that Death did say.
Verse 6
A few days later the fair maid died -
'Let this be writ on my tomb,' she cried.
'Here lies a maid dead ere her time,
All snatched away in beauty's prime.
'Twas Death forbid that I should remain,
So I died that I might live again.'
