"Captain Woodstock's Courtship" lyrics - IAN & SYLVIA

As I rode out one May morning, down by a shady lane
I 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 and she'd lay next to the wall

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

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 but 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

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

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

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

Well, my father's got a summer fruit that in December grew
Mother's got a silken gown, a web that never went through.
Melchisedech 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
So shake you up that old straw bed, you must lie next to the wall