Lyrics Reynard the Fox - Martin Carthy

Most gentlemen take great delight
In a-hunting bold Reynard the Fox
Twas by Gaffer Ghylls I did lie
Where I lived upon fat geese and ducks
By Gaffer Ghylls I did lie
Not thinking how soon I should die
I was chased by a pack of fresh hounds
That caused me from my country to fly
Twas by Gaffer Ghylls I did lie
And I lived at a plentiful rate
Young lambs I plucked on their bones
And the farmers ′gan for me to hate
Lord Jones for the king's hounds did send
Tommy Bosun he swore I should die
And I left three brothers behind me
That loves young lambs far better than I
It′s forty long miles I rambled
And I done it in three hours space
It made my old coat stand on end
As the hounds followed on me apace
For it's oftentimes I've been pursued
By hounds that would run like a cow
But in the whole course of my lifetime
Never had such a breathing till now
By Simon Sturt′s I did ramble
Where the gamekeeper shot through my thigh
Oh pardon dear huntsmen and hounds
But for this fatal wound I must die
My old coat it lay close to my back
To hear how the hounds they did holler
My sweat dropped like dew in the morning
For to hear how the huntsmen did holler
It was in Stony Fields where they killed me
Oh the bloodthirsty hounds how they followed
They tore my old jacket to pieces
Good Lord how the hounds they did holler
And now that bold Reynard is ended
To the tavern they′ll go down to dine
They'll dip my fore-paw in a bumper
And they′ll drink their lord's health in good wine