Verse 1:

Many moons ago a young man named Jan made a pact with the lord below
To fund a lifestyle of excess where the women were many and the ale flowed
He was a drinker, gambler and a sinner seduced by the Devil's ways
But his life of indulgence led him to forget his debt to pay

Chorus:

Then on one October's day
The congregation at the local inn
Sheltered from the cold and grey
Waiting for church to begin

Verse 2:

Cutting through the sounds of laughter
Galloping hooves were heard
Getting closer and growing louder
A stranger drew toward
The horse and rider slid to a halt outside the Tavistock inn
Bursting through the wooden doors he stared at the patrons within

Dressed from head to toe in black he walked up to the bar
Silence fell across the inn and evil filled the air
He tossed a coin upon the counter and ordered the finest ale
A shaking hand did place one down to then complete the sale
With a sizzle from his throat the stranger quaffed his drink
And with one final look around he
Stared without a blink
After striding out the bar he mounted his fierce horse
And galloped away into the mist toward Widecombe moor

Shaken by this encounter the landlady opened the till
To inspect the stranger's coin as the air gained a sudden chill
But what was once glistening gold
Now appeared as something strange
It was now leaves dead and old
Amongst the other patrons change

Chorus

Verse 3:

That day as the service commenced young Jan did then arrive
Hoping to catch the eye of a pretty, young milk maid
But the vicar droned on and on and soon Jan drifted a slumber
Until the roof came crashing down in a blaze of lightning and thunder

From the roof the Devil leapt and landed among the rubble
Scooped up the young Jan Reynolds who began to fight and struggle
But for this resistance the Devil did not care
Who carried Jan under the hole and flew into the air
Many lay wounded from the tumbling debris
Dust filled the church so all were struggling to see
No one really knows what became of the young man
All we know for sure is that he was never seen again

Chorus