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(Date unknown)
AS I walked out one May morning, | |
| Down by a river side, | |
| I overheard a couple discoursing, | |
| Which filled my heart with pride. | |
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| May the heavens bless you, fair maid, | 5 |
| Sing me another song, | |
| I wish you were my bride, he said. | |
| Kind sir, I am too young. | |
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| The younger that you are, my love, | |
| The better you are for me, | 10 |
| For I vow and do declare, | |
| I’ll wed no woman but thee. | |
| |
| He took me by the lily white hand | |
| He kissed both cheek and chin, | |
| Then he took her to his marriage room, | 15 |
| To sit awhile with him. | |
| |
| It was in the beginning of that night, | |
| They had both sport and play, | |
| And all the latter part of that night | |
| Close in her arms did lay. | 20 |
| |
| The night being gone and the day coming on | |
| The morning shone so clear, | |
| This young man rose, put on his clothes, | |
| Saying, fare you well my dear. | |
| |
| Is that the promise you made to me, | 25 |
| Down by the river side, | |
| You promised to marry me, | |
| And make me your lawful bride. | |
| |
| If I promised to marry you, | |
| It’s more than I will do, | 30 |
| I never will wed with any one, | |
| So easy found as you. | |
| |
| Go home to your father’s garden, | |
| Sit down and cry your fill, | |
| And when you think on what you’ve done, | 35 |
| You may blame your own good will. | |
| |
| There is an herb in your father’s garden, | |
| And some do call it rue, | |
| When fishes fly, and swallows dive, | |
| Young men they will prove true. | 40 |
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| I wish I was a maid again, | |
| As I was this time last night, | |
| I would not change my portion | |
| For either lord or knight. | |
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| There are other farmer’s daughters, | 45 |
| To market they do go, | |
| But I poor girl must stay at home, | |
| To rock the cradle, oh. | |
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| To rock the cradle, o’er and o’er, | |
| And sing the lullaby, | 50 |
| Was there e’er a maid in all this town | |
| So crossed in love as I. | |
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