as i roved out one bright may morning
to view the purple heather and flowers gay
who should i spy but my own true lover
as she sat under yon willow tree
i took off my hat and i did salute her
i did salute her most courageously
when she turned around
and the tears fell from her eyes
saying ´false young man, you have deluded me

three diamond rings for love i gave you
three diamond rings to wear on your right hand
but the vows you made, love
you went and broke them
and married the lassie that had the land.´

´if i married the lassie that had the land, my love
´tis that i´ll rue until the day i die
but when fortune calls few men can shun it
i was a blind fool was i´

now at night when i go to my bed of slumber
the thoughts of my true love run in my mind
when i turned around to embrace my darling
instead of gold ´tis brass i find

and i wish the queen would call home her armies
from the west indies, americkay, and spain
and every man to his homeland would run
and i in hope that we´d meet again
then i roved out one bright may morning...