As I Roved Out

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...