It is fare-thee-well, cold winter,
It is fare-thee-well, cold frost;
There is nothing I have gained,
But a lover I have lost.
I will sing and I'll be merry,
And I clap my hands with glee
And I rest when I am weary,
Let him go then - farewell he!

It was last fall that my lover
Gave to me a diamond ring.
O, I know not what he thought me,
But a vain and foolish thing.
If he prove to be unskilful,
Cannot win my heart from me,
I will prove a maiden wilful,
Let him go with - farewell he!

If he has another sweetheart,
And he tells me so in joke,
Why I care not, be they twenty,
He will never me provoke.
Well, and if he likes another,
And together they agree,
I can also find a lover,
Let him go with - farewell he!

Add half a pound of reason,
Half an ounce of common sense,
Add a sprig of thyme in season,
And as much of sage prudence,
Prithee mix them well together,
Then I think you'll plainly see,
He's no lad for windy weather,
Let him go with - farewell he!

abc | midi | pdf

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Source: Baring-Gould, S, and Fleetwood Sheppard, H, A Garland of Country Song, London,1895

Notes:
"Farewell He" at the Bodleian Library collection:

Farewell he ("Its fare you well cold winter and fare you well cold frost ...")
Harding B 11(2298)
Imprint: J. Ctanach [sic], Printer, 2, Monmouth-court (Date: between 1813 and 1838)

Farewell he ("Farewell, cold winter, and farewell cold frost ...")
Harding B 28(182)
Imprint: Printed for W. Armstrong, Banastre-street (Liverpool) (Date: between 1820 and 1824)

Farewell he ("Farewell cold winter and farewell cold frost ...")
Johnson Ballads 2085
Imprint: C. Croshaw, Printer, Coppergate, York (Date: between 1814 and 1850)

[Fare] thee well cold winter ("Oh, fare thee well cold winter ...")
Johnson Ballads 2487
Printer: [s.n.] ([s.l.])
Date: [s.a.]


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