As I walked out one midsummer's morning
For to view the fields and to take the air,
Down by the banks of the sweet primeroses
There I beheld a most lovelie fair.

Three long steps I stepped up to her
Not knowing her as she passed me by.
I stepped up to her, thinking for to view her,
She appeared to me like some virtuous bride.

I said, "Fair maid where are you going,
Or what's the occasion for all your grief?
I will make you as happy as any lady
If you will grant me once more a leave."

She said "Stand off, you are deceitful,
You are deceitful and a false young man.
It is you that's caused my poor heart to wander,
And to give me comfort lies all in vain."

"I'll go down in some lonesome valley,
Where no man on earth shall me never find.
Where the pretty little small birds do change their voices,
And every moment blows blusterous wind."

Come all young men that go a-courting,
Pray pay attention to what I say
There is many a dark and a cloudy morning
Turns out to be a sun-shiny day.

abc | midi | pdf

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Source: Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society, Dec 1954

Notes:
From: BBC Record RPL 17987
The Journal Entry reads:

The B.B.C. has processed for the Recorded Programmes Library some thirty songs sung by members of the Copper family, and Mr Collinson's transcriptions have been made from three of these. They are not for sale but may be heard at the B.B.C. and in the Library at Cecil Sharp House.

This was transcribed from BBC Record RPL 17987, which has been used on the CD 'Come Write Me Down', TSCD534, a recently issued collection of many of those thirty recordings.


Roud: 586 (Search Roud index at VWML) Take Six
Laws:
Child: