To the Queen of Hearts he's the Ace of sorrow,
He is here today, he is gone tomorrow;
Young men are plenty, but sweet-hearts few,
If my love leave me, what shall I do?

When my love comes in I gaze not around,
When my love goes out, I fall in a swound;
To meet is pleasure, to part is sorrow,
He is here today, he is gone tomorrow.

Had I the store in yonder mountain,
Where gold and silver is had for counting,
I could not count, for the thought of thee,
My eyes so full that I could not see.

I love my father, I love my mother,
I love my sister, I love my brother,
I love my friends, my relations too,
But I'd leave them all for the love of you.

My father left me both house and land,
And servants many at my command;
At my commandment they ne'er shall be,
I'll forsake them all to follow thee.

An Ace of sorrow to the Queen of Hearts,
O how my bosom bleeds and smarts;
Young men are plenty, but sweet-hearts few,
If my love leave me, what shall I do?

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Source: A workman on the Borrow-Tor reservoir at Sheepstor.

Notes:
Notes abridged from S. Baring-Gould.

Sung by a workman on the Borrow-Tor reservoir, the water supply for Plymouth, 1894. It has been printed on Broadside by Batchelar, B.M. in vol. vi p110. This version begins--
'O my poor heart, my poor heart is breaking,
For a false young man, or I am mistaking:
He is gone to Ireland, for a long time to tarry,
Some Irish girl I am afraid he will marry.

The ballad has a flavour of of the period of Charles II.

Roud: 3195 (Search Roud index at VWML)
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