As I roved out

As I roved out one bright May morning
To view the purple heather and the 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 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,
It's 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 army
From the West Indies, America and Spain,
And every man to his homeland would run
And l in hope that we'd meet again.
Then I roved out one bright May morning...