As I roved out on a May morning,
For to have a pleasant walk,
I stood awhile by the garden gate,
For to hear two lovers talk.

To hear two lovers talk, my dear,
And to hear what they might say,
That I may know a little more of their mind,
Before I would go away.

And sit here down on the green, green grass,
And I sit close by thee,
I can't sit down, nor I won't sit down,
Not now, nor any other time.

For once your heart was mine, my dear,
And your hair lay on my breast,
And you make me believe with your false, flattering tongue,
That the sun arose in the west.

And I won't believe what an old man says,
For his days will not be long,
And I won't believe what the old man says,
For he's promised to manys, he's the one.

"He's promised to manys, he's the one" she said,
Aye, manys a lie he'll tell,
And I don't care what anybody says,
For he's the fairest of all.

And I will climb a high, high tree,
And I'll rob the wild bird's nest,
And I can't help without a frown,
To the one that I the best.

And T stands for Tom, my dear,
And J for my love, John,
And W stands for sweet William,
For he's the fairest one.

"But he is a false young man", she said.
He's a false young man,
And I don't care what anybody says,
For he's the fairest one.

And I don't care what anybody says,
For he's the fairest one.