SWEET LEMENEY (Copper Family version.)

As I was a-walking one fine summer's morning
The fields and the meadows they looked so green and gay
And the birds they were singing, so pleasantly adorning
So early in the morning at the break of the day.

Oh hark, oh hark, how the nightingale is singing
The lark she is taking her flight all in the air
On yonder green bower the turtle doves are building
The sun is just a-glimmering. Arise my dear.

Arise, oh, arise and get your humble posies
For they are the finest flowers that grow in yonder grove
And I will pluck them all, sweet lily, pink and roses
All for sweet Lemeney, the girl I love.

Oh Lemeney, oh Lemeney, you are the fairest creature
you are the fairest creature that ever my eyes did see
And then she played it over all on the pipes of ivory
So early in the morning at the break of the day.

Oh how could my truelove, how could she vanish from me?
Oh how could she go and I never shall see her more
But it was her cruel parents that looked so slightly on me
All for the white robe that I once used to wear.

I've been promised another version or two, apparantly quite different, and will post them when I can.

Malcolm Douglas