THE RAMBLING SOLDIER.
As collected by Dr. George Gardiner from - George Digweed of Micheldever, Hampshire in 1905

I am a soldier, blythe and gay,
That's rambled for promotion.
I've laid the French and Spaniards low;
Some miles I've crossed the ocean.
I've travelled England and Ireland, too,
I've travelled bonny Scotland through,
I've caused some pretty girls to rue,
I'm a gay & roving soldier.

When I was young and in me prime,
Twelve years I went recruiting
Through England, Ireland, and Scotland too,
Wherever I was suiting.
With a lady gay and spendful life,
In every town a different wife;
Seldom was there any strife
With a gay & a roving soldier.

In Woolwich town I courted Jane,
Her sister and her mother;
And all the time that I was there,
They were jealous of each other.
Our orders came, I had to start.
I left poor Jane with a broken heart.
From Woolwich town we soon did part,
With a gay & a roving soldier.

The Queen she has commanded me
To range the country over,
From Woolwich town to Liverpool,
From Plymouth back to Dover.
And in whatever town that I went,
To court all damsels I was bent,
And to marry none was my intent,
But still be a roving soldier.

And now the wars are at an end,
I'm not ashamed to mention
The Queen has given me discharge,
And granted me a pension.
No doubt some lasses will me blame,
But none of them can tell my name,
And if you want to know the same,
It's - ????? the roving soldier.

????? - sub any name you want!

Tim Radford