Lyrics and notes copied from:

Creighton, Helen. Songs and Ballads from Nova Scotia. New York: Dover Publications, 1992, page 53f: (Which also gives a melody line.)

WHEN I WAS IN MY PRIME
Sung by Mr. Enos Hartlan, South-East Passage [NS]

1. When I was in my prime, I flourished like a vine.
There came along a false young man, came stole away my thyme, thyme,
Came stole away my thyme.

2. My thyme it is all gone, and that's what makes me mourn.
The garnet [sic] standing by, three offers he gave to me:
The pink, the violet, and red rose, which I refuse all three, three,
Which I refuse all three.

3. The pink's no flower at all, for they fade away too soon.
The violets are too pale a blue. I thought I'd wait till June, June,
I thought I'd wait till June.

4. In June the red rose blooms, and that's no flower for me.
For then I'll pluck up a red rose, boys, and plant a willow tree, tree,
And plant a willow tree.

5. The willow tree shall twist and the willow tree shall twine.
I wish I was in the young man's arms, the one the love of mine, mine,
The one the love of mine.

6. There is a glorious plant that grows all over the land,
And everybody my plant shall see. I love that false young man, man,
I love that false young man.

7. If I am spared for one year more, and God shall grant me grace,
I'll buy a barrel of crystal tears for to wash his deceitful face, face,
For to wash his deceitful face.

This song of blighted love is known as The Sprig of Thyme, or in the older variant, The Seeds of Love. Bell, pp. 220-221, gives the author as Mrs. Fleetwood Habergham, of Habergham in the county of Lancaster, who expressed the thoughts of her unhappy married life in this way. Mrs. Habergham died in 1703. Harland, pp. 271-275, has published three songs, Love's Evil Choice, and The Sprig of Thyme, following the former with a traditional version which "as far as it goes is superior to the broadside copy." The Nova Scotia variant embraces all three.

See Johnson, The Book of British Ballads, p. 201; Sharp, English Folk-Songs, vol. 1, No. 17 and No. 18; Hullah, The Song Book, No. 32; Dixon, vol. xvii, pp. 222-223; Kidson TT., p. 69; Hammond, English Folk-Songs from Dorset, pp. 10-11; Joyce, Ancient Irish Music, No. 74; Kidson G., pp. 116-117; Baring-Gould, No. 7; Cox, No. 138.