Hi,

I've also thought of "own wed(ed) lord" which is better than Ingram but doesn't sound the same.

As far as sorting out the versions from North America, first I'd like to consider this Irish broadside (does anyone know where to find this online? Where and when it was published?):

Dated c. 1868; Barry BBM, 1929, version F.
Broadside in the Williams Collection of Irish Broadsides, Public Library, Providence, R. I.

Dark-Eyed Gipsy, O

I When Charley came home late at night
Enquiring for his lady, O,
She's gone, she's gone, says his own servant man,
And she's followed the dark-eyed Gipsy O.

2 Go, saddle me my milk-white steed,
The brown was e'er so speedy O,
That I may ride the length of the night
Till I find but the dark-eyed Gipsy O.

3 So Charley rode thus through the length of the night
Till the next morning early O,
It's then he met with gay old man
And he both wet and weary O.

4 Where have you been my gay old man
Where have you been so early O?
Or did you see a fair lady,
And she following the dark-eyed Gipsy O?

5 I have been east, I have been west,
I have been north and southwards O,
And the fairest lady I e'er did see,
Was following the dark-eyed Gipsy O.

6 Then he rode east and he rode west,
He rode north and southwards O,
Until he met with his own wedded wife,
And she following the dark-eyed Gipsy O.

7 Will you forsake your houses and lands,
Will you forsake your children O,
Will you forsake your own wedded lord
And follow the dark-eyed Gipsy O.

8 What do I care for houses or lands,
What do I care for my children O?
What do I care for my own wedded lord,
While I follow the dark-eyed Gipsy O.

9 Then she took the garment that she wore
And wound it as a head-dress O,
Saying, I'll eat the grass and drink the dew
And I'll follow the dark-eyed Gipsy O.

Identifiers: 1) Charley 2) dark-eyed Gipsy (dark-eyed gypsy true) 3) "eat the grass and drink the dew" 4) "rode East and rode West"

Richie