The song appeared on broadsides as "The Lass with her Jet Braided Hair" before 1841.
The printer Thomas Birt (London) listed the song in a Catalogue of Songs [Birt catalogues No.1 (c1833-1841) No.272]


This one from the Bodleian Libraries Broadside Ballads
Printer: William Pratt (Birmingham)
Date: c.1850

The Lass with her Jet Braided Hair


As I walked out one morning quite early,
To view the sweet meadows in spring,
The sun it was shining most clearly,
As I heard a fair maiden to sing;
I gazed on this beautiful creature,
Like Venus she then did appear,
Or seem'd like some goddess of nature,
The lass with the jet braided hair.

Her skin was as fair as the lily,
Her teeth were as white as the pearl,
Like the roses that grow in the valley,
Were the cheeks of that beautiful girl;
Her dress, a bright crimson velvet,
All spangled, this damsel did wear,
And a chain of pure gold with a diamond,
Was wove in her jet braided hair.

Long time I had courted this damsel,
And fixed upon our wedding day,
But her mind to some other had rambled,
Those words unto me she did say;
There is one that is more bold and clever,
My hand and my fortune will share,
So bid adieu now and forever,
To the lass with her jet braided hair.

Next morning I carelessly did enter
On board, for the foe in proud Spain,
The lads they were capering and dancing,
While I was with my heart full of pain;
For as we set sail down the river,
I espied this young damsel so fair,
She seemed happy along with some other,
The lass with her jet braided hair.

So farewell to my friends and relations,
Perhaps I may ne'er see them more,
I'll travel through all foreign nations,
Still sighing for my own native shore;
And as I am doomed for to wander,
I'll try my fond heart for to cheer,
So may some one be more kind and tender,
To the lass with her jet braided hair.