The New Mown Hay

As I strolled out one bright new morn
All under the new mown hay-a
I there did espy a fair pretty maid
Under the new mown hay-a
Under the new mown hay-a

I asked of her to lay her down
All under the new mown hay-a
But the answer that she gave to me
Was young man leave me alone-a
Young man leave me alone-a

For there is a dew that is on the grass
Will spoil my cambric gown-a
And it cost my father into his purse
Many a pound and crown-a
Many a pound and crown

He says there is a wind that blows from the north
Will blow the dew away-a
And I will lay my riding cloak
Under the new mown hay-a
Under the new mown hay-a

Oh if you come to my father's garden
It is walled all around-a
There you can have my maidenhead
And thirty thousand pound-a
Thirty thousand pound-a

So he's gone down to her father's garden
It is walled all around-a
But she give him the slip and she skipped inside
She locked him out of door-a
Locked him out of door-a

Says there is a cock in my father's garden
He never will tread the hen-a
He struts all day and he flaps his wings
And I think you're just like him-a
I think you're just like him-a

And there is a flower in my father's garden
It's called the merry girl-a
And if you are wanting when you can
You can want when you will-a
You can want when you will-a

For when you met me out on the road
You thought you'd met a fool-a
Go take your bible in your hand
Go a little more to school-a
Go a little more to school-a

There was a shepherd's son,
He kept sheep on the hill.
He laid his pipe and his crook aside
And there he slept his fill.

Once there was a shepherd lad,
Kept sheep on yonder hill.
And he laid his pipe and crook aside
And there he slept his fill.

Chorus (after each verse):

And blow the winds high-o, high-o
Sing blow the winds high-o

Well he looked east and he looked west,
He took another look
And there he saw a lady gay
Was dipping in a brook.

He looked east and he looked west,
He took another look
And there he spied a lady gay,
Swimming in a brook.

Chorus (after every other verse):

Blow the winds i-o,
Blow the winds i-o,
Clear away the morning dew
And blow the winds i-o

He raised his head from his green bed
And he approached the maid,
“Put on your clothes my dear,” he said,
“And do no be afraid,

“It's fitter for a lady fair
To sew a silken seam
Than to rise up un a May morning
And swim against the stream.”

She said: “Sir, don't touch my mantle,
Come let my clothes alone.
I will give you as much bright money
As you can carry home.”

“If you'll not touch my mantle
And you'll leave my clothes alone.
Then I'll give you as much money, sir,
As you can carry home.”

“I will not touch your mantle,
I'll let your clothes alone,
But I'll take you out of the water clear
My dear to be my own.”

“I'll not touch your mantle
And I'll leave your clothes alone.
But I'll take you out of the clear water,
My dear, to be my own.”

And when she out of the water came,
He's took her in his arms.
“Put on your clothes, my dear,” he said,
And hide those lovely charms.”

He mounted her on a milk white steed,
Himself upon another,
And there they rode along the road
Like sister and like brother.

And he's put her on a milk white steed,
Himself upon another,
And it's all along theway they rode
Like sister and like brother.

And as they rode along the road
He spied some cocks of hay,
“Oh look!” he says, “there's a lovely place
For men and maids to play.”

And as they rode along the way
He spied some bails of hay,
He said, “That is a lovely place
For men and maids to play.”

And when they came to her father's house
They rang long at the ring,
And who is there but her brother
To let the young girl in.

And when they came to her father's gate
She's tirled at the pin,
And ready stood the proud porter
To let this fair maid in.

When the gates were opened
This young girl she jumped in,
“Oh, look!” she says, “you're a fool without
And I'm a maid within!

And when the gates were open
It's so nimbly she's stepped in.
She said, “You are a fool without
And I'm a maid within!

“There is a horse in my father's stable,
He stands behind the thorn,
He shakes himself above the trough
But dares not pry the corn.

“There is cock in my father's yard,
A double comb he wears,
He shakes his wings and he crows full loud
But a capon's crest he bears.

“And there is a flower in my father's garden,
It's called the marigold,
The fool that will not when he can,
He shall not when he would.”

“Oh so fare you well my modest boy,
I thank you for your care,
But had you done as you should do,
I'd never have left you there.”

Says the shepherd's son as he doffed his shoes,
“My feet they shall run bare
And if I ever meet another girl
I'll have that girl, beware.”