Gown of Green, The

The Gown of Green

Roud 1085

Sung by Charles Lolley, of Leeds, Yorkshire. From Frank Kidson - Traditional Tunes

1. As my love and I were walking to view the meadows around,
   A-gathering sweet flowers as they sprung from the ground,
   She turned her head, and smiling, said, "Somebody here has been,
   Or else some charming shepherdess has won the Gown of Green."
   
   ........
   
   
2. "O, Polly love! O, Polly, love! mind what I write to thee,
   And when that you do read it 'twill cause you many a tear;
   'Twill cause you many tears, my love, and grieve you heart full sore,
   For to relate our story when we left our native shore.
   
   
3. "It was early the next morning, all by the dawn of day,
   From New York down to Imos we all did march away;
   From New York down to Imos we all did march away,
   To fight our own relations in North America.
   
   
4. "Thro' fields of blood we ranged, while cannons loud did roar,
   And many a valiant sailor lay bleeding in his gore;
   There was many a valiant sailor who on the deck did lay,
   Who was both killed and wounded in North America.
   
   
5. "It would grieve your heart with pity for to hear the sailors' wives
   Lamenting for their husbands, and the melancholy cries,
   The children cried out, 'Mammy, we will make them rue the day,
   As they did kill my father in North America.

........

The Gown of Green

Roud 1085

Sung by Jack Norris, of Cuckfield, Sussex. On Come Let Us Buy the Licence: Songs of Courtship & Marriage, The Voice of the People Volume 1.

Derived from the broadside "Answer to the Gown of Green"

1. As a soldier was walking all on the highway,
   Being weary of travelling for many a long day,
   Oh, he met a lovely woman with a baby in her arms
   Who that she kissed and said, "I wish your father would return".
   
   
2. "Oh, good morning, my fair creature, I'm proud to meet you here
   With that sweet baby in your arms that you love so dear.
   Oh, I think I know the father, and you before I've seen.
   Don't you remember the day, my dear, you wore the gown of green?"
   
   
3. "Oh, it's many battles have I fought all on the raging main,
   And many battles have I fought in Portugal and Spain,
   But it's now that I've returned again with plenty of gold in store,
   I mean to make you my lawful bride and roam abroad no more."
   
   
4. "So come let us buy the licence all on this very day,
   And then we will get married, love, without any more delay.
   With our pretty little prattling babies some pleasures may be seen,
   That you will never regret the day you wore the gown of green.
   With our pretty little prattling babies some pleasures may be seen,
   That you may never regret the day you wore the gown of green."