As I roved out one bright May morning To view the purple heather and flowers gay Who should I spy but my own true lover As she sat under yon willow tree I took off my hat and I did salute her I did salute her most courageously When she turned around and the tears fell from her eyes Saying, "False young man, you have deluded me" Three diamond rings for love I gave you Three diamond rings to wear on your right hand But the vows you made, love, you went and broke them And married the lassie that had the land If I married the lassie that had the land, my love 'Tis that I'll rue until the day I die But when fortune calls few men can shun it I was a blind fool was I Now at night when I go to my bed of slumber The thoughts of my true love run in my mind When I turned around to embrace my darling Instead of gold 'tis brass I find And I wish the Queen would call home her armies From the West Indies, America and Spain And every man to his homeland would run And I in hope that we'd meet again As I roved out one bright May morning To view the purple heather and flowers gay Who should I spy but my own true lover As she sat under yon willow tree