The Maidens Lament 2 a variant of LET NO MAN STEAL YOUR THYME Come all you maids wheree'er you be Who flourish in your prime Be wise, beware, keep your garden clear Let no man steal your thyme Let no man steal your thyme For when your thyme is pulled and gone They care no more for you There is not a place your thyme goes waste But it spreads all o'er with rue It spreads all o'er with rue When I was a maid both fair and coy I flourished in my prime Till a proper, tall young man came and He stole this heart of mine He stole this heart of mine My parents they were angry At my being led astray But there's many a dark and cloudy morn Brings forth a pleasant day Brings forth a pleasant day The gardener's son being standing by Three gifts he gave to me The bitter rue, the violet blue, And the red rose it was three And the red rose it was three Now I'll cut off the red rose top And I'll plant on the willow tree That this whole world will plainly see How my love slighted me How my love slighted me The begotten virgins they must live Although they live in pain And the grass that is mown on yonder hill Through time will bloom again Through time will bloom again There are fine boats sailing here my dear And more on the river thine But for me to be held in the arms of my love And for him to be held in mine And for him to be held in mine parts of Let No Man steal Your Thyme and Seed of Love see also Let No Man Steal Your Thyme, Thyme and Seeds of Love recorded by Sara Cleveland SOF
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!