June Tabor - The Grazier's Daughter lyrics

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Grazier's Daughter

Oh the grazier's daughter living near

A fair young damsel as you shall hear

It's up to London she did go

To seek for service as you shall know

Her master having but one son

Oh she bein' fair, his heart she won

Young Betsy bein' so very fair

She brought his heart into a snare

One sunday evening he stole her thyme

And unto Betsy told his mind

My ?own swearing bower's above?

'Tis you fair Betsy,'tis you I love

His mother then bein' standing nigh

Hearing these words that her son did say

Next morning by the break of day

Unto fair Betsy she took away

Sayin' "Rise up, rise up, my fair Betsy

And dress yourself most gallantly

For 'tis to the country you must go

All along with me for one day or two"

And as they were crossing o'er the plain

They spied some ships sailing on the main

No wit, no wit this poor woman had

But to sell poor Betsy to be a slave

Then a few days after the mother returned

And it's "welcome mother" replies the son

"But tell me, tell me true I pray

Oh where is Betsy behind you, say"

"Oh son, oh son, I plainly see

The love you bear for poor Betsy

But your sobbin' and sighin' are all in vain

Young Betsy sailing across the main"

In a few days after the son lies sick

No sort o' music his heart would take

But he often sighed and he often cried

"Oh Betsy, Betsy, I shall die"

And in a few days after the son lies dead

Mother wrings her hands and she tears her hair

"If I could bring back my son again

I'd send poor Betsy across the main"

Oh the grazier's daughter living near

A fair young damsel as you shall hear

It's up to London she did go

To seek for service as you shall know