As I went out walking, one morning in June

To view the fair fields, and the valleys in bloom;

I spied a pretty fair maid, she appeared like a queen,

With her costly fine robes and her mantle so green



Says I, my pretty fair maid, wont you come with me,

We'll both join in wedlock, and married we'll be;

I will dress you in fine linen, you'll appear like a queen,

With your costly fine robes and your mantle so green.



Says she, now my young man, you must be excused, 

For I'll wed no man, so you must be refused;

To the green woods I will wander and shun all men's view

For the boy I love dearly lies in fame-ed waterloo.



Well if you're not married, say your lover's name

I fought in that battle, so I might know the same.

Draw near to my garment, and there you will see

His name is embroidered on my mantle so green.



In the ribbon of her mantle, there I did behold,

His name and his surname, in letters of gold

Young William O'Riley, appeared in my view

He was my chief comrade back in fame-ed waterloo



And as he lay dying, I heard his last cry

“If you were here lovely Nancy I'd be willing to die”

And as I told her this story, in anguish she flew,

And the more that I told her, the paler she grew



So I smiled on my Nancy, ‘twas I broke your heart,

In your fathers garden, that day we did part

And this is the truth, and the truth I declare,

Oh here's your love token the gold ring I wear.