Come all ye lads and lassies and hear my mournful tale,
Ye tender hearts that weep for love to sigh you will not fail,
’Tis all about a young man and my song will tell you how
He lately came a courting of the Maid of the Sweet Brown Knowe.

To join our hands in wedlock bands, and married we will be;
We’ll join our hands in wedlock bands, and you’ll have my plighted vow,
That I’ll do my whole endeavour for the Maid of the Sweet Brown Knowe.”

Now this young and pretty fickle thing, she knew not what to say,
Her eyes did shine like silver bright and merrily did play;
Says she, “Young man, your love subdue, I am not ready now,
And I’ll spend another season at the foot of the Sweet Brown Knowe.”

“Oh,” says he, “My pretty fair maid, now why do you say so?
Look down in yonder valley where my verdant crops do grow
Look down in yonder valley at my horses and my plough
All at their daily labour for Maid of the Sweet Brown Knowe”.

“If they at their daily labour, kind sir, it is not for me,
I’ve heard of your behaviour, I have, kind sir,” says she;
“There is an inn where you drop in, I’ve heard the people say,
Where you rap and you call and you pay for all, and go home at the dawn of day.”

“If I rap and I call and I pay for all, my money is all my own,
I’ve never spent aught o’ your fortune, for I hear that you’ve got none.
You thought you had my poor heart broke in talking to me now,
But I’ll leave you where I found you, at the foot of the Sweet Brown Knowe.”