Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 92.
| 1 |
'Come, pretty Nelly, and sit thee down by me,
Every rose grows merry wi thyme
And I will ask thee questions three,
And then thou wilt be a true lover of mine. |
| 2 |
'Thou must buy me a cambrick smock
Every rose grows merry wi thyme
Without any stitch of needlework.
And then thou wilt be a true lover of mine. |
| 3 |
'Thou must wash it in yonder strand,
Every rose grows merry wi thyme
Where wood never grew and water neer ran.
And then thou wilt be a true lover of mine. |
| 4 |
'Thou must dry it on yonder thorn,
Every rose grows merry wi thyme
Where the sun never shined on since Adam was formed.'
And then thou wilt be a true lover of mine. |
| 5 |
'Thou hast asked me questions three;
Every rose grows merry wi thyme
Sit down till I ask as many of thee.
And then thou wilt be a true lover of mine. |
| 6 |
'Thou must buy me an acre of land
Every rose grows merry wi thyme
Betwixt the salt water, love, and the sea-sand.
And then thou wilt be a true lover of mine. |
| 7 |
'Thou must plow it wi a ram's horn,
Every rose grows merry wi thyme
And sow it all over wi one pile o corn.
And then thou wilt be a true lover of mine. |
| 8 |
'Thou must shear it wi a strap o leather,
Every rose grows merry wi thyme
And tie it all up in a peacock feather.
And then thou wilt be a true lover of mine. |
| 9 |
'Thou must stack it in the sea,
Every rose grows merry wi thyme
And bring the stale o't hame dry to me.
And then thou wilt be a true lover of mine. |
| 10 |
'When my love's done, and finished his work,
Every rose grows merry wi thyme
Let him come to me for his cambric smock.'
And then thou wilt be a true lover of mine. |
