High Germany

The Lady’s Evening Companion, Being A Choice Collection
of Songs, sung this season at Vauxhall, and other public Places of
Entertainment.

Printed by M. Bowley, No. 96, Aldergate Street, London.

High Germany. A new Song.

O Polly love, O Polly love, the rout is begun,
And we must all away by the beat of the drum.
Go dress yourself in all your best, and go along with me,
And I’ll take you to the wars in High Germany.
O, my dearest Billy, mind what you say.
My feet they are so sore, I cannot march away,
Besides, my dearest Billy, I am with child by thee,
Not fitting for the wars in High Germany.
I will buy you a horse, love, if my Polly can ride.
And many a long night I shall march by her side,
We will drink at every alehouse that ever we come nigh,
And we’ll roll it on the road, sweet Molly and I.
O Polly love, O Polly love, I like you very well,
There are few in this world with my Polly to excel.
But when your babe is born love, and sits smiling on your knee,
You will think on your Billy that is in high Germany
Down in yonder valley I made my love a bed,
And the sweetest of roses shall be his coverlid
With pinks and sweet violets I will adorn his feet
Where the fishes they are charm’d the music so sweet
O, Polly love, O, Polly love, pray give me your right hand,
And promise you will marry me when I come to Old England;
I give you my right hand I will not marry’d be
Till you come from the wars in High Germany.
Woe be to the wars that every they began
For they’ve prest my Billy and many a clever man.
For they have took my Billy no more I shall him see.
And so cold will be his grave in High Germany.
The drum that he beats is cover’d with green,
The pretty lambs a sporting much pleasure to be seen,
May the birds on the branches hinder my downfal.
The losing of my true love grieves me worst of all.

*Transcriber’s note: Dugaw’s catalogue contains multiple variants of this ballad; this is the first of the variants listed. To review other variants of this ballad, please consult the Dugaw catalogue.

BBO Roud Number: 904

ECCO Gale Document Number: CB127041955

ESTC Citation Number: T300822

ESTC Citation Number: T232170,

ESTC Citation Number: T300837

Other website link: Folksongs