On a May Morning so Early- Huggins (Dev) 1892 Baring-Gould
[From Songs and Ballads of the West: A Collection Made from the Mouths of the People by Sabine Baring-Gould 1892. The text for this version has been completely rewritten-- only the first three lines are traditional. This is included reluctantly, the notes below (copied from Google) have not been edited.
R. Matteson 2018]
LXXIII. On a May Morning so Early. This melody belongs to the song or ballad "I'm Seventeen on Sunday," which is known elsewhere than in Devon and Cornwall. The air was taken down by Mr. Sheppard, from Roger Huggins, at Lydford (Dartmoor, Devon). Taken down again by Mr. Bussell, from William Bickell, of Bridestowe. Bickell sang it to the broadside ballad, “Seventeen on Sunday,” but Huggins' words, as far as they went, were earlier and better. The original ballad was altered by Burns to the “Wakeriffe Mammy,” which he re-wrote for Johnson's Museum, IV., p. 410 ; and Allan Cunningham arranged a
song on this topic, as the original was objectionable.
Lyle gives it in his " Ballads," 1827, [wrong song- notes for I am Too Young] saying: “This ballad, in its original dress at one time, from my recollection, was not only extremely ' .g the young peasantry of the “last of Scotland. not bear transcription, whilst the 2nd and 3rd have ' h version (re-written) to the He says: " cannot his song, for I have known them, several reasons {the original words] could It was not possible or us either to give.
1 As I walked out one May morning,
One May morning so early:
I there espied a fair pretty maid,
All in the dew so pearly.
O! 'twas sweet, sweet spring,
Merry birds did sing,
All in the morning early.
2 Stay, fair one, stay! Thus did I say,
On a May morning so early:
My tale of love, your heart will move.
All in the dew so pearly.
O! 'twas sweet, sweet spring,
Merry birds did sing,
All in the morning early.
3. No tiles for me, Kind sir, said she
On a May morning so early:
My swain is true, I don't want two
All in the dew so pearly.
O! 'twas sweet, sweet spring,
Merry birds did sing,
All in the morning early.
4 With lightsome tread, Away she sped,
This May morning so early:
To meet her lad, And left me lad,
All in the dew so pearly.
O! 'twas sweet, sweet spring,
Merry birds did sing,
All in the morning early.