A-Rovin'

[ C ]

In Amsterdam I met a maid.
Mark well what I do say!
In Amsterdam I met a maid
And she was mistress of her trade.
	No more to go a-roving 
	With you, fair maid.

Chorus:
A-roving, a-roving, 
A-roving's been my ru-i-ane [sic],
No more to go a-roving
With you, fair maid.

I took that lady for a walk.
Mark well what I do say!
I took that lady for a walk
And we had such a loving talk.

I put my hand upon her waist.
She said, "Young man, you're in great haste."

I put my hand upon her knee.
She said, "Young man, you're very free."

I put my hand upon her thigh.
She said, "Young man, you're drawing nigh."

I put my hand upon her patch.
She said, "Young man, that's my main hatch."

In consequence of our fair spree,
She promised she'd be true to me.

In two weeks' time I was badly bent
So, sadly off to sea I went.

In three weeks' time while out to sea
A soldier had her on his knee.

	Furnished without tune by Pasadena, California, attorney Roger Gray, a parttime performer at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire.  Gray has deliberately gathered songs from various sources, both oral and printed, for presentation as a "strolling minstrel" at the pageant.

[ D ]


In Plymouth town there lives a maid. 
Bless you, young women.	
In Plymouth Town there lives a maid. 
Now mind what I do say.	
In Plymouth town there lives a maid.
She is the mistress of her trade.   

Chorus:
I'll go no more a'rovin' with you fair maid! 
A'rovin', a'rovin', since rovin's been my ru-i-n,
I'll go no more a rovin with you fair maid!

I took this fair maid for a walk.
Bless you young women.
I took this fair maid for a walk.
Now mind what I do say.
I took this fair maid for a walk
And we had a lovin' "talk."

Chorus:

I put my hand upon her knee.
Bless you young women.
I put my hand upon her knee.
Now mind what I do say.
I put my hand upon her knee.
She said, "My Lord, you are quite free."

Chorus:

I put my hand upon her thigh.
Bless you young women.
I put my hand upon her thigh.
Now mind what I do say.
I put my hand upon her thigh.
She said, "My Lord, you are quite high."

Chorus:

She said, "My Lord, you are quite bold."
Bless you young women.
She said, "My Lord, you are quite bold.
Now mind what I do say.
She said, "My Lord, you are quite bold."
Until she saw my purse of gold.

Chorus:

I took her hand into my own.
Bless you young women.
I took her hand into my own.
Now mind what I do say.
I took her hand into my own
And we went to her own home.

Chorus:

She dearly loved to scratch and bite.
Bless you young women.
She dearly loved to scratch and bite 
Now mind what I do say.
She dearly loved to scratch and bite
She kept me up the whole damn night

Chorus:

Her methods were unorthodox
Bless you young women.
Her methods were unorthodox
Now mind what I do say	
Her methods were unorthodox
She gave to me the Spanish Pox

Chorus:

This strange disease she gave to me 
Bless you young women.
This strange disease she gave to me 
Now mind what I do say.
This strange disease she gave to me
I paid for it, but you may have it free.

Chorus:

	Under the title of "I'll Go No More A-Rovin,'" this is included in the filk-song omnibus, "The Black Book of Locksley," compiled by Joseph Bethancourt of Tucson, Arizona.  It is described there as "traditional, Elizabethan period," though it has acquired new verses.