| We’ve met, we’ve met, my old true love
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| We’ve met, we’ve met, said he
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| I’ve just returned from the salt, salt sea
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| And it’s all for the love of thee
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| I could have married the King’s daughter fair
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| She would have married me
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| But I’ve forsaken her crown of gold
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| And it’s all for the love of thee
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| Come in, come in, my old true love
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| Come in, she said to him
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| For it’s been three fourths of a long, long year
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| Since together we have been
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| No, I can’t come in, nor I can’t sit down
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| For I have but a moment’s time
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| And they say that you’re married to a house carpenter
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| And your heart will never be mine
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| Will you come with me, my old true love?
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| Oh come with me, said he
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| And I’ll take you to where the grass grows green
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| On the banks of Bittery
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| Then she picked up her sweet little babe
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| And kisses she gave it three
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| Sayin', stay at home my darlin' little babe
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| And keep your papa company
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| Then he jumped on a milk white steppe
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| And her on a dapple grey
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| They rode until they came to the banks of a sea
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| Three hours before the break of day
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| They had not been on the ship two weeks
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| I’m sure it was not three
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| Until his true love began to weep and to mourn
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| And she wept most bitterly
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| Oh, is it for my silver you weep?
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| Is it for my store?
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| Or is it for that house carpenter
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| Whose face you’ll never see no more?
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| It’s neither for you silver I weep
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| And neither for your store
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| But it’s all for the sake of my sweet little babe
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| Whose face I’ll never see no more
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| Then a curse, a curse to the sailor she cried
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| A curse, a curse, she swore
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| You’ve robbed me of my house carpenter
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| Whose face I’ll never see no more
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| They had not been on the ship three weeks
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| I’m sure it was not four
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| Till they sprang a leak in the bottom of the ship
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| And it sunk for to rise no more |