The Jolly Beggarman

There was a jolly beggarman
Came tripping o’er the plain
He came unto a farmer’s door
A lodging for to gain
The farmer’s daughter she came down
And viewed him cheek and chin
She says “He is a handsome man
I pray you take him in”

We’ll go no more a roving
A roving in the night
We’ll go no more a roving
Let the moon shine so bright
We’ll go no more a roving

He would not lie within the barn
Nor yet within the byre
But he would in the corner lie
Down by the kitchen fire
O then the beggar’s bed was made
Of good clean sheets and hay
And down beside the kitchen fire
The jolly beggar lay

We’ll go no more a roving
A roving in the night
We’ll go no more a roving
Let the moon shine so bright
We’ll go no more a roving

The farmer’s daughter she got up
To bolt the kitchen door
And there she saw the beggar
Standing naked on the floor
He took the daughter in his arms
And to the bed he ran
Kind sir, she says, be easy now
You’ll waken our goodman

We’ll go no more a roving
A roving in the night
We’ll go no more a roving
Let the moon shine so bright
We’ll go no more a roving

Now you are no beggar
You are some gentleman
For you have stolen my maidenhead
And I am quite undone
I am no lord, I am no squire
Of beggars I be one
And beggars they be robbers all
So you’re quite undone

We’ll go no more a roving
A roving in the night
We’ll go no more a roving
Let the moon shine so bright
We’ll go no more a roving