The Croppy Boy

It was early, early all in the spring The birds did whistle and sweetly sing, Changing their notes from tree to tree And the song they sang was Old Ireland free. It was early early all in the night, The yeoman cavalry gave me a fright; The yeoman cavalry were my downfall I was taken prisoner by Lord Cornwall. As I was walking up Wexford Street My own first cousin I chanced to meet; My own first cousin did me betray And for one bare guinea sold my life away. And as I was walking up Wexford Hill Oh who could blame me to cry my fill? I looked behind, and I looked before But my tender mother I could see no more. And as I was mounted on the scaffold high My own dear father was standing by; My aged father did me deny And the name he gave me was the Croppy Boy. It was in Dungannon this young man died In Passage east his body lies. So all good people who do pass by Just shed a tear for the Croppy Boy