Near Woodstock Town- (Lon) 1866 Carpenter Songbk
[No informant provided. From: The New Standard Song Book. Edited by J. E. Carpenter, London 1866. This is a drastic reduction of "Constant Lady" broadside which shares stanzas with to "Love has Brought Me to Despair." The 4th stanza in the "Constant Lady" broadside that has the "Love has brought me to despair" text is missing as well as the popular heart-ease flower stanza (13th).
R. Matteson 2017]
NEAR WOODSTOCK TOWN.
[Old English ditty.]
NEAR Woodstock town, in Oxfordshire,
As I walk'd forth to take the air,
To view the fields and meadows round,
Methought I heard a mournful sound.
Down by a crystal river side,
A gallant bower I espied,
Where a fair lady made great moan,
With many a bitter sigh and groan.
“Alas!” quoth she, “my love’s unkind,
My sighs and tears he will not mind;
But he is cruel unto me,
Which causes all my misery.
Soon after he had gain'd my heart,
He cruelly did from me part;
Another maid he does pursue,
And to his vows he bids adieu."
The lady round the meadow run,
And gather'd flowers as they sprung,
Of ev’ry sort she there did pull,
Until she got her apron full.
The green ground serv'd her as a bed,
And flow’rs a pillow for her head;
She laid her down, and nothing spoke,
Alas ! for love her heart was broke.