Henry's Songbook

It's of an old country farmer who lived in the west country
And he had the prettiest little wife that ever you did see
And a young man came a-courting her when the old man he wasn't nigh
And oftimes they would take a tumble amongst the barley and the rye

Now when the old man woke in the morning and he found himself all alone
He looked out of the window and he spied his wife in the corn
And the young man lay beside her, and it caused the old man to cry
He says, Wife, wife I wonder at you for spoiling of my rye

Oh husband, she says, oh husband, it's the like I've ne'er done before
For if you have got one friend I have another one in store
He's a friend, love, will not deceive you if you will him employ
He's got money enough, love, to pay you for our barley and our rye

As sung by Martin Carthy