Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Traditional tunes

TRADITIONAL TUNES. 69
THE SPRIG OF THYME.
THE air is an East Riding one, which Mr. Lolley favours me
with.
There are several ballads extant in the same strain of allegory.
The better known one, " I Sowed the Seeds of Love," is an instance ;
they appear to date from the latter end of the last century.
The tune is pretty, and, I think, is not much corrupted from its
original form.
THE SPRIG OF THYME.
Come, all you pret - ty fair maids That are just in your prime, I
would have you weed your gar • dens clear, And let no one steal your thyme.
Come, all you pretty fair maids,
That are just in your prime ;
I would have you weed your garden clear,
And let no one steal your thyme.
I once had a sprig of thyme,
It prospered both night and day ;
By chance there came a false young man,
And he stole my thyme away.
Thyme is the prettiest flower,
That grows under the sun ;
It's time that brings all things to an end,
So now my thyme runs on.
But now my old thyme's dead,
I've got no room for any new,
For in that place where my old thyme grew,
Is changed to a running rue.
It's very well drinking ale,
And it's very well drinking wine,
But it's far better sitting by a young man's side,
That has won this heart of mine.