There was a lady lived in york All alone and so lonely Her father’s clark came a courting her All down by the greenwood sidey He courted her for seven long years All alone and so lonely Until she has proved with child by him All down by the greenwood sidey She leaned her back against an oak All alone and so lonely But first it bent and then it broke All down by the greenwood sidey She leaned her back against a thorn All alone and so lonely And there she has had three babies born All down by the greenwood sidey She pulled a knife so long and sharp All alone and so lonely And pierced those babies innocent hearts All down by the greenwood sidey As she walked by her fathers hall All alone and so lonely She spied three babies a playing with the ball All down by the greenwood sidey “Babes oh babes, if you were mine All alone and so lonely I’d dress you up in silk so fine All down by the greenwood sidey” “Mother oh mother, we once were thine All alone and so lonely You dressed us neither in silk nor fine All down by the greenwood sidey” “Babes oh babes, it’s heaven for you All alone and so lonely" "Oh mother oh mother, it’s hell for you All down by the greenwood sidey”