Martinmas Time

It fell out upon one Martinmas time
When snow lay on the border
There came a troop of soldiers here
To take up their winter quarters.

And they road high and they rode north
And they rode o'er the border
And there they met with a nice, little girl
She was a farmer's daughter.

Well, they made her swear a solemn oath
A salt tear in her eye
That she would come to the quarter gates
When no one would her spy.

But she's gone to the barber's shop
And to the barber's shop went soon
She made them cut off her long, yellow hair
As short as any dragoon.

And she's gone to the tailor's shop
And dressed in soldier's clothes
With two long pistols down by her side
A nice, little boy was she.

And she's gone to the quarter gates
And loudly she does call
"There comes a troop of soldiers here
We must have lodgings all".

And the quartermaster, he comes down
He gives her half a crown
"Go find your lodgings in the town
Tonight there is no room".

So she moved closer to the gates
And louder she does call
"Room, room, you gentlemen
We must have lodgings all".

And the quartermaster, he comes down
He gives her eighteen pence
"Go find your lodgings in the town
Tonight here comes a wench".

So she took a pistol from her side
She blew it loud and shrill
"You're all very free with your eighteen pence
You're not for a girl at all".

And she took the garter from her knee
The ribbon from her hair
She tied them 'round the quarter gates
A token she'd been there.

And when they found that it was her
They tried to have her taken
She slapped her spurs to her horse's side
She galloped home a maiden.