As I went out walking, one morning in June
To view the fair fields, and the valleys in bloom;
I spied a pretty fair maid, she appeared like a queen
With her costly fine robes and her mantle so green
Says I, my pretty fair maid, won't you come with me
We'll both join in wedlock, and married we'll be;
I will dress you in fine linen, you'll appear like a queen
With your costly fine robes and your mantle so green
Says she, now my young man, you must be excused
For I'll wed no man, so you must be refused;
To the green woods I will wander and shun all men's view
For the boy I love dearly lies in famed Waterloo
Well if you're not married, say your lover's name
I fought in that battle, so I might know the same
Draw near to my garment, and there you will see
His name is embroidered on my mantle so green
In the ribbon of her mantle, there I did behold
His name and his surname, in letters of gold
Young William O'Riley, appeared in my view
He was my chief comrade back in famed Waterloo
And as he lay dying, I heard his last cry
"If you were here lovely Nancy I'd be willing to die"
And as I told her this story, in anguish she flew
And the more that I told her, the paler she grew
So I smiled on my Nancy, 'twas I broke your heart
In your father's garden, that day we did part
And this is the truth, and the truth I declare
Oh here's your love token the gold ring I wear