Her Mantle So Green lyrics

Song information

Artist: Sinead O'connor
Album: Sean-Nos Nua

Lyrics

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'll 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 with no man, so you must be refused;
To the green woods I will wander to shun all men's gaze,
For the boy that I love fell in famed waterloo."

"Well if you are not married, say your love's name
I fought in the battle, 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'reilly 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 a truth, a truth I declare
And heres your love's token, the gold ring I wear

[from http://lyrics.doheth.co.uk]

"Sean-Nos Nua" album track list