1.
Give ear unto a maid
That lately was betrayed,
And sent into Virginny, O;
In brief I shall declare
What I have suffered there,
When that I was ‖: weary, :‖ (×4) O.
2.
When that first I came
To this land of fame,
Which is called Virginny, O,
The axe and the hoe
Have wrought my overthrow,
When that I was ‖: weary, :‖ (×4) O.
3.
Five years served I
Under master guy
In the land of Virginny, O,
Which made me for to know
Sorrow, grief and woe,
When that I was ‖: weary, :‖ (×4) O.
4.
When my dame says ‘go’,
Then I must do so
In the land of Virginny, O;
When she sits at meat,
Then I have none to eat,
When that I was ‖: weary, :‖ (×4) O.
5.
The clothes that I brought in,
They are worn very thin
In the land of Virginny, O,
Which makes me for to say:
Alas and welladay,
When that I was ‖: weary, :‖ (×4) O.
6.
Instead of beds of ease
To lie down when I please
In the land of Virginny, O,
Upon a bed of straw
I lay down full of woe,
When that I was ‖: weary, :‖ (×4) O.
7.
Then the spider, she
Daily waits on me
In the land of Virginny, O;
Round about my bed
She spins her tender web,
When that I was ‖: weary, :‖ (×4) O.
8.
So soon as it is day,
To work I must away
In the land of Virginny, O;
Then my dame, she knocks
With her tinderbox,
When that I was ‖: weary, :‖ (×4) O.
9.
I have played my part,
Both at plow and at cart
In the land of Virginny, O;
Billets from the wood
Upon my back they load,
When that I was ‖: weary, :‖ (×4) O.
10.
Instead of drinking beer,
I drink the water clear
In the land of Virginny, O,
Which makes me pale and wan,
Do all that e’er I can,
When that I was ‖: weary, :‖ (×4) O.
11.
If my dame says ‘go’,
I dare not say no
In the land of Virginny, O;
The water from the spring
Upon my head I bring,
When that I was ‖: weary, :‖ (×4) O.
12.
When the mill doth stand,
I’m ready at command
In the land of Virginny, O,
The mortar for to make,
Which made my heart to ache,
When that I was ‖: weary, :‖ (×4) O.
13.
When the child doth cry,
I must sing, by a by,
In the land of Virginny, O;
No rest that I can have
Whilst I am here a slave,
When that I was ‖: weary, :‖ (×4) O.
14.
A thousand woes beside
That I do here abide
In the land of Virginny, O,
In misery I spend;
My time that hath no end,
When that I was ‖: weary, :‖ (×4) O.
15.
Then let maids beware,
All by my illfare
In the land of Virginny, O;
Be sure thou stay at home,
For if you do here come,
You will all be ‖: weary, :‖ (×4) O.
16.
But if it be my chance
Homewards to advance
From the land of Virginny, O;
If that I once more
Land on English shore,
I’ll no more be ‖: weary, :‖ (×4) O.