[Verse 1]
False Sir John a-wooing came
To a lady young and fair
May Colvin was this lady's name
And her father's only heir
Her father's only heir

[Verse 2]
He wooed her while she spun the thread
And while they made the hay
Until he gained her low consent
To mount and ride away
To mount and ride away

[Verse 3]
"It's a-bring me some of your father's gold
And some of your mother's fee
I'll take thee to some far-off land
There I'll marry thee
And there I'll marry thee"

[Verse 4]
She's gone into her father's coffer
Where all of his monies lay
She's took the yellow and left the white
And lightly skipped away
And lightly skipped away
[Verse 5]
She's gone into her father's stables
Where all of his steeds did stand
She's took the best and left the worst
In all of her father's land
In all of her father's land

[Verse 6]
She's mounted on a milk-white steed
And he on a dapple gray
And they rode 'til they come to a lonesome spot
A cliff by the side of the sea
A cliff by the side of the sea

[Verse 7]
"Light down, light down," said false Sir John
"Your bridal bed you'll see:
It's seven women have I drownded here
And the eighth one you shall be
And the eighth one you shall be

[Verse 8]
"Have off, have off your Holland smock
With borders all around
For it's too costly to lay down here
And rot on the cold, cold ground
And rot on the cold, cold ground
[Verse 9]
"Cast off, cast off your silk so fine
And lay them on a stone
For they're too fine and costly
To rot in the salt sea foam
To rot in the salt sea foam

[Verse 10]
"Take off, take off your silken stays
Likewise your handsome shoes
For they're too fine and costly
To rot in the sea with you
To rot in the sea with you"

[Verse 11]
"Turn around, turn around, thou false Sir John
And gaze at the leaves on the trees
For it don't become a gentleman
A naked woman to see
A naked woman to see"

[Verse 12]
It's false Sir John has turned around
To gaze at the leaves on the trees
She's made a dash with her tender little arms
And pushed him into the sea
And pushed him into the sea
[Verse 13]
"Oh, help! oh, help! May Colvin!
Oh, help, or I shall drown!
I'll take thee back to the father's house
And lightly set you down
And lightly set you down"

[Verse 14]
"No help, no help, thou false Sir John
"No help will you get from me
The bed's no colder to you, sir
Than you thought to give to me
Than you thought to give it to me"

[Verse 15]
She's mounted on the milk-white steed
And led the dapple gray
And rode 'til she come to her father's house
At the breakin' of the day
At the breakin' of the day

[Verse 16]
Then up and spoke the little parrot
Said, "May Colvin, where have you been?
And what have you done with false Sir John
That went with you ridin'
That went with you ridin'?"

[Verse 17]
"Hold your tongue, hold your tongue, you little parrot
And tell no tales on me
And I'll give you a cage of beaten gold
With spokes of ivory
With spokes of ivory"