It was early, early all in the spring
The birds did whistle and sweetly sing,
Changing their notes from tree to tree
And the song they sang was Old Ireland free.
It was early early all in the night,
The yeoman cavalry gave me a fright;
The yeoman cavalry were my downfall
I was taken prisoner by Lord Cornwall.
As I was walking up Wexford Street
My own first cousin I chanced to meet;
My own first cousin did me betray
And for one bare guinea sold my life away.
And as I was walking up Wexford Hill
Oh who could blame me to cry my fill?
I looked behind, and I looked before
But my tender mother I could see no more.
And as I was mounted on the scaffold high
My own dear father was standing by;
My aged father did me deny
And the name he gave me was the Croppy Boy.
It was in Dungannon this young man died
In Passage east his body lies.
So all good people who do pass by
Just shed a tear for the Croppy Boy