Lyrics:

Late last night when the squire came home
Enquiring for his lady,
Some denied and some replied,
“She's gone with the Black Jack Davy.”


“Go saddle me my black mare,
The grey is ne'er so speedy.
And I'll ride all night and I'll ride all day
Till I overtake my lady.”

“Go saddle to me the bonny brown steed
For the grey was never so speedy.
I'll ride all day and I'll ride all night
Till I catch that Black Jack Davy.”

Chorus (repeated after each verse):
He rode up hills and he rode down dales
Over many a wild high mountain,
And they did say that saw him go,
“Black Jack Davy he is hunting.”


He rode all by the riverside
On the grass so wet and dewy,
And seated with her gipsy lad
It's there he spied his lady.

He rode east and he rode west
All in the morning early
Until he spied his lady fair,
Cold and wet and weary.


“Would you forsake your house and home,
Would you forsake your baby?
Would you forsake your own true love
And the promises you gave me?”

“Why did you leave your house and land?
Why did you leave your baby?
Why did you leave your own wedded lord
To go with the Black Jack Davy?”


“What care I for my house and home
Or even my wee baby?
What care I for my own true love
For I love the gypsy Davey.”

“What care I for your goose feather bed
With the sheets turned down so bravely?
Well I may sleep on the cold hard ground
Along with the Black Jack Davy.


“Then I'll kick off my high healed shoes
Made of the Spanish leather,
And I'll put on my lowland brogues
And skip it o'er the heather.”


“Well it's fare thee well my dearest dear,
It's fare thee well forever,
And if you don't return with me
I swear you'll see me never.”


And the lord he did go homeward
And kissed his own wee baby.
And ere six months had passed away
He'd married another lady.