"Well met, well met," said an old true love
"Well met, well met," said he
"I've just returned from the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the love of thee"

Come in, come in, my own true love
And have a sit by me
It's been three fourths of a long, long year
Since together we have been

I can't come in and I can't sit down
For only a moment's time
They say you are married to a house carpenter
And your heart will never be mine

And I could have married a king's daughter fair
And she would have married me
But I have forsaken her crowns of gold
And it's all for the love of thee

Now, will you forsake your house carpenter
And go along with me?
I'll take you where the grass grows green
On the banks of the deep blue sea

Then she picked up her darling little babe
And kisses, she gave it three
Saying "Stay right here, my darling little babe
And keep your papa company"
They hadn't been on that ship two weeks
I'm sure it was not three
Till his true love began to weep and to mourn
And she wept most bitterly

Saying are you weeping for my silver and my gold
Or are you weepin' for my store?
Or are you weepin' for that house carpenter
Whose face you'll never see no more?

A curse, a curse to the sailor, she cried
A curse, a curse she swore
You've robbed me of my sweet little babe
That I shall never see no more

They had not been on that ship three weeks
I'm sure it was not four
Till there came a leak in the bottom of the ship
And it sank them for to rise no more