The Flash Lad

When I was eighteen I took a wife

I loved her dearly as I loved my life

And to maintain her both fine and gay

I went a robbing, I went a robbing on the King's High Way

I never robbed any poor man yet

And I was never in a tradesman's debt

But I robbed the lords and the ladies gay

And I carried home the gold, carried home the gold

To my love straightway

To Cupid's garden I did away

To Cupid's garden to see a play

Lord Fielding's gang there did me pursue

And I was taken, I was taken

By that cursed crew

My father cried "Oh my darling son"

My wife she wept and cried "I am undone"

My mother tore her white locks and cried

"Oh in his cradle, in his cradle

He should have died"

And when I'm dead and go to my grave

A flashy funeral don't let me have

Let umbered hall robbers follow me

Give them good broadswords, give them

Good broadswords their liberty

Let six pretty maidens bear up my pall

And let them have white gloves and ribbons all

That they may say when they speak the truth

"There goes a wild youth, there goes a wild

And a wicked youth"