True Hearted Girl

When I was on horseback, wasn't I pretty
 When I was on horseback at the break of the day
 Wasn't I pretty when I rode from the city
 And met with my downfall on the first day of May
 Come mother, come father, and sit down beside me
 Come sit down beside me and hear my sad case
 For my poor heart it is breaking, and my head it is aching
 And my soldier has left me in shame and disgrace
 Why couldn't he tell me before he disordered me
 Why didn't he tell me his secret in time
 For I could have bought pills, and the salts of white mercury
 But now I am done for, and cut down in my prime
 So beat the drum slowly, and play the pipes lowly
 Play me a dead march as we come along
 And lift my wretched body and lay me down easy
 I'm a true hearted girl, never meant to do wrong