Hark, says the fair maid, the nightingale is singing
The larks they are ringing their notes up in the air
Small birds and turtledoves on every bough are building
The sun is just a-glimmering; arise my dear.

Rise up, my fair one, and pick your love a posy
It is the finest flower that ever my eyes did see
It's I will bring you posies, both lily-white pinks and roses;
There's none so fair a flower as the lad I adore.

Lemady, Lemady, you are a lovely creature
You are the fairest flower that ever my eyes did see
I'll play you a tune all on the pipes of ivory
So early in the morning before break of day.

(Arise and pick a posy, sweet lily pink and rosy
It is the finest flower that ever I did see
Small birds and turtledoves on every bough are building
The sun is just a-glimmering; arise my dear).

another version of the song'

One midsummer's morn, as I was a walking,
The fields and the meadows were covered with green
The birds a-sweetly singing, so pleasant and so charming
So early in the morning by the break of day.

Oh hark, hark, the nightingales are singing,
The larks they are taking their flight into the air,
And in every green border the turtle-doves are building,
Just as the sun was glimmering; arise, my dear!

Arise, arise! Go pluck your love a posy,
One of the prettiest flowers that grows in yonder green,
Oh yes! I'll arise and pluck lilies, pinks and roses,
All for my dearest Lemady, the girl I adore.

Oh Lemady, oh Lemady, what lovely lass art thou,
Thou art the fairest creature that ever my eye did see!
I'll play you a tune all on the pipes of ivory,
So early in the morning, by the break of day.

They why should my true love be banished from me?
For if she should die I should never see her more.
Oh why should my parents look so slightly on me?
They rob me of my Lemady, the girl I adore.

a Cornish version of Lemady

Limadie

Oh early one morning as I was walking
The fields and the meadows they looked so green and gay
The birds sang so sweetly, so pleasant and so charming
So early in the morning at the break of the day.

Oh hark, oh hark how the nightingale is singing
The lark she is taking her flight in the air
The turtle dove in every green bower is building
The sun is just glimmering, arise then, my dear.

Arise, love, arise, I have plucked you a nosegay
The sweetest of flowers that grow in yonder grove
Oh I have plucked them fresh from the lily, pink and rosetree
And it's all for my Limadie, the girl that I love.

O Limadie, O Limadie, thou art the fairest flower
Thou art the sweetest flower that e'er mine eyes did see
And the tunes that I will play to thee shall be on flute of ivory
For my heart is so full of soft love melody.

Oh why should my true love be banished from me?
Oh why should she die and I never see her more?
Because that her parents look so slightingly upon me
I too will die for Limadie, the girl I adore.

The Cornish version was found amongst the papers of the late Grand Bard of the Cornish Gorsedd, E. Morton Nance. It can be found at the Truro, Cornwall, Museum along with a translation, into Cornish, that was made by Nance's predecessor Henry Jenner.