Maddy Prior, June Tabor - The Game of Cards lyrics

As I was a-walking one midsummer's morning
I heard the birds whistle
And the nightingales play
And there did I spy a beautiful maiden
As I was a-walking all on the highway

"O where are you going, my fair pretty lady?
O where are you going so early this morn?"
She said: "I'm going down
To visit my neighbours
I'm going down to Warwick
The place I was born"

It's "May I come with you
My sweet pretty darling?
May I go along in your sweet company?"
Then she turned her head and
Smiling all at me
Saying: "You may come with me
Kind sir, if you please, "

We hadn't been walking but
A few miles together
Before this young damsel began to show free
She sat herself down
Saying: "Sit down beside me
And the games we shall play shall be one
Two and three"

I said: "My dear lady
If you're fond of the gaming
There's one game I know I
Would like you to learn
The game it is called: The Game of All Fours"
So I took out my pack
And began the first turn

She cut the cards first and I fell a-dealing
I dealt her a trump and myself the poor jack
She led off her ace and stole my jack from me
Saying: "Jack is the card I
Like best in your pack"

"Since I dealt them last time
It's your turn to shuffle
And my turn to show the
Best card in the pack"
Once more she'd the ace and the
Deuce for to beat me
Once again I had lost when
I laid down poor jack

So I took up my hat and
I bid her: "Good morning, "
I said: "You're the best that
I know at this game"
She answered: "Young man
If you'll come back to-morrow
We'll play the game over and over again"