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Martinmas Time 
Martinmas Time 
It fell upon the Martinmas time, When the snow lay on the border There came a troop of soldiers here To take up their winter quarters. 
cho: With me right fol-de-lid-dle ly-die lid-dle ly-dee-o With me right fol-de-lid-dle ly-dee lar-ry. 
They rode up and they rode down, and They rode over the border. There they met a fair pretty girl And she was a farmer's daughter. 
They made her swear a solemn oath and salt tear in her eye, oh, That she would call at their quarter gates When no-one did her spy, oh. 
So she goes to the barber shop To the abrber shop went soon, oh, She's made them cut her fine yellow hair As short as any dragoon, oh. 
Then sh goes to the tailor shop And dresses in soldier's clothes, oh, A pair of pistols down her side And a nice little boy was she, oh. 
When she comes to the quarter gates, It's loud, loud she did call, oh, "There comes a troop of soldiers here And we must have lodgings all, oh!" 
The quartermastr he comes out He gives her half a crown, oh, "Go and find lodgings for yourself, For here there is no room, oh." 
But she drew nearer to the gates And louder did she call, oh: "Room, room, you gentlemen, 
We must have lodgings all, oh!" 
The quartermaster he comes out He gives her eighteen pence, oh "Go and find lodgings in the town For tonight there comes a wench, oh." 
She's pulled the garters from he legs The ribbons from her hair, oh, She's tied them 'round the quarter gates As a token she'd been there, oh. 
She drew a whistle from her side, And blew it loud and shrill, oh "You're all very free with your eighteen pence But you're not for a girl at all, oh." 
And when they knew that it was her They tried to overtake her. She's clapped her spurs to the horse's side And she's galloped home a maiden. 
From Harmonious Companions, Myers Transcribed from the singing of Anne Briggs apr96