"Come all ye maidens fair and handsome,"
While in vain her tears did flow,
"It's for my true love I'm daily weeping,
He's my charming Willie O."

"Seven long years I'm daily writing
To the Bay of Biscay O,
But cruel death brought me no answer
From my charming Willie O."

Mary in her bed was sleeping
When he came to her chamber-door so slow,
Saying "Rise up Mary, lovely Mary,
For I'm the ghost of your Willy O."

Mary rose, put on her clothes,
And to her chamber door did go,
And there she found her own true lover
And his face as white as any snow.

"Oh Willie dear, where are those blushes
That you had some time ago?"
Oh Mary dear, the clay has changed them,
For I'm the ghost of your Willie O."

They spent the night in deep discoursing
Concerning their courtship long ago,
They kissed, shook hands, made a sorrowful parting
Just as the cocks began to crow.

"If I had all the gold in the Indies
And all the silver in Mexico
I'd give it all to the Queen of England
If she'd send me back my Willie O."