Fairport Convention - The deserter

As ^DI was a-walking a^Glong Ratcliffe ^CHighway ^AmA ^Drecruiting party came a-^Gbeating ^Cmy ^Dway. They en^Glisted me and ^Dtreated me 'til ^GI did not ^Cknow ^AmAnd ^Dto the Queen's barracks they ^Gforced me ^Cto ^Dgo.

When ^Dfirst I deserted, I ^Gthought myself ^Cfree ^AmUn--^Dtil my cruel comrade in^Gformed a^Cgainst ^Dme. I was ^Gquickly followed ^Dafter and ^Gbrought back with ^Cspeed, ^AmI was ^Dhandcuffed and guarded, heavy ^Girons put ^Con ^Dme.

Court ^Dmartial, court martial, they ^Gheld upon ^Cme ^AmAnd ^Dthe sentence passed upon me, three ^Ghundred ^Cand ^Dthree. May the ^GLord have mercy ^Don them for ^Gtheir sad cruel^Cty, ^AmFor ^Dnow the Queen's duty lies ^Gheavy ^Con ^Dme.

When ^Dnext I deserted, I ^Gthought myself ^Cfree ^AmUn--^Dtil my cruel sweetheart in^Gformed a^Cgainst ^Dme. I was ^Gquickly followed ^Dafter and ^Gbrought back with ^Cspeed ^AmI was ^Dhandcuffed and guarded, heavy ^Girons put ^Con ^Dme.

Court ^Dmartial, court martial then ^Gquickly was ^Cgot ^AmAnd ^Dthe sentence passed upon me, that ^GI was to ^Cbe s^Dhot. May the ^GLord have mercy ^Don them for ^Gtheir sad cruel^Cty, ^AmFor ^Dnow the Queen's duty lies ^Gheavy ^Con ^Dme.

Then ^Dup rode Prince Albert in his ^Gcarriage and ^Csix, ^AmSaying, “^DWhere is that young man whose ^Gcoffin ^Cis ^Dfixed? Set him ^Gfree from his ^Dirons and ^Glet him go ^Cfree, ^AmFor he'll ^Dmake a good soldier for his ^GQueen and ^Ccoun^Dtry.”