Roger The Miller

(Traditional)

Roger The Miller relates the story of a young Miller who lost his true love because he also fell in love with her father’s horse. It was sung in Merasheen by Billy Wilson.
Sung here by Billy’s nephew, Gerald Pearson.

Roger the miller was courting of late,
A farmer's young daughter, her name it was Kate;
She had for her fortune jewels and rings,
She had for her fortune many fine things.
She had for her fortune a great deal of crowns,
She had for her fortune,
She had for her fortune about five hundred pounds.

When the will it was read and all passed and gone,
It was a great fortune, this five hundred pounds;
"And although your daughter is charming and fair,
I won't have your daughter without the grey mare.
I won't have your daughter, I solemnly swear,
I won't have your daughter,
I won't have your daughter without the grey mare."

Oh the grey mare was banished right out of his sight,
And also young Katie, his joy and delight;
Young Roger the miller was thrown out the door,
And ordered to never go there anymore.
Young Roger he tore on his bright yellow hair,
And wished he had never,
He wished he had never spoke of the grey mare.

Oh the will it was read and a long time being gone,
When Roger and Katie they both met again;
Says Roger to Katie, "Oh do you know me?"
"I think I have seen you before sir," said she.
"A man of your features with bright yellow hair,
Who once came a-courting,
Who once came a-courting my father's grey mare."

"It was not the grey mare a-courting I came,
But the farmer's young daughter called Katie by name;
Not thinking that the old man he would dispute,
But give me his daughter and the grey mare too.
Not thinking he'd lose such a charming young son,
It's now that I'm sorry,
It's now that I'm sorry for what I have done."

"You're sorry," says Kate, "but I value you not,
For there's lots of young men in this town to be got;
If you got the grey mare you would have had me,
But now you have neither the grey mare nor me.
The price of that grey mare was so very great,
So fare you well, Roger,
So fare you well, Roger, go mourn for Kate."