"The Contemplator" website, at http://www.contemplator.com/england/overhls.html ,
provides this description of the well-loved air, "Over the Hills and Far Away":

"This tune was published in Thomas D'Urfey's 'Pills to Purge Melancholy' (Originally
in 1706). It appeared in 'The Recruiting Officer,' a comedy by George Farquhar and in
John Gay's 'The Beggar's Opera' (1728) [with music arranged by John Christopher
Pepusch (1685-1732)]...
"According to one source the tune is an older air whose origin is unkown. Another
sources states the original air was 'Jockey's Lamentation' or 'Jockey met with Jenny
fair'...John Tams wrote new lyrics to the tune for [the TV series] 'Sharpe's Rifles.'
"The tune was very popular in Colonial and Revolutionary America.
"These are the words as sung in 'The Recruiting Officer':

"Our 'prentice Tom may now refuse
To wipe his scoundrel Master's Shoes,
For now he's free to sing and play
Over the Hills and far away.
Over the Hills and O'er the Main,
To Flanders, Portugal and Spain,
The queen commands and we'll obey
Over the Hills and far away.

"We all shall lead more happy lives
By getting rid of brats and wives
That scold and bawl both night and day -
Over the Hills and far away.
Over the Hills and O'er the Main,
To Flanders, Portugal and Spain,
The queen commands and we'll obey
Over the Hills and far away.

"Courage, boys, 'tis one to ten,
But we return all gentlemen
All gentlemen as well as they,
Over the hills and far away.
Over the Hills and O'er the Main,
To Flanders, Portugal and Spain,
The queen commands and we'll obey
Over the Hills and far away."

For a very sprightly, and also instrumentally updated, version (again on YouTube), see:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf_oS3fezHI&feature=related
[""Over the hills and far away" (Sharpe) Purpular Records, traditional English"]