Nothing can be traced about the origins of this song but the sentimental and moralising tone suggest it is Victorian.   There is evidence of its being sung in the 1890s in Australia and it was published in ‘Good Old Time Songs, no 2’ by Wehman Bros in New York in 1910.   Apart from that, it is seemingly rare and only appears a handful of times in oral tradition.

The 1910 words are as follows:

When a youngster at home, I vowed I’d ne’er roam
And oft of that vow I have thought.
The advice given me at my old mother’s knee
To my memory has often been brought.
I was but a lad and a quarrel I had
With my brother one morning at play
I struck him a blow, my temper to show
When my mother unto me did say:

Forgive and forget all the troubles you’ve met
No doubt it has caused you much pain.
I shall not happy be ‘till I stand here and see
You make friends with your brother again.

Now he thought me the worst and he would not speak first
Which filled me with grief and with pain.
He left home that day, and for years stayed away.
‘Till in sorrow I met him again.
I then saw him laid upon his death bed
His end was quite nigh, it was plain.
But tho’ feeble and weak, he managed to speak,
Be friends with your brother again.

Forgive and forget all the troubles you’ve met
No doubt it has caused you both pain.
I happy will die if you’ll only stand by
And be friends with your brother again.

Now the words that he said I have kept in my head,
And ever since I’ve been a man
My motto has been when a quarrel I’ve seen
To prevent it whenever I can.
A short time ago two old friends I know
Beat each other till both fairly bled
Both asked me to stay and to witness fair play
And these were the words that I said

“Forgive and forget all the troubles you’ve met.
No doubt it has caused you both pain
With pleasure I’ll stay and I’ll witness fair play
So make friends with each other again.

Now it does seem absurd, that for one little word
The dearest and best friends we must part.
For we all know quite well, there is no man can tell,
The secrets that lie in the heart.
So while we’ve to live, let’s forget and forgive
Although it may cause us much pain
And whenever we roam, abroad or at home
Let’s be friends all together again.

Let’s forgive and forget all the troubles we’ve met
Although it may cause us all pain.
And whenever we roam, abroad or at home
Let’s be friends with each other again.

Notes by Gwilym Davies