Fair Flooer o Northumberland- Mrs. Ann Lyall (Aber) 1880 Carpenter
[From the James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/2/2/E, pp. 04842-04843, with several corrupt stanzas, including the first where the chorus was the 3rd line (see footnote 1). See also Greig-Duncan A as collected by Duncan c. 1908. This is nearly identical to Grieg C.
R. Matteson 2018]
"Fair Flooer o Northumberland," sung by Mrs. A. Lyall of Skene, Dunecht, Aberdeenshire, c.1880. Learned about 50 years ago from her mother, Mrs. Ella Roy. Her mother lived in Lyne of Skene and learned ballads from her father and grandfather. Collected by Carpenter in 1930.
Ae Scottish prisoner was makin' his moan[1],
O gin her love it was easily won,
"O gin I had but a lady to woo,
I would mak her a lady, and that would do."
Ae provost's daughter was walkin' alone,
O but her love it was easily won,
She heard this Scottish prisoner makin' his moan,
And she the fair Flooer o' Northumberland.
She hied her to her father's stable,
O but her love it was easily won,
And she's stow'd a steed baith stoot an' able,
To carry then baith to fair Scotland.
As they rode ower the first Scottish moor,
He says, "O but your love was easily won,
Get ye back home[],ye brazen-face hoor,
Get ye back to Northumberland.
"Hae pity on me as I had on thee,
Althoch my love was easily won,
For a cook in your kitchen I should be,
. . . .
What wye could I tak pity on thee?
Althoch your love it was easily won."
For I hae a wife and bairnies three,
To care for in auld Scotland.
A cook in your kitchen I should be,
Althoch my love it was easily won."
"My lady has no use for such as thee,
So get ye back to Northumberland.
Laith was he this young lady to kill,
Althoch her love it was easily won,
So he bought her an auld horse and hired an auld man,
And hurl'd her bak to Northumberland.
On this bonnie lassie her father did froon,
"O but your love was easily won!
Ye followed a rebel, a wretch was he,
And ye aye the fair Flooer o' Northumberland."
On this bonnie lassie her mother did smile,
"O but your love was easily won!
But ye're nase the first that the Scots hae beguiled,
An' ye're welcome bak to Northumberland."
"Ye sanna[2] want siller, an ye sanna want fee,
Althoch your love it was easily won,
An' ye sanna want gowd to buy another man wi',
And ye aye the fair Flooer o' Northumberland."
_________________________________
1. In all other versions the chorus is the 2nd lie, here it's the 3rd line, originally:
Ae Scottish prisoner was makin' his moan,
"O gin I had but a lady to woo,
O gin her love it was easily won,
I would mak her a lady, and that would do."
2. Surely this omission is to edit "whore (hoor)" which is written "ye brazen-face hoor," in other versions.
3. sanna, also "shanna" for "shall not"