Flower of Northumberland- Shirer (Aber) 1910 Grieg
[From James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/2/2/E, pp. 04849-04850, also Greig-Duncan B (c. 1908) and published about 1910 in Grieg's article in Folk-songs of the North-East (see also: Last Leaves).
R. Matteson 2018]
Flower of Northumberland - sung by Annie Shirer of Kininmonth, Aberdeenshire, published about 1910 in Greig's article in Folk-songs of the North-East; collected by Grieg about 1908 (see also: Last Leaves).
1. The provost's daughter was walking alone,
Oh but her love was easy won,
She heard a Scotch prisoner making his moan;
She was the Flower of Northumberland."
2. "Oh, gin a may(girl) would borrow me,
Oh gin her love was easy won,
I wad mak her a lady o' high degree,
If she'd loose me oot o this prison sae strong."
3. She hae gane to her father's bedstock,
Oh but her love was easy won,
She's stolen the keys of many fine lock,
And she's loosed him oot o the prison so strong.
4. She's done to her father's stable,
Oh but her love was easy won,
And she's stolen a steed that was baith fleet and able,
Tae carry him on tee fair Scotland.
5. As they were baith riding across the Scotch moor,
Oh but her love was easy won,
Gang doon from my horse, I can have you no more,
I am now riding safe on my own Scotch muir.
6. For I hae a wife in my ain countree,
Oh but your love was easy won,
I canna dee naething wi' a miss like thee,
So you'll better gang back to Northumberland."
7. "A cook in your kitchen I will be,
Altho' my love it was easy won,
I'll wait at your table and serve your leddy,
For I canna gang back to Northumberland."
8. "It's cook in my kitchen you canna be,
Oh but your love it was easy won,
My leddy she cann hae servants like thee,
So ye'll better gang back tee Northumberland."
9. Laith[1] was he the lassie tae tine,
Altho' her love it was easy won,
He bocht her an auld horse, an' hired an auld man.
An' he sent her safe back to Northumberland.
10. When she gaed in, her father did frown,
And said, "Oh but your love it was easy won,
"To follow a Scot, when you're scarcely eighteen,
And you were the flower o' Northumberland."
11. But when she gaed ben her mother before,
And says, "Oh but your love it was easy won,
But you're nae the first that the Scotch hae beguiled."
And you're welcome back to Northumberland.
12. "Ye sanna wint bried(bread) and ye sanna wint wine,
Altho' your love it was easy won,
And ye sanna wint siller to buy a man wi',
And you're aye the Flower o' Northumberland.
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1. "Loath was he, the lassie to lose, (the previous stanza is missing, which would determine how "tine" is interpreted)