Katherine Jaffray- Bray (NS) 1950 Creighton B
[Creighton's title. From Traditional Songs from Nova Scotia, by Creighton and Senior, 1950. Compare this to Creighton's version by Henneberry, and the A version, all from Nova Scotia, all based on the broadside, Squire of Edinburgh. Clearly this is not a local title; the local title should be something like: A Farmer Lived in the East.
R. Matteson 2013, 2016]
B. "Katherine Jaffray"- Sung by John Bray, Glencoe, NS, pre1950 Creighton B
1. It's of a farmer who lived in the east,
He had an only son.
He courted of a counteree lass,
Till he thought he had her won.
2. He got leave from the father, the mother,
The old and young likewise,
Till she cried to him, "I am undone,"
And the tears fell from her eyes.
3. Then she wrote a letter to her own true love,
She sealed it with a key,
Saying, "They're marrying me to a farmer's son
And so fare you well to thee. "
4. Then he wrote her back an answer
He sealed it with a ring,
A-telling her on her wedding day
To be sure to dress in green.
5. "A suit of the same I will put on,
To your wedding I will go,
I'll let that young man see if he's going
For to play that game or no."
6. Then he looked to the east and he looked to the west,
He looked all round the land,
He chose four score of the king's best men
That belonged to his royal band.
7. Then he mounted them double on milk-white steeds,
A single man rode he,
And they rode till they came to the wedding house
Where the wedding was going to be.
8. Then he stepped boldly up to his true love's door,
He knocked both loud and keen,
And the very first one who appeared at the door
Was the young bride dressed in green.
9. "Have you been east or have you been west,
Or have you been out all day
Or have you seen the foreign troops
As they rode all on this way? "
10. "I have been east and I have been west
And I have been out all day,
And I might have seen your foreign troops
As they rode all on this way."
11. Then she filled him a glass of the new port wine,
He drank to the company 'round,
Saying, "Here's a health to the intended bride
And the man they call the groom."
12. "For a happy man henceforth is he,
But ten times happier is the bride,
For another might have her just as well,
And steal her from his side."
13. Then up steps the groom with an angry frown,
For an angry man was he,
Saying, "If it's for fighting, you came here
I'm just the man for thee."
14. "It's not for fighting I came here
But good company for to show,
And it's one wee kiss from your bonny, bonny lass
And way from thee I'll go."
15. He took her by the grass, green sleeves
Around the waist so small,
He led her out of the wedding room
And before the nobles all.
16.The drums did beat and the band did play,
It was glorious to be seen,
And they gave three cheers to the farmer's son
And the company dressed in green.