My Father Was a Spanish Merchant- Devlin (NY) c.1937
[Date by Roud could be much earlier. From: Never without a Song: The Years and Songs of Jennie Devlin, 1865-1952, by Katharine D. Newman on pp.139-140.
These are same stanzas and Chorus as found in Wakefield's print version of 1881 published in PA and NY the area Devlin lived.
R. Matteson 2017]
My Father Was a Spanish Merchant- sung by Jennie Devlin, 1865-1952 who worked and lived along the New York-Pennsylvania border.
1. My father was a Spanish merchant
And before he went to sea,
He told me to be sure and answer,
"No,' to all you said to me.
CHORUS: No sir! No sir! No sir! No.
2. If when walking in the garden,
Plucking flowers all wet with dew,
Tell me, will you be offended,
If I walked and talked with you?
CHORUS
3. If when walking in the garden,
I should ask you to be mine,
And should tell you that I loved you,
Would you then my heart decline?
CHORUS