Squire of Edinburg Town- Welsh (ME) pre1907 Barry, Flanders B
[From Ancient Ballads, III, Flanders, 1963.
R. Matteson 2013, 2016]
B. "The Squire of Edinburg Town."- Sung Ann Welsh of Brunswick, Maine, 1907. Welsh was a native of County Clair, Ireland. This was learned from "some young men in the village streets on a Winter night." Collected by P. Barry, Flanders B
There was a squire in Edinburg town,
A squire of high degree,
He courted a country girl,
And a comely girl was she.
When her father come to hear.
An angry man was he
He requested of his daughter dear
To shun his company.
There was a farmer lived in the West,
He had an only son.
He courted of this country girl,
He thought he had her won.
He got consent from father and mother,
The Young and old likewise,
But still she cries "I am undone!"
The tears rolled from her eyes.
She wrote her love a letter,
And sealed it from her hand,
That she was going to be wedded
Unto another man.
The very first line that he did read,
He smiled, and this did say,
"I might deprive him of his bride,
All on his wedding day."
He wrote her back an answer,
To be sure and dress in green.
. . .
. . .
So a suit of the same I will put on,
For your wedding I'll prepare.
My dearest dear, it's you I'll wed,
In spite of all that's there!"
He look-ed east and he look-ed west.
He looked all over the land.
He mounted eight score horses,
All of the Scottish clans.
He mounted on a milk-white steed,
And a single man rode he.
Now he is gone to the wedding house,
With a company dressed in green.
"Now welcome, welcome here!" she says.
"Where have you been all day.
And did you see these gentlemen,
That rode all on the way?"
He laughed at her, and scoffed at her,
And then to her did say,
"They might have been some fairy troop,
That rode along the way."
She filled him a glass of port wine,
He drank to the company round.
. . .
. . .
Saying "Happy is the man," he says,
Who will enjoy the bride,
Another might love her as well,
And take her from his side!"
Out stands the groom himself,
And an angry man was he.
Saying "If it be to fight that you came here,
I am the man for thee!"
" 'Tis not to fight I come here,
But company for to show.
Give me one kiss from the bonny bride,
And away from her I will go!"
He took her by the grass-green sleeve,
And by the middle so small,
He brought her out from the wedding house,
All from the company all.
The drums did beat and fifes did play,
Most glorious to be seen.
And away she's gone from the wedding house
With his company all in green.