The Squire of Edinburgh- Spencer (ON) 1962 Fowke
[Leo Spencer's version appeared in the Canada folk bulletin - Volume 1 - Page 36; Vancouver Folk Song Society - 1978.
R. Matteson 2013, 2016]
The Squire of Edinburgh- Sung by Leo Spencer, Lakefield, Ontario Collected by Edith Fowke, September, 1962. Transcribed by Peggy Seeger
In Edinburgh there lived a squire, a squire of high degree.
He courted a country girl, and a country girl was she.
When her old father came to hear, a crazy man was he,
Still begging of his daughter dear to shun his company.
There was a farmer lived in the west who had one only son,
He courted this pretty maid till she thought he had her won,
He got consent from all her friends, her father and mother likewise,
Oh, soon she cries, "I am undone!" as the tears rolled from her eyes.
She wrote her love a letter, and sealed it with her hand,
Saying she was to be married unto a farmer's son,
But when he read those first few lines, he laughed and then did say:
"Oh I'll deprive him of his life, all on his wedding day."
So he wrote her back an answer both sharp and both keen:
"Go dress yourself in green," he cries, "and dress yourself in green;"
"Go dress yourself in green," he cries. "The same clothes I will wear,
And I will take you from his side in spite of all who's there."
So he looked east, he looked west, he looked all o'er his land,
He counted out fourscore and men of his own Scottish clan.
He mounted them unto milk-white steeds; their clothing was blue and green,
Away he rode to Edinburgh with his company dressed in green.
But when he came to the wedding house the company invited him in,
"Then did you see that lord who had rode along in green?"
He looked at them, he scoffed at them and he smiled and then did say:
"Oh maybe they're some fairy troop who carried on the way."
He drank a glass of their good port wine, oh he drank a toast all round,
Saying, "Happy is the young man to whom they call the groom,
But happier is the young man who will enjoy the bride,
There must be one in this company, that would take her from his side."
So up steps the groom himself, and an angry man was he,
Saying, "If it's fighting you came here, I am the man for thee."
"It is not fighting I come here, it's friendship for to show;
Give me one kiss from your lovely bride and away from you I'll go."
He took her by the middle small and by the grass-green sleeve;
He marched right out of the wedding house, of the company asked no leave.
The drums did beat, the fifes did play, 'twas glory to be seen,
And away he rode through Edinburgh with his company dressed in green.