The Fair Flower of Northumberland

Child  #9  6:34  V, B, BP & Northumbrian Smallpipes (NS)
Leman and paramour both mean ‘sweetheart’, but the tone is one of disapproval.

A bailiff’s fair daughter, she lived by the Aln,
A young maid’s love is easily won,
She heard a poor prisoner making his moan,
And she the fair flower of Northumberland.

“If ye could love me, as I do love thee,
A young maid’s love is hard to win,
I’ll make you a lady of high degree,
When once we go down to fair Scotland.”

To think of the prisoner her heart was sore,
A young maid’s love is easily won,
Her love it was much, but her pity was more,
And she the fair flower of Northumberland.

She stole from her father’s pillow the key,
A young maid’s love, etc.,
And out of the dungeon she soon set him free,
And she the fair flower, etc.

She led him unto her father’s stable,
A young maid’s love, etc.,
And they’ve taken a steed both gallant and able
To carry them down to fair Scotland.

When they first took the way, it was darling and dear,
A young maid’s love, etc.,
As foward they fared, all changed was his cheer,
And she the fair flower, etc.

They rode till they came to a fair Scottish cross,
A young maid’s love, etc.,
Says he, “Now, pray madam, dismount from my horse
And go get you back to Northumberland.”

“It befits not to ride with a leman light,
A young maid’s love, etc.,
When awaits my returning my own lady bright,
My own wedded wife in fair Scotland.”

The words that he said on her fond heart smote,
A young maid’s love, etc.,
She knew not in sooth if she lived or not,
And she the fair flower, etc.

She looked to his face and it seemed so unkind,
A young maid’s love, etc.,
That her fast coming tears soon rendered her blind,
And she the fair flower, etc.

“Have pity on me as I had it on thee,
O why was my love so easily won!
A slave in your kitchen I’m willing to be,
But I cannot go back to Northumberland.”

“Or carry me up by the middle sae small,
O why was my love so easily won!
And fling me headlong from your high castle wall
For I dare not go back to Northumberland.”

Her wailing, her woe, for nothing they went,
A young maid’s love, etc.,
His bosom was stone and he would not relent,
And she the fair flower, etc.

He turned him around and he thought of a plan,
A young maid’s love, etc.,
He bought an old horse and he hired an old man
To carry her back to Northumberland.

A heavy heart makes a weary way,
A young maid’s love, etc.,
She reached her home in the evening gray,
And she the fair flower, etc.

And all as she stood at her own father’s gate,
A young maid’s love, etc.
More loud beat her heart than her knocking thereat,
And she the fair flower, etc.

Down came her step-dame, so rugged and dour,
“O why was your love so easily won?
In Scotland go back to your false paramour,
You shall not stay here in Northumberland!”

Down came her father, he saw her and smiled,
“A young maid’s love is easily won,
You are not the first that false Scots have beguiled,
And ye’re aye welcome back to Northumberland.

You shall not want houses, you shall not want land,
A young maid’s love is easily won,
You shall not want gold for to gain a husband,
And you’re still the fair flower of Northumberland.”