The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume Ii Part 52

Be she young, or be she old, For her beauty she must be sold.

So fare you well, my lady gay, We'll call again another day.

Turn back, turn back, thou scornful knight, And rub thy spurs till they be bright.

Of my spurs take you no thought, For in this town they were not bought.

So fare you well, my lady gay, We'll call again another day.

Turn back, turn back, thou scornful knight, And take the fairest in your sight.

The fairest maid that I can see, Is pretty Nancy-come to me.

Here comes your daughter, safe and sound, Every pocket with a thousand pound, Every finger with a gay gold ring, Please to take your daughter in.

-Halliwell's _Nursery Rhymes_, cccx.x.xiii.

IV. We are three brethren come from Spain, All in French garlands; We are come to court your daughter Jean, And adieu to you, my darlings.

My daughter Jean, she is too young, All in French garlands; She cannot bide your flattering tongue, And adieu to you, my darlings.

Be she young, or be she old, All in French garlands; It's for a bride she must be sold, And adieu to you, my darlings.

A bride, a bride, she shall not be, All in French garlands; Till she go through this world with me, And adieu to you, my darlings.

[There is here a hiatus, the reply of the lovers being wanting.]

Come back, come back, you courteous knights, All in French garlands; Clear up your spurs, and make them bright, And adieu to you, my darlings.

[Another hiatus.]

Smell my lilies, smell my roses, All in French garlands; Which of my maidens do you choose?

And adieu to you, my darlings.

Are all your daughters safe and sound?

All in French garlands; Are all your daughters safe and sound?

And adieu to you, my darlings.

In every pocket a thousand pounds, All in French garlands; On every finger a gay gold ring, And adieu to you, my darlings.

-Chambers's _Popular Rhymes_, 143.

V. Here come three Spaniards out of Spain, A courting to your daughter Jane.

Our daughter Jane, she is too young, She hath not learnt the Spanish tongue.

Whether she be young, or whether she be old, It's for her beauty she must be sold.

Turn back, turn back, ye Spanish knight, And rub your spurs till they be bright.

Our spurs are bright and richly wrought, For in this town they were not bought; And in this town they shan't be sold, Neither for silver nor for gold.

Pa.s.s through the kitchen, and through the hall, And pick the fairest of them all.

This is the fairest I can see, So pray, young lady, walk with me.

-Leicester (Miss Ellis).

VI. Here come three Spaniards out of Spain, A courting of your daughter Jane.

My daughter Jane, she is too young, She has not learned the Spanish tongue.

Whether she be young or old, She must have a gift of gold; So fare you well, my lady gay, We'll turn our heads another way.

Come back, come back, thou Spanish knight, And pick the fairest in this night.

-Addy's _Sheffield Glossary_.

VII. There were three lords they came from Spain, They came to court my daughter Jane;

My daughter Jane, she is too young To hear your false and flattering tongue.

So fare thee well, your daughter Jane, I'll call again, another day, another year.

Turn back, turn back, and choose The fairest one that you can see.

The fairest one that I can see, Is pretty Jane, will you come with me.

[Jane says No.]

The proud little girl, she won't come out, she won't come out, to help us with our dancing; So fare you well, I'll come again another day.

Turn back, turn back, and choose The fairest one that you can see.

The fairest one that I can see, Is pretty Sarah, will you come with me?

[Yes.]

Now we have got the pretty fair maid To help us with our dancing, Dance round the ring.

-Belfast (W. H. Patterson).

VIII. There was one lord came out of Spain, He came to court our daughter Jane.

Our daughter Jane, she is too young, To be controlled by flattering tongue.

Oh! fare thee well. Oh! fare thee well, I'll go and court some other girl.

Come back, come back, your coat is wide, And choose the fairest on our side.

The fairest one that I can see, Come unto me, come unto me.