| 1 |
The provost's daughter went out a walking,
A may's love whiles is easy won
She heard a poor prisoner making his moan,
And she was the fair flower of Northumberland. |
| 2 |
'If any lady would borrow me
Out into the prison strong,
I would make her a lady of high degree,
For I am a great lord in fair Scotland.' |
| 3 |
She's done her to her father's bed-stock,
A may's love whiles is easy won
She's stolen the keys o many braw lock,
And she's loosd him out o the prison strong. |
| 4 |
She's done her to her father's stable,
A may's love whiles is easy won
She's taen out a steed that was both swift and able,
To carry them both to fair Scotland. |
| 5 |
O when they came to the Scottish cross,
A may's whiles is easy won
'Ye brazen-faced whore, light off o my horse,
And go get you back to Northumberland!' |
| 6 |
O when they came to the Scottish moor,
A may's love whiles is easy won
'Get off o my horse, you're a brazen-faced whore,
So go get you back to Northumberland!' |
| 7 |
'O pity on me, O pity,' said she,
'O that my love was so easy won!
Have pity on me as I had upon thee,
When I loosd you out of the prison strong.' |
| 8 |
'O how can I have pity on thee?
O why was your love so easy won!
When I have a wife and children three
More worthy than a' Northumberland.' |
| 9 |
'Cook in your kitchen I will be,
O that my love was so easy won!
And serve your lady most reverently,
For I darena go back to Northumberland.' |
| 10 |
'Cook in my kitchen you shall not be,
Why was your love so easy won!
For I will have no such servants as thee,
So get you back to Northumberland.' |
| 11 |
But laith was he the lassie to tyne,
A may's love whiles is easy won
He's hired an old horse and feed an old man,
To carry her back to Northumberland. |
| 12 |
O when she came her father before,
A may's love whiles is easy won
She fell down on her knees so low
For she was the fair flower of Northumberland. |
| 13 |
'O daughter, O daughter, why was ye so bold,
Or why was your love so easy won,
To be a Scottish whore in your fifteen year old?
And you the fair flower of Northumberland!' |
| 14 |
Her mother she gently on her did smile,
O that her love was so easy won!
'She is not the first that the Scotts have beguild,
But she's still the fair flower of Northumberland. |
| 15 |
'She shanna want gold, she shanna want fee,
Altho that her love was so easy won,
She shanna want gold to gain a man wi,
And she's still the fair flower of Northumberland.' |
