The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume Ii Part 54

XVII. I am a gentleman come from Spain; I've come to court your daughter Jane.

My daughter Jane, is yet too young To understand your flattering tongue.

Let her be young, or let her be old, She must be sold for Spanish gold.

So fare thee well, my lady gay, I'll call upon you another day.

Turn back, turn back, you saucy lad,[11]

And choose the fairest you can spy!

The fairest one that I can see Is pretty Miss --. Come to me!

I've brought your daughter home safe and sound, With money in her pocket here, a thousand pound: Take your saucy girl back again.

-Bocking, Ess.e.x (_Folk-lore Record_, iii. pt. ii. 171).

XVIII. Here comes three knights all out of Spain, A-courting of your daughter Jane.

My daughter Jane, she is too young, She can't abide your flattering tongue.

If she be young, or she be old, She for her beauty must be sold.

Go back, go back, you Spanish knight, And rub your spurs till they are bright.

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

Walk up the kitchen and down the hall, And choose the fairest of us all.

Madams, to you I bow and bend, I take you for my dearest friend; You are two beauties, I declare, So come along with me, my dear.

-Wenlock, Condover, Ellesmere, Market Drayton (_Shrops.h.i.+re Folk-lore_, p. 516).

XIX. Here come three dukes all out of Spain, In mourning for your daughter Jane.

My daughter Jane, is yet too young To cast her eyes on such a one.

Let her be young, or let her be old, 'Tis for her beauty she must be sold.

So fare thee well, my lady gay, I'll call on you another day.

Turn back, turn back, you saucy Jack, Up through the kitchen and through the hall, And pick the fairest of them all.

The fairest one that I can see.

So please, Miss --, come with me.

-Pembrokes.h.i.+re, Wales (_Folk-lore Record_, v. 89).

XX. Here's two brothers come from Spain, For to court your daughter Jane.

My daughter Jane, she is too young, She has not learned her mother tongue.

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

But fare thee well, my lady gay, And I'll call back some other day.

Come back! come back! take the fairest you see.

The fairest one that I can see Is bonnie Jeanie [or Maggie, &c.], so come to me.

Here's your daughter, safe and sound, In every pocket a thousand pound, On every finger a gay gold ring, So, pray, take your daughter back again.

-_People's Friend_, quoted in review of "Arbroath: Past and Present."

XXI. We are three suitors come from Spain, Come to court your daughter Jane.

My daughter Jane she is too young To be beguiled by flattering tongue.

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

Return, return, your coat is white, And take the fairest in your sight.

Here's your daughter safe and sound, And in her pocket five hundred pound, On her finger a gay gold ring, Fit to walk with any king.

-Dublin (Mrs. Lincoln).

XXII. Here comes a poor duke out of Spain, He comes to court your daughter Jane.

My daughter Jane is yet too young, She has a false and flattering tongue.

Let her be young, or let her be old, Her beauty is gone, she must be sold.

Fare thee well, my lady gay, I'll call again another day.

Turn back, turn back, you ugly wight, And clean your spurs till they s.h.i.+ne bright.

My spurs they s.h.i.+ne as bright as snow, And fit for any king to show; So fare thee well, my lady gay, I'll call again another day.

Turn back, turn back, you ugly wight, And choose the fairest one you like.

The fairest one that I can see, Is you, dear --, so come with me.

-_Notes and Queries_ (1852), vol. vi. 242.

XXIII. Here comes three knights all out of Spain, We have come to court your daughter Jane.

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

Whether she be young or old, 'Tis for her beauty she must be sold.

Turn back, turn back, ye Spanish knights, And rub your spurs till they are bright.