Fair Flooer o Northumberland- B. Fowlie (Aber) 1931 Carpenter

Fair Flooer o Northumberland- B. Fowlie (Aber) 1931 Carpenter

[Fragment from James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/2/2/E, p. 04844,

R. Matteson 2018]

The Fair Flooer o' Northumberland- sung by Miss Bathia Fowlie, aged 63, of Middle Muir, Methlick, Aberdeenshire. She got the ballad from her mother who sang and recited while knitting.

   He bocht an old horse an' he hired an ald man
And sent her safe back to Northumberland.

On this bonnie lassie her father did frown,
"O but your love was sae easily won!
Ye've letten awa' a traitor, a clown,
And you the fair Flooer o' Northumberland."

But on this bonnie lassie her mother did smile,
"What thoch your love was easily won,
You are nae the first that the Scots hae beguiled,
Thoch ye are the fair Flooer o' Northumberland."

"Ye winna want meat, and ye winna want fee,
What thoch your love was easily won,
An' ye winna want gowd to buy another man wi',
And ye'll aye be the Flooer o' Northumberland."