New River Shore-Palmer (NS) 1919 Mackenzie
[From The Quest of the Ballad by William Roy Mackenzie, 1919. Mackinzie does not make the connection of this ballad to "Bold Soldier." It's clear that the parents forbade Jimmie the relationship and sent the soldier away, "They sent me away where loud cannons did roar." He fights seven men sent from his father to win his love. Clearly this is related to bold soldier, and clearly it is different.
R. Matteson 2014]
New River Shore- Mrs. James Palmer, Waldengrave, NS 1919
O can you love little, O can you love long?
Can you love an old sweetheart till the new comes on?
Can you tell them you love them their minds for to ease?
And when their backs is turned to you, you can do as you please.
Yes, I can love little, I can love long,
1 can love an old sweetheart till the new comes on.
I can tell them I love them their minds for to ease,
And when their backs is turned to me, I can do as I please.
As I was a walking one morning in spring
To hear the birds whistle and the nightingales sing
I saw a pretty fair maid. She's the one I adore.
I'll be her own true love on the New River Shore.
It's when my love's parents they came for to hear,
They pressed me away from my dearest dear.
They sent me away where loud cannons did roar,
And left her lamenting on the New River Shore.
It was three months after a letter she sent,
. . . .
Come back, my dearest Jimmie, you're the lad I adore,
And straight I'll go with you from the New River Shore.
I picked up my broadsword. It glittered all round.
A short time after laid seven to the ground.
Some bleeding, some dying, some wounded full sore,
I gained my own true love on the New River Shore.
O hard is the fate of all women kind.
They're always controlled, they're always confined.
Controlled by their parents until they're married wives,
Then slaves to their husbands all the rest of their lives.