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_, cccxxxiii.
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.
Pass 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.
--Belfast (W. H. Patterson).
IX. There were three lords came out of Spain,
They came to court my daughter Jane;
My daughter Jane, she is too young
To bear your false and flattering tongue.
So fare you well, so fare you well,
I'll go and court some other girl.
Come back, come back, your coat is white,
And choose the fairest in your sight.
The fairest one that I can see,
Is [ ] come unto me.
--Belfast (W. H. Patterson).
X. Here come three dukes dressed all in green,
They come to court your daughter Jane.
My daughter Jane, she is too young
To understand your flattering tongue.
Let her be young, or let her be old,
It is for her beauty she must be sold.
Eighteenpence would buy such a wench,
As either you or your daughter Jane.[10]
--Middlesex (from Mrs. Pocklington-Coltman's maid).
XI. There came a king from Spain,
To court your daughter Jane.
My daughter Jane, she's yet too young
To be deluded by a flattering tongue.
Whether she's old, or whether she's young,
It's for her beauty she must come.
Then turn about, her coat is thin,
And seek the fairest of your right.
The fairest one that I can see
Is fair and lovely Jan-ie.
Then here's my daughter safe and sound,
And in her pocket three hundred pound,
And on her finger a gay gold ring,
She's fit to walk with any king.
--Annaverna, Ravensdale, Co. Louth (Miss R. Stephens).
XII. There came three dukes a-riding, riding, riding;
Oh! we be come all out of Spain,
All for to court your daughter Jane.
My daughter Jane, she is too young,
She has not learned her mother-tongue.
Let her be young, or let her be old,
The fate of beauty's to be sold.
Here's my daughter safe and sound,
And in her pocket a thousand pound,
And on her finger a gay gold ring.
Here's your daughter not safe nor sound,
And in her pocket no thousand pound,
And on her finger no gay gold ring;
Open your door and take her in.
--London (Miss Dendy).
XIII. There came three dukes all out of Spain,
All for to court your daughter Jane.
My daughter Jane, she is too young,
She has not learned her mother-tongue.
Let her be young, let her be old,
The fate of beauty's to be sold.
Walk through the parlour, walk through the hall,
And choose the fairest one of all.
The fairest one that I can see
Is little ----, so come to me. No!
Will you come? No!
Naughty one, naughty one, you won't come out
To join us in our dancing!
Will you come? Yes!
Now we've got a pretty fair one
To join us in our dancing.
--Colleyhurst, Manchester (Miss Dendy).
XIV. Two poor gentlemen are come out of Spain,
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.
Turn back, turn back, you haughty knight,
And take the fairest in your sight.
This is the fairest I can see,
So ( ) must come to me.
--Bexley Heath (Miss Morris).
XV. Here come three lords all dressed in green,
All for the sake of your daughter Jane.
My daughter Jane, she is so young,
She doesn't know her mother-tongue.
[Or,
My cake ain't baked, my ban [_qy._ beer or barm] ain't
brewed,
And yew can't hev my daughter Jane.]
Fie upon you and your daughter Jane; [scornfully,]
Eighteenpence will buy a good wench,
As well as you and your daughter Jane.
--Swaffham, Norfolk (Miss Matthews).
XVI. Here come three lords all dressed in green,
Here come three lords all come from Spain,
All for the sake of your daughter Jane.
My daughter Jane, she is so young,
She hath no knowledge in her tongue.
--Kent (Miss Fowler).
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, Essex (_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 (_Shropshire 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.
--Pembrokeshire, 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 shine bright.
My spurs they shine 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.
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.
Turn back, turn back, ye Spanish knights,
And brush your buckles till they are bright.
Our buckles 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.
--Yorkshire (Miss E. Cadman).
XXIV. There was one lord that came from Spain,
He came to court my daughter Jane;
My daughter Jane, she is too young
To be controlled by a flattering tongue.
Will you? No.
Will you? Yes.
[This second one then joins hands with the "lord," and they dance round
together, saying--]
You dirty wee scut, you wouldn't come out
To help us with our dancing.
--Ballymiscaw school, co. Down (Miss C. N. Patterson).
XXV. There were one lord came out of Spain,
Who came to court your daughter Jane.
Your 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 white,
And choose the fairest in your sight.
The fairest one that I can see, is ----, come to me.
--Holywood, co. Down (Miss C. N. Patterson).
XXVI. Here's two dukes come out from Spain,
For to court your daughter Jane;
My daughter Jane is far too young,
She cannot hear your flattering tongue.
Be she young, or be she old,
Her beauty must be sold,
Either for silver or for gold;
So fare you well, my lady fair,
I'll call again some other day.
--Galloway (J. G. Carter).
XXVII. Here's one old Jew, just come from Spain,
To ask alone your daughter Jane.
Our daughter Jane is far too young
To understand your Spanish tongue.
Go away, Coat-green.
My name is _not_ Coat-green,
I _step_ my foot, and away I go.
Come back, come back, your coat is green,
And choose the fairest one you see.
The fairest one that I can see
Is pretty Alice. Come to me.
I will not come.
Naughty girl, she won't come out,
She won't come out, she won't come out;
Naughty girl, she won't come out,
To see the ladies dancing.
I will come.
Pretty girl, she has come out,
She has come out, she has come out;
Pretty girl, she has come out,
To see the ladies dancing.
--Berwickshire (A. M. Bell, _Antiquary_, vol. xxx. p. 15).
XXVIII. Here come two Jews, just come from Spain,
To take away your daughter Jane.
My daughter Jane is far too young,
She cannot bear your chattering tongue.
Farewell! farewell! we must not stay;
We'll call again another day.
Come back, come back, your choice is free,
And choose the fairest one you see.
The fairest one that I can see
Is A---- F----. Come to me.
--Cowes, Isle of Wight (Miss E. Smith).
XXIX. There came three dukes a-riding, a-riding, a-riding,
There came three dukes a-riding,
To court my daughter Jane.
My daughter Jane is far too young, far too young,
My daughter Jane is far too young,
She hath a flattering tongue.
They're all as red as roses, as roses, as roses,
They're all as red as roses with sitting in the sun.
--Perth (Rev. W. Gregor).
XXX. Here comes a duke a-riding,
To court your daughter Jane.
My daughter Jane is far too young
To listen to your saucy tongue;
Go back, go back, you saucy Jack,
And clean your spurs and . . . .
My spurs are bright as bright can be,
With a tissima, tissima, tissima tee.
Go through the house, go through the hall,
And choose the fairest of them all.
The fairest one that I can see
Is ----. Come to me.
--Clapham School (Mrs. Herbertson).
XXXI. Here comes three dukes a-riding, a-riding,
Here comes three dukes a-riding, to court your daughter
Jane.
My daughter Jane is yet too young
To bear your silly, flattering tongue.
Be she young, or be she old,
She for beauty must and shall be sold.
So fare thee well, my lady gay,
We'll take our horse and ride away,
And call again another day.
Come back, come back! you Spanish knight,
And clean your spurs, they are not bright.
My spurs are bright as "rickety rock" [and richly wrought],
And in this town they were not bought,
And in this town they shan't be sold,
Neither for silver, copper, nor gold.
So fare thee well, &c.
Come back! come back! you Spanish Jack [or coxcomb].
Spanish Jack [or coxcomb] is not my name,
I'll stamp my foot [stamps] and say the same.
So fare thee well, &c.
Come back! come back! you Spanish knight,
And choose the fairest in your sight.
This is the fairest I can see,
So pray, young damsel, walk with me.
We've brought your daughter, safe and sound,
And in her pocket a thousand pound,
And on her finger a gay gold ring,
We hope you won't refuse to take her in.
I'll take her in with all my heart,
For she and "me" were loth to part.
--Cornwall (_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 46, 47).
XXXII. Here comes three dukes all out of Spain,
For to court your daughter Jane.
My daughter Jane, she is too young,
She cannot bear your flattering tongue.
Be she young, or be she old,
For her beauty she must be sold.
So fare thee well, my lady gay,
We'll call again another day.
Turn back, turn back, you Spanish knight,
And take the fairest in your sight.
Well through the kitchen and through the hall,
I take the fairest of you all.
The fairest one that I can see
Is pretty ----, come to me.
--Gloucestershire (Northall's _Rhymes_, p. 385).
XXXIII. Two poor sailors dressed in blue,
Two poor sailors dressed in blue,
Two poor sailors dressed in blue,
We come for the sake of your daughter Loo.
My daughter Loo, she is too young,
She cannot bear your flattering tongue.
Whether she be young, or whether she be old,
It is our duty, she must be sold.
Take her, take her, the coach is free,
The fairest one that you can see.
The fairest one that we can see,
Is bonnie [ ]. Come to me.
Here's all your daughters safe and sound,
In every pocket a thousand pound,
On every finger a guinea gold ring,
So please, take one of your daughters in.
--Fochabers, N.E. Scotland (Rev. W. Gregor).
XXXIV. Two poor sailors dressed in blue, dressed in blue, dressed
in blue,
Two poor sailors dressed in blue, come for the sake of your
daughter Loo.
My daughter Loo, she is too young, she is too young, she is
too young,
She cannot bear your flattering tongue.
Let her be young, or yet too old, yet too old, yet too old,
But for her beauty she must be sold.
The haughty thing, she won't come out, she won't come out,
she won't come out;
The haughty thing, she won't come out,
To help us with our dancing.
Now we have got a beautiful maid, a beautiful maid, a
beautiful maid;
Now we have got a beautiful maid,
To help us with our dancing.
--Nairn (Mrs. Jamieson, through Rev. W. Gregor).
XXXV. One poor sailor dressed in blue, dressed in blue, dressed in
blue,
One poor sailor dressed in blue,
Has come for the sake of your daughter Sue.
My daughter Sue, she is too young,
She cannot bear your flattering tongue.
Whether she be young, or whether she be old,
For her beauty she must be sold.
Take her, take her, the coach is free.
The fairest one that I can see is bonny ( ), come with
me.
[No!]
The dirty sclipe, she won't come out, she won't come out,
she won't come out;
The dirty sclipe, she won't come out to dance along with me.
Now, I have got another poor maid, &c.,
To come along with me.
--Cullen (Rev. W. Gregor).
XXXVI. Here comes two ladies down from Spain,
A len (?) [all in] French garland.
I've come to court your daughter Jane,
And adieu to you, my darling.
--Scotland (_Notes and Queries_, 3rd series, v. 393).
XXXVII. Here are just three tribes come down from Spain,
To call upon my sister Jane.
My sister Jane, she is far too young;
I cannot bear her chattering tongue.
The fairest lily that I can see,
Is pretty little Lizzie, will ye come to me?
[No!]
The dirty thing, she won't come out, she won't come out, she
won't come out;
The dirty thing, she won't come out, to help us with the
dancing.
[Yes!]
Now we've got a pretty maid, a pretty maid, a pretty maid;
Now we've got a pretty maid, to help us with the dancing.
--Waterford (Miss H. E. Harvey).