| Lyrics: | North Country Maid
A North Country maid up to London had strayed,
Although with her
nature it did not agree,
Which made her repent, and so bitterly lament.
Oh I wish once
again for the North Country.
Oh the oak and the ash and the bonnie ivy tree
They
flourish at home in my own country
O fain would I be in the North Country,
Where the
lads and the lasses are making of hay,
There should I see what is pleasant to me,
A
mischief light on them entic'd me away!
I like not the court, nor the city
resort,
Since there is no fancy for such maids as me
Their pomp and their pride I can
never abide,
Because with my humor it does not agree.
How oft have I been in the
Westmoreland green
Where the young men and maidens resort for to play
Where we with
delight, from morning till night
Could feast it and frolic on each holiday.
The ewes
and their lambs, with the kids and their dams
To see in the country how finely they
play
The bells they do ring and the birds they do sing
And the fields and the gardens are
pleasant and gay
At wakes and at fairs, being freed of all cares
We there with our
lovers did use for to dance
Then hard hap I had, my ill fortune to try
And so up to London
my steps to advance
But still I perceive, I a husband might have
If I to the city my
mind could but frame
But I'll have a lad that is North Country bred
Or else I'll not
marry, in the mind that I am
A maiden I am and a maid I'll remain
Until my own country
again I do see
For here in this place, I shall ne'er see the face
Of him that's allotted
my love for to be
Then farewell my daddy and farewell my mammy
Until I do see you, I
nothing but mourn
Rememb'ring my brothers, my sisters and others
In less than a year, I
hope to return.
@England @plant @homesick
from Cole, Folksongs of England, Ireland,
Scotland, & Wales
filename[ NCNTRYM2
play.exe NCNTRYMD
SF
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