Songtext The widow of westmorland's daughter Fairport Convention

The widow of westmorland's daughter

There was an old widow in Westmorland who had no daughter but one
And she has prayed both night and day she should keep her maidenhead long
"Ah, don't be daft, mother," she said, "and say no more to me
For a fine young man in the Grenadier Guards my maidenhead's taken from me"
"You saucy cat, you impudent cat, a-cursed may you be
If some idle rogue in the Grenadier Guards your maidenhead's taken from thee"
But the girlie's off to the Grenadier Guards as fast as go can she
Saying "Give me back my maidenhead, my mother she nags at me"
So he kissed her and undressed her and he laid her on the bed
And he put her head where her feet were before and gave back her maidenhead
Then he kissed her and he dressed her with a rose in either hand
Invited her round to St. Mary's church to see his fine wedding
Oh, the girlie's off to her mammy's house as fast as go can she
"I'm as full a maiden, mammy dear, as the day you first bore me
He kissed me and undressed me and he laid me on the bed
Put my head where my feet were before and he gave back my maidenhead
Then he kissed me and he dressed me, put a rose in either hand and
Invited me round to St. Mary's church to see his fine wedding
"Ah, never on foot," her mammy she said, "in a carriage and pair you'll ride
With four and twenty fine young girls to go with you beside"
"Ah, who is this?" the bride she said, "She comes so high to me"
"I see it is the widow's daughter who ran home and told her mammy"
"How could she do it, how would she do it, how could she do it for shame?
Eleven long nights I lay with a man and I never told anyone"
"If eleven long nights you lay with a man, you never shall lie with me
I'd rather marry the widow's daughter who ran home and told her mammy"