SIR JOHN FENWICK'S (THE) FLOWER AMONG THEM ALL. AKA and see "Long Cold Nights," "Mary Scott (the Flower of Yarrow)." English; Air or Waltz (3/4 time). England, Northumberland. G Major. Standard. AABB. Sir John Fenwick was the Provost of Berwick on Tweed who is supposed to have joined the Jacobites on their heady march south after their victory at the battle of Prestonpans. "There are but few of those interesting memorials of ancient days now left amongst us of the class to which this melody belongs, viz., the 'Gathering Tunes', or tunes played to collect the tenants and retainers of some Border chief to the fray. This air is one of the best, not only for its own characteristic beauty, but also for the melancholy historic associations connected with it. It is traditionally stated that it was the tune to which the Jacobite friends of the brave and unfortunate Sir John Fenwick marched to his seat at Wallington when he was concerting plans for the overthrow of William of Orange and the restoration of James the Second. A few years afterwards this song, thoughtlessly sung, cost two of the gentlemen of the county their lives. The incident is related in Brand's History of Newcastle, Vol. II, p. 504. The tune is given in William McGibbon's Collection of Scotch Airs, published about 1740, under the name of 'Mary Scot,' but this date is much later than the time of its popularity in Northumberland. The late Mr. John Bell, of Gateshead, in his efforts to collect and preserve local lyrics, wrote to Sir Walter Scott in 1816, asking him, if possible, to furnish him with some information about Northumberland Jacobite songs, naming amongst others 'Sir John Fenwick's the Flower Amang Them'. Sir Walter, in his reply, states: 'I have heard words somewhat similar, alluding probably to some election business--
'They voted twice ower, and so did they wrang him,
They voted twice ower, and so did they bang him,
They voted twice ower, and so did they wrang him,
But Fenwick of Bywell's the flower amang them.'
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But you know,' continued Sir Walter, 'how common it is for new words to be written to any popular tune.' The Antiquarian Society of Newcastle some time ago offered a reward for a copy of the original song, but without a successful result" (Bruce & Stokoe).
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The "Long Cold Nights" title for the tune stems from a song printed by D'Urfey in 1687, later expanded on in a broadside ballad (see C. M. Simpson's The British Broadside Ballad and Its Music, No. 292, for more information).
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Bruce & Stokoe (Northumbrian Minstrelsy), 1882; pgs. 158-159. Northumbrian Pipers' Tune Book, Vol. 1. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 135.
T:Sir John Fenwick's the Flower Amang Them
L:1/8
M:3/4
S:Bruce & Stokoe - Northumbrian Minstrelsy
K:G
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