#johnny faa

[radiodark]

https://youtu.be/90Y4UKlmSdc

Cordelia's Dad - Gypsy Davy

[francisjameschild]

Wanted to share this version of Child #200 by Cordelia's Dad (#1 warlock Tim Eriksen's folk punk band), which often stands out to me- it ends more happily than many variants, but also there's something about the line "if i brew good beer i'll drink the same, and you'll no more come near me" that always surprises and pleases me. It rolls off the toungue pleasantly, but also I like how it instantly humanizes our honored lady- she has skills (brewing)! She drinks, probably to excess! It points to her relationship with her lord being strained outside of her preference for Davy! Anyhow, enjoy.

[fillureyes]

Pull off those high heeled shoes all made of Spanish leather. 

Lifestyle

[scotianostra]

 Entrance to Astley Ainslie Hospital and Little Egypt

I dug a bit deeper into the name Johnny Faa (see my post below) and found this about him and the Egyptian "Gypsies" The Astley Ainslie Hospital is a convalescence hosptial near morningside, my own father was here after going through a heart bypass operation, it is set in lovely grounds and an ideal hospital to rest in away from the hubub of city life. The hospital is sited on the old farm of Egypt. In 1540 James V recognised Johnny Faa, a gypsy, as lord and earl of Little Egypt. A year later the Egyptians were told to quit the realm within 30 days on pain of death. The Pow Burn runs along the southern side of Egypt - as the Egyptians had to cross this burn to leave their lands could this have been how the burn began to be called the Jordan Burn?. The Chapel of St. Roque was sited there too - a centre associated with healing and visited by James IV before Flodden. In 1585 the Great Plague swept through Edinburgh and the then baron Robert Fairley, close friend of John Knox and influential within the city of Edinburgh, gave his brew houses for the relief of the convalescents housed in Little Egypt. Looking back to earlier days, the rights of a baron included a mill, pit and gallows and brew houses. This philanthropic gesture might suggest that the Egyptians had not left Egypt, and putting the Plague victims there might expedite their departure. Johnny Faa was a prominent title among gypsies and his rights and title as "lord and earl of Egypt"were officially recognised and not part of Edinburghs' jurisdiction  infact king's officers were ordered to assist Johnny Faw in "execution of his justice" upon his people. However, the gypsies were expelled from Scotland in 1541 and then in 1609. In 1611 Johnny Faa and three others of the same name were sentenced to be hanged. In 1616 Johnny Faa and two others were sentenced to be hanged for returning to the country and "abiding therein". In 1624 Johnny Faa and seven other men were sentenced to hang and Helen Faa and ten women were sentenced to be drown, but the women's execution was stayed.

[scotianostra]

Johnny Faa, Lord and Earl of Little Egypt

Johnny Faa, lord and earl of Little Egypt an area of Edinburgh now taken up by Astley Ainsley Hospital, There is a traditional Scots ballad about Johnny Faa,  as the story goes, the wife of the Earl of Cassilis, The Countess of Cassilis  ran off with the gypsy King, Johnny Faa (Faw) having fallen in love with him. Faa was known as the Earl of little Egypt.  She could not be with him due to an arranged marriage she had to conform to with the Earl of Cassilis, her father had already arranged it.  One night when the Earl was in London on state business, Johnny Faa showed up with a band of his followers and spirited her away with him.  As it turned out the Earl came back sooner than expected, caught up with the gypsies and slaughtered the lot of them.  The gypsies all died for Johnny and the Earls lady.  A romantic and tragic story.  However researching it seems to have come to a dead end as there was no factual evidence for this story being true. There are a few versions of the song I have chosen Scots.Irish Group The Waterboys rendtition