I've just received Pete Morton's album "Tresspass" (on Harbour Town Rercords) for airplay on Folk Radio UK. The second song is called "The Gay Goshawk". He found it in a book called "British Popular Ballads" (owned by a couple from Dorset - both in their 90's). He asks the question: how popular can it be?

Has anyone heard of it or know of its origins?

Lyrics start (hopefully I've interpreted the words correctly:

Oh well it's me with my Gay Goshawk because he can speak and flee
you carry a letter to my love you'll bring one home to me

Oh how will I your true love recognise, how will I know
when from her mouth I've never heard a word what will the old eyes show

Oh you will my true love know as soon as you see
of the fairest flower in England, the fairest flower is she

And down there by her bower door there grows a birch
I want you to go down there and sit and sing as she comes out of church

There will be 4 and 20 ladies all going to the church
ah, but you will, my true love know, for she wears gold in her skirt