Sung by Mrs Whiting of Broseley, Shropshire in April 1908.
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George Butterworth was born in London in 1885 and was killed in action in the First World War in 1916. A promising composer, he was also a folk song collector, like many influenced by Cecil Sharp. He was also, reputedly, the best dancer in Sharp's morris display side. He collected nearly 300 songs between 1906 and 1913, sometimes accompanied by Ralph Vaughan Williams or Francis Jekyll. Some were published in Folk Songs from Sussex (1913). In 1977, the English Folk Dance and Song Society published 'The Ploughboy's Glory' containing 30 songs.
Sung by Mrs Whiting of Broseley, Shropshire in April 1908.
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1. As I roam'd out one May morning, one May mornIng so early,
'Twas down by the side of a shady green tree;
O there I be held a most beautiful damsel,
She sat there a sighing all underneath a tree.
2. I stepped up to this fair maid, I wished her good morning,
She was the very first girl that ever wounded me:
"You never shall want for gold or bright silver,
If you will only place your reflections on me."
3. "I thank you, kind sir, but I think you are a-joking,
I think you are fitting for a higher girl than me;
Beside your own friends, they will always be a-frowning,
They will always be a-frowning and scolding of me."
4. "Come all you pretty fair maids, that now go a-courting,
It's never trust a young man of any higher degree;
For when they've enjoyed all the flowers of your garden,
Then they will go and leave you, as my love left me."
Sung by Mr Lockly (c.80), sexton at High Ercall, Shropshire in March
1908
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1. When first in this country a stranger
Curiosity caused me to roam
0ver Europe resolved for to ramble
When I left Philadelphia my home
Until I came to Old England
Where forms Of great beauty do shine
There I be held a fair damsel
And I wished in my heart she was mine.
2. One morning I careless did ramble
Where the pure wind soft breezes did blow.
It was down by a clear crystal river
Where the sweet pearly waters did flow.
It was there I espied this fair creature,
Some goddess appearing to be
As she rose from the reeds by the water
On the green mossy banks of the Lea.
3. I stepped up to this fair creature
Her fair cheeks did blush like a rose
Says I "The green meadows are charming
Your guardian I'll be if you choose".
She said "Sir, I do not want no guardian,
Young man, You're a stranger to me.
And yonder my father is coming
O'er the green mossy banks of the Lea."
4. 1 waited till up came her father,
I plucked up my spirits once more.
Saying "Kind air, if this be your daughter,
She is the beautiful girl I adore.
Five thousand a year is my portion
And your daughter a lady shall be,
She shall ride in her chariot and horses
On the green mossy banks of the Lea."
5. Then they welcomed me home to their cottage,
Soon after in wedlock we joined
And there I entered a castle,
With grandeur and splendour did shine
So now the American stranger
All pleasure and pastime doth see,
With adorable gentle Matilda,
On the green mossy banks of the Lea.
Sung by Mr Smith at Stoke Lacy, Hereford in September 1907
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1. It's of a farmer all in this town,
His name was up through the country round;
He had a daughter, a beauty bright,
And she alone was his heart's delight.
2. Many a noble lord came this dame to see,
But still she could fancy none of these;
But of late came one of low degree,
He came of late, so she fancied he.
3. When her father came of this to hear,
He separated her from her dear;
Three score miles he did her send,
To her uncle's house, to her discontent.
4. One night as she was for her bed bound,
She heard a noise and a dismal sound;
Saying, "Mary dear, rise from your bed
I've come, at last, so we can be wed."
5. "Here is a token, my heart's delight,
Your father's steed to ride home this night;
Another token I've brought to you,
Your mother's cloak, and her silk coat too"
6. They rode more quickly than the wind,
But still he minded his love behind.
He heaved a sigh, and thus did say,
"O my dearest dear, how my head does ache."
7. Until they came to her father's gate,
And there few words to his love did say,
"Alight, my love, and go to your bed,
Your father's steed I'll see combed and fed."
8. A white holland-handkerchief she drew,
And bound it round his head, and tightly too
She went up to her father's hall,
Loudly for her father she did call.
9. "O father dear, did you send for me,
By my loved Jimmy, kind air?" said she;
It's well he knew this young man was dead,
Which made every hair stand up on his head.
10. This young man's darling cried more and more,
This young man was dead just nine months and more;
The grave was opened, where he was laid,
With his love's holland-handkerchief bound round his head.
Sung by Mr Smith at Stoke Lacy, Hereford in September 1907
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1. Me and my wife we lived alone
In a neat little cottage we called our own.
She liked rum and I liked gin.
And that's where we had lots of fun,
Singing Old brown ale, Old brown beer, the Bonny little Brown jug that I love
dear.
2. If I had a cow that would give such milk,
I would dress her in the finest silk;
I would feed her up on the best of hay,
I would milk her nine times every day.
3. Then it's if my brown jug was in pot,
I'd pawn my shirt and bring it out on bail.
And if my wife would me despise,
I'd up with my fists and give her two black eyes.
4. Then it's in comes the landlord so noble and so fat
He puts on his three-cocked hat.
He filled your beer till the cellar run dry,
And he wouldn't give a damn if you live or die.
5. The brewer brews it into a pan,
The landlord spills it into a can,
So he'd fill your beer till the cellar run dry,
And he wouldn't give a damn if you live or die.
The following songs were probably from Mrs Whiting of Broseley. They are noted as being from Mrs Whiting of Newport, Monmouthshire and were also collected in April 1908.
1. The trees they do grow high, and the leaves they do grow
green,
The days are past and gone, my love, that you and I have seen;
On a cold winter's night, my love, when we together have been,
So fare you well, my bonny boy, for ever
2. "O father, 0 father, to me you have done wrong,
You've married me to a bonny boy, a wealthy farmer's son
For the boy he is sixteen, and I'm just twenty one,
For the bonny boy is young, and a growing."
3. "O daughter, dear daughter, to you I will prove
true,
I'll send your love to college all for a year or two,
And I'll tie a bunch of blue ribbons around his bonny young waist,
To let the ladies all know that he's married."
4. As I went up to college I looked over the wall,
I saw four and twenty young men a-playing at bat and ball:
I asked them for my true love, but they would not let him come,
For they said he was too young, and a growing.
5. Then it's at the age of sixteen he was a married man,
And at the age of seventeen the father of a son.
And at the age of eighteen green grass grew over him,
So sudden death put an end to his growing.
6. Then I'll make my love a shroud of the best of holland
brown,
And whilst that I am making it the tears they shall run down
For once I had a true love, but now I've got never a one,
But I'll watch over his son, whilst he's growing.
1. As young Mary lay sleeping, young Willy came creeping
To her bedchamber door did go,
Saying 'Arise and awake, young lovely Mary,
For I am your true love, young William O'
2. Then young Mary arose and put on her clothing,
Straight to her bedchamber door did go,
And there she spied her true young William,
Whom she'd not seen for some time ago.
3. "Seven long years I've been daily writing
All over the Bay of Biscay O
But cruel death sent me no answer,
Sent me no answer from my William O."
4. "Then it's Willy dear, hide o'er those blushes,
Those blushes you wore being long ago?"
"Then Mary dear, the cold clay has worn them,
For I am but the ghost of your William O."
5. "If I had all the gold that was in the West Indies,
Or all that was in King George's throne,
I would freely give it to the Queen of England,
If she would grant it to me my William O."
6. They spent that night in deep discussion
Concerning their courtship being long ago.
They kissed and shook hands with a sorrowful parting,
Just as the cock was a-going to crow.