120. The Sheffield Apprentice


120

The Sheffield Apprentice

Frequently printed as a stall ballad and in songbooks in the nine-
teenth century, this has also become widely known as traditional
song both in Great Britain and in the United States. See BSM 131.

 

354 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE

FSRA 140, BSI 274, BSSM 71, SFLQ v 139, FSV 43. It is a
goodnight with the added interest of a rejected woman's revenge
and the hero dying for his faithfulness to his love. Our texts all
derive from the printed ballad, sometimes with curious evidence
of mishearing or miscopying.

A
'Sheffield Apprentice.' From the collection of Miss E. B. Fish of White
Rock, Madison county; sent to C. Alphonso Smith in 1913 and later to
the Brown Collection.

1 When I was brought up in Ireland, to a note of high degree.
My parents they adored me, no other child but me.

I raked and rambled over, just as my fancies led ;

At length I came a prentice boy, my joys they soon all fled.

2 My mistress and my master, they, didn't treat me well.
I formed a resolution not long with them to dwell.
Unbeknown to friends and parents from them I stole away ;
I steered my course to Dublin — so bitter be that day !

3 I hadn't been in Dublin more than weeks two or three
Before my worthy mistress grew very fond of me.

'And here's my gold and silver, my horses and free land.
If you'll consent to marry me, I'm all at your command.'

4 'It's oh, my worthy mistress, I cannot wed you now,

For I'm promised to pretty Polly, besides a solemn vow;
I'm promised to pretty Polly, and bound it with an oath;
I'm promised to pretty Polly, and I cannot wed you both.'

5 I stepped out one morning to take the pleasantest air,
My mistress in the garden, a-viewing sweet flowers there.
The rings that's on her fingers, as she came passing by,
She dropped them into my pocket ; and for them I must die.

6 My mistress swore against me, and she had me brought
Before the cruel justice to answer for that fault.

My mistress swore I robbed her, which lodged me into jail ;
That's been the provocation of my sad overthrow.

7 Come all you bystanders, don't laugh or frown at me.
For I have pled 'not guilty,' you all may plainly see.
Here's adieu to pretty Polly, I died a-loving thee.

 

'The Sheffield Apprentice.' Contributed by P. D. Midgett, Jr., of Wan-
chese, Roanoke Island, in June 1920, as sung by C. K. Tillett. Text for
the most part the same as in A ; but in this he was brought up in
Sheffield, not Ireland; he goes to London, not Dublin; and from there
to Holland with a "handsome grand lady" of that country. The final
stanza runs :

 

OLDER BALLADS MOSTLY BRITISH 355

Come all that stand around me my wretched fate to see,
Don't glory in my downfall ; I pray, come pity me.
Do believe that I am innocent. I bid you all adieu.
Farewell to pretty Polly ; I die for love of you.

c

'The Shearfield Apprentice Boy.' Secured by L. W. Anderson from
Mrs. Sally Meekins of Colington, one of the islands in Albemarle Sound.
Identical with B except for very slight variants and one unintelligible
expression, where his mistress, on being rebuflfed, "said she would be
revenged before our wrists were long." What does "wrists" stand for
here?

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120

The Sheffield Apprentice

B

'The Sheffield Apprentice.' Sung by C. K. Tillet. Recorded at Wanchese,
Roanoke Island, in June 1920.

 


For melodic relationship cf. **FSRA 140.
Scale : Heptachordal, plagal. Tonal Center: e-flat. Structure : abbia^ (4,4,4,4).