A Female Farmer- Daniel Wigg (Hants) 1907 Gardiner
[From Charles Gamblin's MS (?), not in Gardiner's notebooks; Gamblin wrote the music. The title and the title in the text are a corruption of "A Famous Farmer" as sung by George Digweed. The text is very close to Digweed's however Wigg's version is missing 5 stanzas (see: footnote) near the end.
R. Matteson 2016]
A Female (Famous) Farmer- sung by Daniel Wigg, 83 years old, of Preston Candover by Abresford Hants, July 1907 noted by Charles Gamblin
1. A female farmer, as you shall hear,
There was two sons and one daughter dear
Her servant man she much admired,
None in this world she loved so dear.
2. One brother said unto the other:
"See how our sister's going to wed,"
"Their courtship shall soon be ended,"
"We'll hoist[1] him to some silent grave."
3. They asked him if would ride to hunting.
He went without fear or strife.
Then these two brothers began so cruel:
They took away this young man's life.
4. When they returned from the field of hunting,
She began to inquire for the servant man,
"Oh sister dear, we're much amaz-ed,"
To see how you examine we."
5. "We left him in the field of hunting
No more of him there could we see,"
It was near the creek[2], there was no water,
Nothing but bushes and briers grow.
6. . . .
. . . .
All for to hide their cruel slaughter
Into the bushes his body threw.
7 As Mary[2] lied all on her pillow.
She dreamt she saw her true love stand,
By her bedside, he stood lamenting,
All covered with the bloody stream. [4]
8. Then these two brothers they both were taken,
Bound down in some prison strong.
They both were tried, both found guilty,
For the same they both was hung.
1. changed from "list" supplied from Digweed's version
2. changed from "grave" supplied from Digweed's version; the brothers probably wouldn't call it a grave since they are concealing the murder
3. Mary, from Constant Farmer's Son?
4. These stanzas are missing between 7 and 8:
"Pray, Nancy[Mary] dear, don't you weep for me,
Pray, Nancy[Mary] dear, don't weep nor pine,
In that creek where there is no water,
Go there you may my body find."
Then she rose early the very next morning,
With many a sigh and bitter groan.
In that creek where her true love told her,
There she found his body thrown.
The blood all on his lips was drying,
His tears were salter than any brine.
Then she kissed him and then she cried:
"Here lies a bosom friend of mine."
Three nights and days she stayed lamenting
Till her poor heart was filled with woe.
Until sharp hunger came creeping on her,
Then homeward she was forced to go.
"Sister, we are so much amaz-ed
To see you look so pale and wan."
"Brothers, I know you knows the reason,
And for the same you shall be hung."
Additional stanzas from A Famous Farmer sung by George Digweed.