The Ballad of Lord Randal in New England
by Phillips Barry
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 16, No. 63 (Oct. - Dec., 1903), pp. 258-264
[This is Barry's first article, an important study of the Child ballad, Lord Randall. It's also one of the earliest ballad studies of English ballads found in the US. Barry was in his early 20s at the time and it precipitated his lifelong study of ballads and songs. Barry would reprint this and extend it with his three article series, Traditional Ballads of New England, also published in the JOAFL in 1905. ]
THE BALLAD OF LORD RANDAL IN NEW ENGLAND
OF the twenty or more English or Scottish ballads which have been or are still current in this country, the ballad of " Lord Randal" enjoys the most widespread popilarity. At present it is known in a number of versions, most of them collected in New England, - a few, however, in other States, including New York, Ohio, and, finally, Colorado, strange to say, the only place where the original name of the hero is preserved.
To these may be added the following, collected in various parts of New England by the writer.
No. 1. "LORD LANTONN"
1. "Oh, where have ye been, Lord Lantonn, my son?
Oh, where have ye been, my handsome young man?"
"Out with the hounds, mother make the bed soon,
I'm weary with hunting, and fain would lie doon."
2. "Where gat ye your dinner, Lord Lantonn, my son?
Where gat ye your dinner, my handsome young man?"
"I dined with my leman, mother make the bed soon,
I'm weary with hunting, and fain would lie doon."
3. "What ate ye to dinner, Lord Lantonn, my son?
What ate ye to dinner, my handsome young man?"
"Eels stewed in damsons, mother make the bed soon,
I'm weary with hunting, and fain would lie doon."
4. "Oh, where are your hounds, Lord Lantonn, my son?
Oh, where are your hounds, my handsome young man?"
"They swelled and they died, mother make the bed soon,
I'm weary with hunting, and fain would lie doon."
5. "I fear ye are poisoned, Lord Lantonn, my son!
I fear ye are poisoned, my handsome young man !
"Oh yes ! I am poisoned, mother make the bed soon,
I'm weary with hunting, and fain would lie doon!"
This version was taken down for me by Miss Maud Stevens of Newport, R. I., from the recitation of a lady over eighty years of age, who learned it thirty years ago, from a nephew, since deceased. Where he got it, she did not know. It is interesting as being the only American version of this ballad in which the hero has preserved his title of "Lord."
No. 2. "SWEET WILLIAM"
1. "Oh, where have you been, Sweet William, my son?
Oh, where have you been, my own dearest one ?"
"Oh, I 've been a-hunting, mother, make the bed soon,
For I'm poisoned to the heart, and I fain would lie down."
2. "Oh, what have you been drinking, Sweet William, my son?
Oh, what have you been drinking, my own dearest one?"
"Oh, 't is ale I've been drinking, mother, make the bed soon,
For I'm poisoned to the heart, and I fain would lie down."
3. "Oh, who gave it you, Sweet William, my son?
Oh, who gave it you, my own dearest one?"
"My sweetheart she gave it me, mother, make the bed soon,
For I'm poisoned to the heart, and I fain would lie down."
4. "Oh, what will you give Father, Sweet William, my son ?
Oh, what will you give Father, my own dearest one ?"
"My horses and cattle, mother, make the bed soon,
For I'm poisoned to the heart, and I fain would lie down."
5. "Oh, what will you give Mother, Sweet William, my son?
Oh, what will you give Mother, my own dearest one?"
"My love and my blessing, mother, make the bed soon,
For I 'm poisoned to the heart, and I fain would lie down."
6. "Oh, what will you give Brother, Sweet William, my son?
Oh, what will you give Brother, my own dearest one?"
"My sword and my pistol, mother, make the bed soon,
For I'm poisoned to the heart, and I fain would lie down."
7. "Oh, what will you give Sister, Sweet William, my son?
Oh, what will you give Sister, my own dearest one?"
"My gold and my jewels, mother, make the bed soon,
For I'm poisoned to the heart, and I fain would lie down."
8. "Oh, what will you give Sweetheart, Sweet William, my son?
Oh, what will you give Sweetheart, my own dearest one?"
"Give her Hell and damnation, mother, make the bed soon,
For I'm poisoned to the heart, and I fain would lie down!"
Mrs. Julia M. Lincoln, of Hingham, Mass., communicated this version to me, which she learned from her mother. The song was well known in Springfield, Mass., eighty years ago. The most notable feature is the statement concerning the poison, which is said to be ale. In only one other English version (Child, H.) is the poison given in a drink, described "A cup of strong poison."
The ballad is sung to the following melody:
No. 3. "DEAR WILLIE"
1. "Where have you been, Dear Willie, my son?
Where have you been, my darling young one?"
"I've been to see my sweetheart, mother, make my bed soon,
As I'm sick to my heart, and I fain would lie down."
2. "What did your sweetheart give you, Dear Willie, my son?
What did your sweetheart give you, my darling young one?"
"Three little silver fishes, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick to my heart, and I fain would lie down."
3. "What will you leave your father, Dear Willie, my son?
What will you leave your father, my darling young one,"
"My coaches and horses, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick to my heart, and I fain would lie down."
4. "What will you leave your mother, Dear Willie, my son?
What will you leave your mother, my darling young one?"
"My best milch cows, mother, make my bed soon,
For I 'm sick to my heart, and I fain would lie down."
5. "What will you leave your sister, Dear Willie, my son?
What will you leave your sister, my darling young one?"
"Many rings and diamonds, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick to my heart, and I fain would lie down."
6. "What will you leave your sweetheart, Dear Willie, my son
What will you leave your sweetheart, my darling young one?"
"A halter to hang her on yonder green tree,
'T is more than she deserves, for she 's poisoned me!"
Communicated to me by Miss E. J. Burgoyne, of Winchester, Mass. A young lady of Boston also remembered it, but was not
able to give me a complete copy.
No. 4. [no title]
1. "Where was you all day, my own pretty boy?
Where was you all day, my comfort and joy?"
"Fishing and fowling, mother, make the bed soon,
For I 'm sick to the heart, and I fain would lay down."
2. "What will you leave your father, my own pretty boy?
What will you leave your father, my comfort and joy?"
"My hounds and my horns, mother, make the bed soon,
For I'm sick to the heart, and I fain would lay down."
3. "What will you leave your sister, my own pretty boy?
What will you leave your sister, my comfort and joy?"
"My gold and my silver, mother, make the bed soon,
For I'm sick to the heart, and I fain would lay down."
4. "What will you leave your, brother, my own pretty boy?
What will you leave your brother, my comfort and joy?"
"My coach and six horses, mother, make the bed soon,
For I 'm sick at the heart, and I fain would lay down."
5. "What will you leave your true-love, my own pretty boy?
What will you leave your true-love, my comfort and joy ?"
"Three ropes for to hang her, mother, make the bed soon,
For I'm sick to the heart, and I fain would lay down."
Taken down by me from the recitation of Mrs. J. McKenney, of Boston, Mass., who heard it sung over sixty years ago. The melody is not remembered.
No. 5. "TERENCE"
From Mrs. Mary R. Martin, Newtonville, Mass.
I. "Oh, where have you been to-day, Terence, my son?
Oh, where have you been to-day, my pretty little one?"
"I've been to see my grandame, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain would lie down."
2. "Oh, what did she give you to eat, Terence, my son?
Oh, what did she give you to eat, my pretty little one?"
"Fresh-water potted eels, mother, make my bed soon,
For I 'm sick at the heart, and I fain would lie down."
3. "Oh, what will you give your father, Terence, my son?
Oh, what will you give your father, my pretty little one ?"
"One half of my fortune, mother, make my bed soon,
For I 'm sick at the heart, and I fain would lie down."
4. "And what will you give your mother, Terence, my son?
And what will you give your mother, my pretty little one ?"
"Ten thousand sweet kisses, mother, make my bed soo,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain would lie down."
5. "And what will you give your brother, Terence, my son?
And what will you give your brother, my pretty little one?"
"T' other half of my fortune, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain would lie down."
6. "And what will you give your sister, Terence, my son?
And what will you give your sister, my pretty little one?"
"A thousand kind wishes, mother, make my bed soon,
For I 'm sick at the heart, and I fain would lie down."
7. "And what will you give your grandame, Terence, my son?
And what will you give your grandame, my pretty little one?"
"A rope for to hang her, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain would lie down."
The contributor of this version gives it as "sung by her mother more than sixty years ago." She mentions also a version, "Fair
Nelson, my son," of which more will be said presently. The melody to " Terence " is the following :-
In connection with the ballad " Fair Nelson, my son," mentioned by Mrs. Martin, the following version of the old song may be of interest. I am unable to trace its origin, as it was forwarded to me anonymously.
I. "Oh, where have you been, Fair Elson, my son?
Oh, where have you been, my own dearest one ?"
" I have been out a-courting, mother, make my bed soon,
For I 'm poisoned to my heart, and I fain would lie down."
2. "Oh, what have you been eating, Fair Elson, my son?
Oh, what have you been eating, my own dearest one?"
"I 've been eating eels, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm poisoned to my heart, and I fain would lie down."
3. "What color were those eels, Fair Elson, my son?
What color were those eels, my own dearest one ?"
"They were black, white, and yellow, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm poisoned to my heart, and I fain would lie down."
4. What you will to your father, Fair Elson, my son?
What you will to your father, my own dearest one ?"
"A black suit of mourning, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm poisoned to my heart, and I fain would lie down."
5. "What you will to your brother, Fair Elson, my son?
What you will to your brother,. my own dearest one ?"
"A black yoke of oxen, mother, make my bed soon,
For I 'm poisoned to my heart, and I fain would lie down."
"As sung by my mother, who would be more than one hundred years old, if living," is the contributor's statement. The melody is as follows:-
No. 6. "TYRANTY"
From Miss L. W. Hopkinson, Cambridge, Mass.
I. "Oh, where have you been, Tyranty, my son?
Oh, where have you been, my sweet little one?"
"Oh, I've been to my grandmother's, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain would lie down."
2. "Oh, what did you have for breakfast (supper), Tyranty, my son?
Oh, what did you have for breakfast (supper), my sweet little one?"
"Striped eels, fried in batter, mother, make my bed soon,
For I 'm sick at the heart, and I fain would lie down."
3. "Oh, what will you leave your father, Tyranty, my son?
Oh, what will you leave your father, my sweet little one?"
"My houses and lands, mother, make my bed soon,
For I 'm sick at the heart, and I fain would lie down."
4. "Oh, what will you leave your mother, Tyranty, my son?
Oh, what will you leave your mother, my sweet little one?"
"A purse of red gold, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain would lie down."
5. "Oh, what will you leave your grandmother, Tyranty, my son?
Oh, what will you leave your grandmother, my sweet little one ?"
"A halter to hang her, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain would lie down."
The contributor adds that she learned it from her grandmother, who sang it to the tune of "Buy a Broom," as follows:-
Phillips Barry.