Contended Farmer's Son- J. Woolrich (Devon) 1888?; 1898; Baring-Gould
[Sabine Baring-Gould Manuscript Collection (SBG/2/1/2). The informant is named James Woolrich (Roud index). Another (a relative?) informant or perhaps the same informant is named John Woolrich (3rd entry in the MS) from whom The Country Farmer's Son is taken.
The notes in Songs of the West (Baring-Gould 1892): XIX. The County Farmer’s Son. Taken down by Rev. H. Fleetwood Sheppard from John Woolrich (not Woodrich), labourer, Broadwood Widger. The original ballad, “ The Constant Farmer's Son," is found in a broadside by Ross, of Newcastle. It is a good, robust tune of the end of last century.
The Country Farmer's Son is a completely different text not related to Constant Farmer's Son. The texts from Baring Gould's notebook (on-line MS) are also a mystery. The first title is "Contended Farmer's Son" but nowhere in the text is "contended" found. A 2nd written version appears in his note book which is the Such broadside. From this Baring-Gould apparently learned the correct title. Above it are the last two stanzas attributed to J. Woolrich which are different from the original. A third text, different also, is attributed to John Woolrich and Baring-Gould writes "not Woodrich," who must be a different informant. It begins:
1. 'Twas of a merchant's daughter,
In London town did dwell,
Come speakers all, both great and small,
[Heed?] the tale I tell
She was adored by squire and lord
But all of their suits were vain,
But there was none, save a farmer's son,
That maiden's heart could gain.
2. Long time William courted her,
He fixed the wedding day,
Her parents both were
But her brothers they said Nay!
And there was a lord had pledged his word
That wedding he would stay.
3. . . .
. . .
The brothers both were very wrath,
[additional text upcoming]
This version, I'll call Baring-Gould A, is dated 1888 and is 9 stanzas long with part of the third stanza missing. A final version appears in Baring-Gould's MS attributed to Woolrich which has again been rewritten. It's titled "Contented Farmer's Son" and begins,
1. 'Twas of a merchant's daughter,
In London town did dwell,
So modest and so handsome,
Her parents loved her well,
Her [did?] admired both lord and squire,
But all of their suits were vain,
For there was none, save a farmer's son,
That maiden's heart could gain.
8 stanzas follow. The endless saga of the Contented Farmer's Son :)
R. Matteson 2016]
Contended Farmer's Son- Sung by J. Woolrich at Broadwood Widger, 1898 (also dated 1888). Collector: Baring-Gould, Sabine version B [This is one of three different versions attributed to Woolrich- not counting the published version (Songs of the West) with entirely different text]
1. Twas of a rich merchant's daughter,
In London town did dwell,
So modest sweet and lovely,
Her parents loved her well,
She was ador'd by squire and lord
By all of their hopes[1] in vain,
There was one, a farmer's son,
That knew her heart to gain.
2. Long time this maid he courted,
And fixed the wedding day,
The parents both consented
Her brothers both did say,
For her a lord has passed his word
and him she shall not shun,
We will betray and then we'll slay
This constant farmer's son.
3. A fair was held not far from town
Those brothers went straightway,
And asked young man's company
With them to spend the day,
But Mark, returned home again
He swore his race was run,
There with a stake, the life did take
Of the constant farmer's son.
4. As on her pillow she was laid[2]
She dreamt a dreadful dream,
She saw his lifeless body laid
All by a crystal stream,
Then she arose put on her clothes
To seek her love did run,
And dead and cold she did behold
Her constant farmer's son.
5. The many[3] tears stood upon his cheeks
All mingled with woe,
She wash his stain[4], in bitter pain
And kissed him ten times o'er,
She gather'd green leaves for to keep.
His body from the sun,
One night and day she passed away
Beside her farmer's son.
6. But hunger it came a-creeping on
The poor girl, shrieks with woe,
To try to find his murderer
Then straightway home did go,
Said parents dear you now shall hear
A dreadful deed is done,
In yonder vale lies dead and pale
My constant farmer's son.
7. Up spoke her eldest brother
And says It is not me
The same replied the younger one
and swore of another twas there,
Then out she said You turn so red
Seek not the laws to shun,
You did the deed and made to bleed,
My constant farmer's son.
These brothers soon they confessed their guilt
Before their time to die
The maiden o'er the true blood spilt[5],
She never ceased to cry.
Her parents they did fade away,
Their glass of life was run,
The maiden bride, in sorrow died
For her constant farmer's son.
1. MS difficult to read; [But all of their suits were vain,]
2. text crossed out and the other text is hard to read- I've left the original.
3. MS difficult to read
4. MS difficult to read
5. MS difficult to read [But Mary fair, in deep despair-- rewritten, however so is the first line which rhymes]