Old Beau's Courtship- (Cum) 1850 Stephenson broadside
[Printed by Stephenson of Carlisle, Cumbria about 1850. Originally printed in double not numbered stanzas-- the first line of stanza 14 was left off, I've filled it in with standard text.
R. Matteson 2018]
"The Old Beau's Courtship."
1 There was an old beau from the north lands,
And he came courting to Enniskillen;
To take me a visit to the north lands,
And there he would marry me.
2 Go fetch me some of your father's gold,
And some of your mother's fee,
And two of the best nags, out of your father's stable,
Where there stood thirty and three.
3 She fetch'd him some of her father's gold,
And some of her mother's fee,
And two of the best nags out of the stable,
Where there stood thirty and three.
4 She mounted her on her milk-white steed,
And him on the dapple grey;
They rode, till unto the sea-side came,
Six hours before it was day.
5 Light off, light off thy milk white steed,
Deliver it, I say, unto me;
For six pretty maids have I drowned here,
And thou the seventh, shall be.
6 Doff off, doff off thy silken gown,
And deliver it unto me;
For I think it is too rich and too gay
Too rich and too gay[1], to rot in the salt sea.
7 Doff off, doff off my hallowed[2] smock,
And deliver it unto me;
For I think it is too rich and too gay
To rot in the salt sea.
8 If I must doff off my hallowed smock,
Pray turn thy back unto me;
For I think it is not fitting that a ruffian like thee
A naked woman should see.
9 He turned his face to the water side
While bitterly she did weep;
She caugt him round the middle so small,
And tumbled him into the deep.
10 He dropt first low, and then rose high,
Until he came up to the side;
Catch hold of my hand, my pretty fair maid,
And I will make thee my lawful bride.
11 Lye there, lye there, thou false hearted man,
Lye there instead of me;
For six pretty maids hast thou drown'd here,
And the seventh has drowned thee.
12 She mounted on her milk White steed,
And leaving the dapple grey;
She rode 'till she came to her own father's home,
Three hours before it was day.
13 The parrot was up in the window so high,
And hearing the lady, did say--
I'm afraid that some ruffian has led you astray,
That you have tarried so long away.
14 [Don't prittle nor prattle, my pretty parrot,]
Oh tell! oh tell no tales of me;
Thy cage shall be made of the glistening gold,
Although, it is made but of a tree.'
15 Her father was up in the chamber so high,
And hearing the parrot, did say,
'What ails you thee my pretty fair rooky,
Thou prattles so long before day?'
16 It's no laughing matter,
It's no laughing matter for me,
For the cats they are in the window so high,
I'm afraid that they will worry me.
17 Well turned, well turned, my pretty parrot,
Well turned thy tale for me for me;
Thy cage shall be made of the glistening gold,
Thy cage[3] of the best ivory.
1. Holland
2. repeated here from last line- typist error?
3. Thy door