Percy Papers- Rev. P. Parsons of Wye; 1770-1775
[This article could not be made possible without the help of Susan Lepak, who acquired a copy from the Houghton Library and transcribed the manuscript with the help of Steve Gardham. These are some of the earliest collected ballads and the MS is important as a source of some of Child's ballads.]
The Percy's papers were compiled between 1766 and 1780 after the publication of his 1765 ballad book, Reliques. Francis Child acquired the papers sometime after the publication of the first volume of English and Scottish Popular ballads (1882) and before 1886. The contents of the Percy Papers are:
Manuscript copies of ballads from Rev. P. Parsons of Wye, Miss Fisher of Carlisle, Principal Robertson of Edinburgh, the Dean of Derry, George Paton of Edinburgh, Rev. Robert Lambe of Norham, Roger Halt, the Duchess Dowager of Portland, and others. In all about 33 ballads. 1766-80. Harvard College Library. [ESPB Bibliography]
Rev. P. Parsons of Wye acquired a first edition of Thomas Percy's Reliques around 1765. David Gregory in Victorian Songhunters (2006- Page 38); elaborates:
After a while, it occurred to Parsons that Percy might be interested in what he and his friend had collected. Between 1770 and 1775 he sent Percy manuscript copies of at least seven ballads. Parsons had noted six of these ballads from the singing of his own female parishioners: perhaps the finest was “Johnny Barbary” (a variant of “Willie o' Winsbury”).
Two of Parsons ballads became Child's A versions: Lady Ouncebelle Child 75A "Lord Lovel" and Oh Good Lord Judge- Child 95A "Maid Freed."
This is the beginning of Child 95A: Maid Freed from the Gallows:
Copy of the original document showing the end of "When I was a Maid" and the beginning of "Oh good Lord Judge (Maid Freed)."
CONTENTS: (Pages attached on left hand column- click to open)
1. Cover pages P. Parsons letter to Percy; April 7, 1770-- Harvard Ms Eng. 893 (129)
3. Letter from P. Parsons to Percy 1770
5. When I was a Maid, (Traditional, Roud 894) sent by P. Parsons April 7, 1770
6. Oh Good Lord Judge- Child 95A "Maid Freed" sent by P. Parsons April 7, 1770
8. There was A King- Child 10Y "Twa Sisters" sent by P. Parsons April 7, 1770
12. Fair Margaret (Ballad of Sweet William) Child 74C sent by P. Parsons April 7, 1770
14. Marguirite Mosely (Anagram)
15. An Epithalamie presented on the names and nuptials of Thomas Argall Esq. and the most virtuous Lady Anne Wyld, his most Endeared Consort. (Acrostick)
16. Parsons Letter to Percy May 22, 1770
18. Lady Owncibell Child 75A "Lord Lovel" in Parsons hand May 22, 1770
21. The Lady and the Handsome Butcher- No title (The Lady and the Handsome Butcher, to be identified, 12v)
23. Like Hermit Poor- No title, first line 'Like hermit poor'.
26. Letter from P. Parsons to Percy 1775
28. Randall my Son- Child 12S "Lord Randal" sent by P. Parsons 1775
30. Lady Ouncebell- Child 75A Lord Lovel as printed by Child in ESPB (Written in a different neat hand- Another hand -possibly Child?--has written "Parsons 1775" and also "X Probably Donsabell" on the first page)
34. Long Longkin- Child 93K (Missing two irregular stanzas from Parsons) 1775
36. Child 100D "
37. Oral copy of 'The Unfortunate Love of a Lancashire Gentleman etc.' 24sts. Copies at Pepys III, 318 & 327 with 38sts.
40. No title (Newmarket Racing Song, 18thc, 12v)
44. Another copy of p21
45. Child 10Y as printed by Child
48. Ancient Madrigal, 9 lines by William Newark, 16thc.
49. No title (A poem on love and flowers for 3 singers, A, B, C, by Sir Thomas Philypps, 16thc.
50. 'On Prince Arthur' poem 16thc
51. Child 12S as printed by Child
The rest of the MS is a summary of the above in Kittredge's hand.
-----------------------------
Who was Rev. Parson? Here's an obituary from The Gentleman's Magazine (London, England), Volume 112 in 1812:
MEMOIRS Of The Late REV. PHILIP PARSONS, M. A. (See Part I. p. 671.)
The Rev. Philip Parsons, M. A. Rector of Snave and Eastwell, and minister of Wye, in the county of Kent, and domestic chaplain to Lewis Lord Sondes, was born at Dedham in Essex, in 1729. His family was antient, and settled at Hadleigh in Suffolk as early as the reign of Henry the Seventh, and some of their descendants still reside there. He lost his father when very young, and was placed by the care of his grandmother, whose memory he most gratefully cherished, under the tuition of his maternal uncle, the Rev. Thomas Smythies, master of the grammar school at Lavenham in Suffolk. With this pious man and excellent scholar, he continued till he went to Cambridge, where he was entered of Sidney Sussex college, and took his degrees there of B. A. in 1752, and M. A. in 1776. After he had taken orders, he was appointed to the free school of Oakham in Rutlandshire, where he remained till the year 1761, when he was presented to the school and curacy of Wye by Daniel Earl of Wioehelsea and Nottingham. In the sedulous discharge of the twofold duties of this preferment, he was engaged upwards of half a century. Of his urbanity, diligence, and classical talents as master of the school, there are many most respectable living witnesses, gentlemen of the first families in the county of Kent, who received their education under him. Hew Well he exercised his sacred functions as their minister, the constant attendance of his parishioners at the house of God while he lived, and the voluntary tribute of their tears over his grave at the hour of his internment, will best testify. Those who have heard and felt his strong and powerful eloquence in the pulpit, will not fail to apply to him the animated description of Cowper, of the genuine preacher of the Gospel of Christ:
"There stands the messenger of truth;
there stands The legate of the skies!
His theme divine - His office sacred, his credentials clear,
By him the violated law speaks out Its thunders;
and by him in strains as sweet As Angels use, the Gospel whispers peace.
He establishes the strong, restores the weak,
Reclaims the wanderer, binds the broken heart,
And arm'd himself in panoply complete Of heavenly temper,
furnishes with arms Bright as his own,
and trains by ev'ry rule Of holy discipline, to glorious war
The Sacramental host of God's elect!
Are all such teachers? would to Heav'n they were!"
Task.
Mr. Parsons was also presented to the Rectory of Eastwell in 1767 by the same Earl of Winchelsea who gave him Wye, and to the small rectory of Snave in 1776, by Archbishop Cornwallis, who enhanced the value of this preferment by a very kind letter, written in his own haud, equally honourable to him who wrote as to him who received it, testifying his high respect for the character and talents of the new incumbent.
Mr. Parsons was the author of several publications, a correct list of which, with their respective dates, is subjoined.
1750. The nine first papers in the second volume of the Student.
1756. On advertising for Curates; in the World.
1766. The Inefficacy of Satire, a poem, 4to.
1774. Newmarket, or an Essay on the Turf, 2 vols.
1774. Astronomic Doubts, a pamphlet.
1775. A volume of Essays.
1782. Dialogues of the Dead with the Living.
1784. Simplicity, a poem.
1794. Monuments, &c. in Kent, 4to.
Of the merit of these works the writer of this article does not presume to speak. Many of them are in the hands of men much more competent than himself to decide upon their value; but he can with truth say, that the perusal of the greater part of them has afforded him both pleasure and instruction, particularly the Monuments, interspersed with judicious remarks and interesting Anecdotes by the Compiler. This work is become scarce and valuable to the Antiquary and lover of such researches. He also established a Sunday School at Wye; and recommended and contributed much to their establishment in the County of Kent by a Sermon and some letters which he published on this occasion: and he testified his admiration of the public and private virtues of Alderman Sawbridge, by an excellent Sermon preached at the funeral of that upright Magistrate in the Parish Church of Wye, and afterwards published.
The last years of his life were passed by Mr. Parsons in great retirement; alternately engaged in the discharge of his ministerial functions, and in literary pursuits and correspondence. It pleased God to deprive him of his sight about a year before his death, and at the same time to afflict him with a very painful disorder. He bore these trials with exemplary patience and resignation. It was his frequent practice, when on his bed, and free from the more excruciating pains of his disorder, to compose moral, lively, and religious pieces, which he afterwards dictated to a faithful Amanuensis, who wrote them down. The writer of this article thinks he cannot present the reader with a happier specimen of the serenity of mind, the piety, resignation, and Christian fortitude of his departed friend, than is contained in the following Hymn to the Trinity, composed a short time before his death, with which he shall close this brief account of the amiable and venerable author of it. He survived only a few months; and died at the college at Wye, June 12, 1812, in the 83d year of his age.
[A Prayer to Almighty God- not included]