Recordings & Info 7B. Love Has Brought Me To Despair (Oxfordshire Tragedy)
[See print sources
R. Matteson 2016]
CONTENTS:
1) Alternative Titles
2) Traditional Ballad Index
3) Mudcat posts
4) Roud Index
ATTACHED PAGES: (see left hand column)
1) Roud No. 60,
2) Laws P24
Alternative Titles:
[Love had Brought Me to Despair; P25 derived from or similar to Constant Lady/Oxfordshire Tragedy.
R. Matteson 2016]
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Love Has Brought Me to Despair [Laws P25]
DESCRIPTION: The singer hears a girl telling of the grief her false love has left her. She seeks a flower in the meadow to ease her mind; none meet her needs. She makes a bed of flowers, asks for a marble stone on her grave and a turtle dove at her breast, and dies
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1827 (Lyle-Crawfurd1)
KEYWORDS: death separation flowers grief
FOUND IN: US(Ap,MW,Ro) Britain(England(Lond,North,South),(Scotland(Aber,Bord)))
REFERENCES (12 citations):
Laws P25, "Love Has Brought Me to Despair"
GreigDuncan6 1170, "In Halifax Town" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lyle-Crawfurd1 43, "Slighted Love" (1 text)
Reeves-Circle 34, "Died of Love" (2 texts)
BroadwoodCarols, pp. 92-95, "Died of Love or A brisk young lad he courted me" (1 short text, 1 tune)
OShaughnessy-Yellowbelly2 52, "There Is an Alehouse" (1 text, 1 tune)
RoudBishop #42, "A Brisk Young Sailor" (1 text, 1 tune)
Brewster 58, "Love Has Brought Me to Despair" (2 texts, 1 tune)
Combs/Wilgus 116, p. 176, "The Auxville Love" (1 text)
JHCox 144, "Love Has Brought Me To Despair" (1 text)
Hubbard, #28, "Love Has Brought Me To Despair" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT 824, LOVDISPR*
Roud #60
RECORDINGS:
Dillard Chandler, "I Wish My Baby Was Born" (on Chandler01, DarkHoll)
Geoff Ling, "Died for Love" (on Voice10)
Dellie Norton, "When I Wore My Apron Low" (on DarkHoll)
Berzilla Wallin, "Love Has Brought Me To Despair" (on OldLove, DarkHoll)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Butcher Boy" [Laws P24]
cf. "Tavern in the Town"
NOTES: This song has close ties with "Tavern in the Town," often sharing stanzas and, of course, a similarity of plot. Roud, in fact, lumps them (which seems a bit excessive to me). This may help explain why Laws failed to note either the Combs or the Cox version. - RBW
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[Oxfordshire Tragedy]
The Constant Lady and false-hearted Squire; Being a Relation of a Knight’s Daughter near Woodstock Town in Oxfordshire
To A New Tune [second half-line, As I walk'd forth to take the air*].
Near Woodstock town in Oxfordshire, as I walk'd forth to take the air,
To view the fields and meadows round, methought I heard a mournful sound.
Down by a crystal river side, a gallant Bower I espied,
Where a fair Lady made great moan, with many a bitter sigh and groan.
"Alas!" (quoth she), "my Love's unkind; my sighs and tears he will not mind;
But he is cruel unto me, which causes all my misery.
"My Father is a worthy Knight, my Mother is a Lady bright;
And I their only child and heir: yet Love has brought me to despair.
"A wealthy 'Squire lived nigh, who on my beauty cast an eye;
He courted me, both day and night, to be his Jewel and Delight.
"To me these words he often said: 'Fair, beauteous, handsome, comely Maid,
Oh! pity me, I do implore, for it is you whom I adore.'
''He still did beg me to be kind, and ease his love-tormented mind;
'For if,' said he, 'you should deny, for love of you I soon shall die.'
"These words did pierce my tender heart: I soon did yield, to ease his smart;
And unto him made this reply: 'For love of me you shall not die.'
'' With that he flew into my arms, and swore I had a thousand charms;
He call'd me Angel, Saint: and he, for ever true to me would be.
"Soon after he had gain'd my heart, he cruelly did from me part;
Another Maid he does pursue, and to his vows he bids adieu.
"'Tis he that makes my heart lament, he causes all my discontent;
He hath caus'd my sad despair, and now occasions this my care."
The Lady round the meadow run, and gather'd flowers as they sprung;
Of every sort she there did pull, until she got her apron full.
"Now there's a flower," she did say, " is named Heart's-ease, night and day;
I wish I could that flower find, for to ease my love-sick mind.
"But oh, alas! 'tis all in vain for me to sigh and to complain;
There 's nothing that can ease my smart, for his disdain will break my heart."
The green ground served as a bed, and flowers, a pillow for her head;
She laid her down, and nothing spoke: alas! for love her heart was broke.
But when I found her body cold, I went to her false love, and told
What unto her had just befel: "I 'm glad," said he, "she is so well.
"Did she think I so fond could be, that I could fancy none but she?
Man was not made for one alone; I took delight to hear her moan."
O wicked man! I find thou art, thus to break a Lady's heart:
In Abraham's bosom may she sleep, while thy wicked soul doth weep!
* Note.—This second 'Oxfordshire Tragedy' is not in the Roxburghe Coll. It was sung to a well-known tune (see Popular Music, p. 191; sung also to "As our King lay musing on his bed"—our vol. vi, p. 744). It is deceptive in its later issue as a 'Garland' (Douce Coll., III, 70 verso, and Lindes., 865); yet thus reprinted in the National English Airs, 1838, p. 123, viz. Four Parts.
A Second Oxfordshire Tragedy.
[The Second Part, To The Same Tune.]
A Second Part I bring you here, of the Fair Maid of Oxfordshire,
Who lately broke her heart for love, of one who did inconstant prove.
A youthful 'Squire, most unjust, when he beheld this Lass at first,
A solemn thousand vows he made, and so her yielding heart betray'd.
She mourning broke her heart, and dy'd, feeling the shades on every side;
With dying groans and grievous cries, as tears were flowing from her eyes.
The beauty which did once appear on her sweet cheeks, so fair and clear,
Was waxed pale; her life was fled: he heard at length that she was dead.
He was not sorry in the least, but cheerfully resolv'd to feast;
And quite forgot her beauty bright, whom he so basely ruin'd quite.
Now when, alas! this youthful Maid within her silent tomb was laid,
The Squire thought that all was well, he should in peace and quiet dwell.
Soon after this he was possest with various thoughts, that broke his rest;
Sometimes he thought her groans he heard, sometimes her ghastly Ghost appear'd,
With a sad visage, pale and grim, and ghastly looks she cast on him;
He often started back, and cry'd: "Where shall I go, my self to hide?
"Here I am haunted, night and day: sometimes, methinks I hear her say:
'Perfidious man! false and unkind, henceforth you shall no comfort find.'
"If through the fields I chance to go, where she receiv'd her overthrow,
Me thinks I see her in despair, and, if at home, I meet her there.
"No place is free of torment now: alas! I broke a solemn vow,
Which once I made; but now, at last, it does my worldly glory blast.
"Since my unkindness did destroy my dearest love and only joy,
My wretched life must ended be: now must I die and come to thee."
His Rapier from his side he drew, and pierc'd his body thro' and thro';
So he dropt down in purple gore, just where she did some time before.
He buried was within the grave of his true-love. And thus you have
A sad account of his sad fate, who died in Oxftrdshire of late.
London: Printed for E. B. near Fleet-Street. [White-letter. Date, circa 1686.]
[Here was concluded the ballad-story of the Oxfordshire Knight's Daughter and her False-hearted Squire. It needed not the two other Parts that were conjoined to it, when issued as a 'Garland.' 'The Lover's Farewell' is a new departure, being the former case reversed, a distinct story; its own sequel is 'The Lady's Lamentation.' It had appeared earlier in Black-letter (Pepy's Collection, III, 379), and we borrow the full title. The first and second stanzas of the 'Farewell' were, in 1688, with music by Robert King, published under a different title, viz. 'The Jealous Lover' (p. 54 of our Bagford Ballads). It is better, to avoid all misunderstanding, for us to reprint here the whole continuation, but with a preliminary caution that it is a distinct ballad from the one preceding. The tune is named on p. 412. R. B.=Richard Baldwin. The third and fourth parts were added, as a contrast to the first narrative, to lengthen it and double the price. The third part, also the fourth, her 'Lamentation,' was twice issued as a separate ballad; exemplars of each being preserved in the Pepysian Collection, viz. Vol. III, p. 379, and V, 315: both distinct from Pep. Coll., V, 285. This is the true solution of the enigma, which had eluded the late William Chappell.]
The Hotmud Family recorded a different version of 'Love Has Brought Me to Despair' on their 'Live as we know it' LP [Flying Fish 087]. They note that their source was from the singing of Berzilla Wallin. Berzilla recorded the song for John Cohen in the 1960s and it was issued on Various Artists 'Old Love Songs & Ballads from the Big Laurel, North Carolina' Folkways 02309. Does anyone have that album? If so, could they post any note that Cohen may have made to this song?
Below is my transcription from the Hotmud Family. It was a fine duet performance from Suzanne Edmundson and Rick Good. Lovely song!
LOVE HAS BROUGHT ME TO DESPAIR 9transcrition Stewie)
My father he was a rich old jay
My mother she was a lady fair
And me a-bein' the only heir
So love has brought me to despair
It's when I wore my long silk gown
He followed me from town to town
But now my apron just won't tie
He'll pass my door, but he won't stop by
There is a street in yonders town
Where my true love walks up and down
He takes another girl on his knee
And he tells to her what he won't tell me
There is a flower I've heard them say
For broken hearts both night and day
And of these flowers I have pulled
Until I got my apron full
But not one flower could I find
To mend my heart or ease my mind
And in green valleys all around
I thought I heard some doleful sound
My father he was a rich old jay
My mother she was a lady fair
And me a-bein' the only heir
So love has brought me to despair
Source: transcription from Hotmud Family 'Live as we know it' Flying Fish LP 087 [1979].
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LOVE HAS BROUGHT ME TO DESPAIR
In Oxford Town in Halifax fair
As I walked out to take the air,
I viewed the hills and the valleys 'round,
And at length I heard a doleful sound.
"My father he is a wealthy man;
My mother she is a lady fair,
And I their child, the only heir;
False lover has brought me to despair."
Then through yonder meadow at will she goes,
A-picking the flowers just as they grow,
First a pink and then a blue
Until she has gathered the meadow through.
Then out of the flowers she made her a bed,
A flowery pillow to ease her head.
Then she lay down, and then she Spoke:
Saying, "O false lover, my heart is broke.
"Go dig my grave both wide and deep;
Put a marble stone at my head and feet,
And on my breast put a turtle-dove
That the world may know I died for love."
When Mary's true love this news came to be told,
That her fair body was dead and cold,
"I'm glad," said he, "she has done so well;
I long to hear the tolling bell.
"When Mary in Abraham's bosom shall sleep,'
So softly, softly she will sleep;
When Mary in Abraham's bosom shall sleep,
My poor soul in hell it will weep."
"False Lover." Contributed by Mrs. A. J. Hopkins, of Boonville, Indiana. Warrick County. May 22, 1935. This is an abbreviated and considerably changed version of the English "A Brisk Young Sailor." It shows some points of resemblance also to "Sheffield Park," to the seventeenth century broadside "An Excellent New Song, call'd Nelly's Constancy; or, Her Unkind Lover" (Pepys, V 217; Ebsworth, Roxburghe Ballads, VI, 791), and to seventeenth century broadside, "The Forlorn Lover."
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first part (The Constant Lady and false-hearted Squire; Being a Relation of a Knight's Daughter near Woodstock Town in Oxfordshire) has these opening stanzas:
Near Woodstock town in Oxfordshire,
as I walk'd forth to take the air,
To view the fields and meadowa round,
methought I heard a mournful sound. [This was included in the first ballad Steve emailed me)
Down by a crystal river side, a gallant Bower I espied,
Where a fair Lady made great moan, with many a bitter sigh and groan.
"Alas!" (quoth she), "my Love's unkind;
my sighs and tears he will not mind;
But he is cruel unto me,
which causes all my misery.
"My Father is a worthy Knight,
my Mother is a Lady bright;
And I their only child and heir:
yet Love has brought me to despair. [and also]
The Lady round the meadow run,
and gather'd flowers as they sprung;
Of every sort she there did pull,
until she got her apron full.
"Now there's a flower," she did say,
"is named Heart's-ease, night and day;
I wish I could that flower find,
for to ease my love-sick mind.
"But oh, alas! 'tis all in vain
for me to sigh and to complain;
There 's nothing that can ease my smart,
for his disdain will break my heart."
The green ground served as a bed, and flowers,
a pillow for her head;
She laid her down, and nothing spoke:
alas! for love her heart was broke.
* * * *
LOVE HAS BROUGHT ME TO DESPAIR (sung by Berzilla Wallin c.1963, my transcription)
My father he was a rich old jay
My mother she was a lady fair
And me a-bein' the only heir
So love has brought me to despair.
It's when I wore my long silk gown
He follered me from town to town
But now my apron just won't tie
He passes my door and he won't stop in
There is a street in yonders town
Where my true love walks up and down
He takes another girl on his knee,
And tells to her what he won't tell me,
He takes another girl on his knee,
Oh ain't awful grief to me
There is some flowers I've heard them say,
That' would cure false love both night and day
And of these flowers I did pull,
Until I got my apron full.
I gathered black, I gathered blue,
But none of these flowers could I find;
That would cure false love
Or ease my mind.
It's out of these leaves I made a bed
And out of the flowers a pillow for my head
It's down she lay and nary word spoke,
Until her achin' heart was broke,
And in green meadows 'round
I thought I heard some doleful sound.
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