Recordings & Info 8B. The Courting Case (Cage)
The Courting Case (Courting Cage)
Courting Case, The
DESCRIPTION: Man comes courting a woman. She reminds him that she told him never to return. He offers her his "very fine house," his "very fine farm," his "very fine horse," etc.; (she rejects them all because he is a gambler/drunkard/whatever).
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1918 (Cecil Sharp collection)
KEYWORDS: gambling courting dialog money rejection
FOUND IN: US(Ap,MW,SE,So)
REFERENCES (13 citations):
Lomax-FSNA 104, "The Gambling Suitor" (1 text, 1 tune)
Randolph 361, "The Courting Cage" (1 text, 1 tune)
BrownIII 3, "The Courting Cage" (2 texts)
BrownSchinhanV 3, "The Courting Cage" (2 tunes plus text excerpts)
Chappell-FSRA 120, "The Drunkard's Courtship" (1 text)
Hudson 52, pp. 167-169, "O Madam, I Have a Fine Little Horse" (2 texts plus mention of 1 more)
Scarborough-SongCatcher, pp. 304-307, "Kind Sir" (2 texts, one, "The Courting Cage," coming from Randolph; 2 tunes on pp.436-437)
SharpAp 177, "The Courting Case" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
Gardner/Chickering 173, "The Wooing" (2 texts, the "A" text being this and "B" being probably "Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City, Spanish Lady)")
Chase, pp. 146-147, "The Gambling Suitor" (1 text, 1 tune)
Gilbert, pp. 76-77, "The Girl Who Never Would Wed" (1 text, in which the girl never gives in, but the verses place it here)
Abrahams/Foss, pp. 118-119, "The Drunkard's Courtship" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT, COURTCAS COURTNG*
Roud #361
RECORDINGS:
Horton Barker, "The Drunkard's Courtship" (on Barker01)
Loman D. Cansler, "The Lovers' Quarrel" (on Cansler1)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Keys of Canterbury" (theme)
cf. "Sweet Nelly My Heart's Delight" (plot)
cf. "Geordie's Courtship (I Wad Rather a Garret)" (plot)
cf. "Bachelor's Hall (III)" (theme)
NOTES: In most versions of this song, the man says he has, or is, a "courting cage," which (presumably because it sounds so strange) is sometimes changed to a "courting case." But I wonder if, by any chance, the original was a "courting cake," which, according to Arnold Kellett, The Yorkshire Dictionary of Dialect, Tradition, and Folklore, revised edition, Smith Settle, 2002, p. 39, is a "kind of sandwich cake traditionally made by girls for their boyfriends." This might explain much about the strange first line of the song -- if only we could explain how a Yorkshire term came to be used in an American song (the song seems to be almost entirely American; there is at least one Canadian version, but I know of none from the British Isles).
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"The Spanish Lady's Love" 16v from Egerton Leigh's "Ballads and Songs of Cheshire" 1867
BARING GOULD 1889 #22 "Blue Muslin" (a) J Woodrich HFS 1888 (b) F J Adams from Devon nurse, Teignmouth 1825 (words only slightly altered) & Ms #96 2v from George Cole, Rundlestone, Dartmoor - BARRETT EFS 1891 Sussex
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MADAM (I AM COME A-COURTING) - "Madam, I have come to court you" "Madam will you walk ?" "Madam I will give to you the keys of heaven" = "KOH" - "P of P" = "Paper of Pins" - ROUD#573 - Dean-SMITH Guide title: "The Keys Of Canterbury" ("KOC") - see also SPANISH LADY - HALLIWELL 1849 p21 Yorksh (note on "The Keys of Canterbury" - ROXBURGHE Ballads 1871 (Percy Soc) 8 #26 p852 "Handsome Woman" - MASON NRCS 1877 p27 "Madam I present you" (Northumb) - BURNE 1884 "The Disdainful Lady" (Shropsh) - BARING GOULD 1889 #22 "Blue Muslin" (a) J Woodrich HFS 1888 (b) F J Adams from Devon nurse, Teignmouth 1825 (words only slightly altered) & Ms #96 2v from George Cole, Rundlestone, Dartmoor - BARRETT EFS 1891 Sussex - BROADWOOD ECS 1893 pp32-3 Chesh 2v/m (rest from Baring Gould) "KOH" - GOMME 1894-8 Singing game variants "There stands a lady on the mountain" - GREIG-DUNCAN 4 1990 #825 "A Pennyworth o' Preens" - DUNCAN Ms 1900 "When I was young I was well loved" - GREIG-DUNCAN 5 1995 #1000 p238 9v w/o "Hearken hearken" - SHARP 1902 #59 p126 coll Broadwood (Chesh) - SHARP-MARSON FSS 1904 5 pp32-36 Charles Neville "The KOH" - SHARP Ms 1904-18 (5variants) - SHARP Sel Ed 2 pp112-115 "My Man John" - SHARP-KARPELES CSC 1974 #128 1 p477-8 Charles Neville, East Coker, Som 1908/ Mrs Jane Gulliford, Combe Florey, Som 1908/ Mrs Glover, Huish Episcopi, Som 1904-5/ Mrs Beer, Kilverton, Som, 1908 "My Man John"/ p484- 6 Mrs Harriet Young, West Chinnock Som 1905/ James Beale, Warehorne, Kent 1908/ John Trump, North Petherton 1906 1v/m "The KOC" - JFSS 3 1901 p45 - JFSS 2 1905 pp85- 88 Lucy Broadwood: Mrs Penfold Wyatt, Edinburgh 1889 "Leddy, I will gie you a penny's worse o preens"/ Sharp: Mrs Welch, Ile Bruers, Somerset 1904 "M I'll present to you the keys of my heart"/ Mrs Glover "My Man John" - JFSS 13 1909 p267 Mrs Randall (daughter married Enos White (Hants) - JFSS 4:17 1913 p297 (notes) - GILLINGTON 1909 singing game variants: "The KOH" (Surrey), "Lady on the mountain" (Isle of Wight) & "There stands a lady on the Ocean" (Hampsh) - GRAINGER #250 Mr Spencer, Cotter, Lincolnsh 1906 "Miss Madame will you walk ?"/ #254 Wm Fairbanks, Retford, Nottinghamsh 1906 "KOH" - WHITTAKER NCB 1921 - UDAL DFL 1922 pp316-7 Dorset County Chronicle: Yetminster "I will give you a silken gowd" - WILLIAMS FSUT 1923 pp81-2 #383 Edmund Jeffries, Highworth, Wiltsh/ #159 Mrs Russell, Tetbury, Gloucestersh "If you will walk with me"/ #401 Elijah Iles, Inglesham, Wilts p196 with 2 alt ch (w/o) - JFSS 8:27 1923 p92 Hammond: Mrs Steer, South Perrot, Dorset 1906/ Mrs Gulliver, Combe Florey, Som 1905 "O M I will give to thee" - JFSS 8 1929 pp151-2 Kidson: nn, Scarborough, Yorksh (m/o) "M I will buy you a pennyworth of pins" - REEVES IP 1958 pp140-143 Sharp: Mrs Welch & Mrs Glover (w/o) - REEVES EC 1960 #111 p169 SBG: J Woodrich & Miss Crossing (w/o) - JEFDSS 1961 p77 Chapman version transcr by Michael Bell - HAMER GG 1967 p80 Miss A Bidder, Cambridgesh "The Little Row of Pins" - SEDLEY 1967 p41 "Ripest of Apples" (Hammond/ Henry) - PURSLOW WS 1968 pp71-3 Hammond: Mrs Gulliford, Coombe Florey, Somerset & p73 Dorset 1907 "M I will give to thee" - MUNCH Tristan da Cunha 1970 p90 "Yonder" from Repettos & Swains - COPPER SFES 1971 p226 "Now all you lads" - COPPER S&SB 1973 p262 Lottie Chapman, North Waltham, Hampsh "The Silver Pin" - ED&S 37/1 1975 p15 Michael Yates from Joe Cooper (Kent) - KENNEDY FSBI 1975 #135 p312 Lottie Chapman 1955 - DAWNEY PG 1977 pp26-7 George Butterworth: Mr Woods, Tibenham, Norfolk 1911 "The KOH" - GARDHAM ERS 1982 p19 Mrs Cograve, Aldbrough, Yorks "The KOH" - PALMER RVW 1983 #74 pp116-7 Mr Woods, Tibenham, Norfolk 1911 "The Keys of my heart" - OPIE Singing Game 1985 #24 pp140-3 - McCOLL-SEEGER 1986 p222 Sheila McGregor - CLINGING 2005 #46 pp99-101 "The Spanish Lady's Love" 16v from Egerton Leigh's "Ballads and Songs of Cheshire" 1867 --- NEWELL 1903 p51 - SANDBURG AS 1927 p144 - SHARP FSSA 1917-32 #92 "The Keys of Heaven (6var) - RICHARDSON AMS 1927 pp52-3 Appal "The Keys to Heaven" - FUSON BKH 1930 pp82-3 Mrs Louisa Moses, Ky (w/o) "The Lover's Quarrel"/ pp152-3 Sallie Lyttle Hatton, Ky (w/o) "I will give you a red dress" - HENRY FSSH 1938 pp291-5 Mary & Pauline Franklin, NC 1929 (w/o)/ Mrs Mary Tucker, Ga 1930 (w/o) "Paper of Pins" - EDDY Ohio 1939 p120 - HUDSON FSM 1936 pp276-7 Mrs Mooney, Oxford. Mississippi (w/o) "P of P" - BELDEN Mo 1940 - MORRIS FSOF pp422-4 Mrs J E Maynard, Fla "The Way Love Begins" - BROWN NC 1952-62 1 & 2 #3 & #5 - LOMAX ABFS 1934 p323 - HUBBARD BSFUL 1961 pp378-380 Mrs Venice Decker 1947 (w/o)/ Mrs Afton Carey & Mrs Marguerite Milais, Utah 1948 "P of P" - PEACOCK SNO 1965 1 pp22-3 Joshua Osborne, Nfl 1960 "P of P" - PETERS FSOW 1977 p146 Mary Laycock, N Dakota "P of P" - JAFL 46 p36 "The Yankee Boy" --- see ON A MOUNTAIN (Children's Game Version) -- John & Alice MEARNS & group rec by Alan Lomax Aberdeen 14/7/51: 7"RTR-0681/ RPL 21415 "A Penny'orth o Preens" - Willie MATHIESON rec by Alan Lomax, Turriff, Aberdeensh, 17/7/51: 7"RTR 0682 "Keys of Canterbury" - Mrs Lottie CHAPMAN, rec by Bob Copper, North Waltham, Hampsh 1955: RPL 21860/ FTX-013 & FTX-426/ TOPIC 12-T-317 "The Silver Pin" - Dorothy FURBUR rec by Seamus Ennis, Heswall Cheshire 5/6/57: RPL LP 23494 - Robin HALL & Jimmie McGREGOR: COLLECTOR JES-5 1959 (45 EP) - Joe GORDON FOLK FOUR (with children): HMV CLP-1379 1960 "If you will marry me" - Clancy children (girl & boy) rec by Diane Hamilton, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary 1961: RTR-0381 #30 "I'll give to you a paper of pins" - Peg & Bobby CLANCY rec Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary: PICKWICK Hallmark CHM-630 1968 - MAGPIES, Derby (Used as jig for dance): FTX-321 - Tim HART & Maddy PRIOR: B & C CREST-26 1968/ CASS 45-0852 - Freddy JEWEL rec by PK, Boscastle, Cornwall 1975 "KOC" (school version): FTX-096 - Robin & Barry DRANSFIELD (unacc): FREE REED FRR-018 1977 "My Man John" - John DOUGHTY: TOPIC TSCD-662 "Will you marry me?"- USA -- Estil & Orna BALL, rec by Alan Lomax, Rugby, Va 1957: ATLANTIC SD-1350// "The Pioneer Strain" broadcast introduced by Alan LOMAX, 1960 rec off air by PK: FTX-902 "The Paper of Pins" - Mrs Matty S DAMERON rec by Maud Karpeles, Stuarts Draft, Va 189/8/55: RPL 23799 "Paper of Pins" - Jean JENKINS (voc/banjo) rec by PK London 2/4/57: RTR-0500/ FTX-914 "Paper of Pins" - Lena Bourne FISH rec by Frank & Anne Warner 1940: FTX-922 - Jean RITCHIE (dulc) with Oscar BRAND (gtr) & Dave SEARS (banjo): RIVERSIDE RLP 12-646 1957 - Guy CARAWAN (voc/gtr) & Peggy SEEGER (voc/banjo) rec London 11/1/58: RPL LP 24212/ rec by PK: EMI CLP-1174 1958/ FTX-942 "Paper of Pins" - La Rena CLARK rec by Edith Fowke, Ontario, Canada: TOPIC 12-T-140 1965 "Rattle on the stovepipe"
MADAM (2) - "Madam, madam, I'm come a courting" "Yonder sits (or stands) a lovely creature" - ROUD#542 (& #361) - SHARP-KARPELES CSC 1974 p449 William Davis, Porlock Weir, Somerset 1906 "Ripest Apples" - JFSS 1:2 1900 p45 Portland, Maine "The Ripest of Apples" - JFSS 3:4 (13) 1909 pp267-8 RVW: Mrs Randall, Ellisfield, Hampsh 1909 1v/m "Yonder sits a fair young damsel" - JFSS 4 1913 pp297-300 Jekyll: Mr Martin, Fletching 1909 1v/m/ Mr Heygate, Rusper1910 (m/o)/ Mrs Cranstone, Billingshurst, Sussex (w/o)/ Hammond: Mrs Greening, Cuckold's Corner, Dorset 1v/m/ Mrs Sims, Uploders, Dorset (m/o)/ Sharp: Mrs Balsh, Ubley, Somerset 1906/ James Beale, Warehorne, Kent 1908 (m/o) "Yonder stands a lovely creature" - GARDINER FSFS 1909 Hampsh "Yonder sits a fair young damsel" - BUTTERWORTH FSSX 1913 pp2-3 Sussex "Yonder stands a lovely creature" - WILLIAMS FSUT 1923 pp196-197 David Sawyer, Ogbourne, Wiltsh (w/o) "March Away" - HENRY SOP 532 "Tarry Trousers" & #641 "The Ripest of Apples" - EFDSS 1934 p133-4 Clive Carey & George Chambers from Fred Yeldham, Thaxted, Essex "Twenty Eighteen" ("As I walked through London City") - REEVES IOP 1958 pp163-4 Sharp: William Shepherd, Winchcombe, Gloucestersh 1909 (w/o) - REEVES EC 1960 p220-222 Hammond: Mrs Sims & Mrs Forsey, Wooton, Dorset 1906 (w/o) "Ripest Apples" - BROCKLEBANK- KINDERSLEY DBFS 1966 p24-5 2var Hammond: Mrs Forsey/ Elizabeth Simonds, Uploders, Dorset "Madam, madam" - PURSLOW WS 1968 pp71-3 Hammond: Mrs Russell, Upwey, Dorset 1907 "Madam Madam" - ED&S 37:1 1975 p15 Mike Yates: Joe Cooper (gypsy), Kent "RP" -- - COX FSOS 1925 W Va (w/o) "The Spanish Lady" - HUDSON FSM 1936 pp167-9 Mrs Swetnam (w/o) & T D Clark (w/o), Mi (w/o) "O madam I have a fine little horse" (ROUD#361) - RANDOLPH OFS 1946 pp53-5 Mrs Judy Jane Whittaker, Mo 1928 "The Courting Cage" (ROUD#361) - CREIGHTON MFS 1961 p121 Nova Scotia - HUNTINGTON SWS 1964 pp194-5 ships log 1819 "Song on Courtship" -- Hugh QUINN rec by PK, Belfast 1955: FTX-072 "There she stands a lovely creature" - Bob COPPER rec 15/2/66 "Twenty Eighteen" ("All you lads that go a-courting") -
Lost Chords: The Diverting Story of American Popular Songs
Douglas Gilbert
Doubleday, Doran and Company, Incorporated, 1942
"The Girl Who Never Would Wed"
I courted a round-bottomed lass one spring
The birds were mating free,
The sheep and the goats
Were feeling their oats—
But she would have none of me.
When summer came and fields were filled
With scent of new mown hay,
The weather was hot, but she was not,
For still she said me nay,
For still she said me nay.
The summer went and autumn came,
And when the nights were chill,
We sat beside the fire in
Her house behind the hill.
'Twas then I said,
Two in a bed
Could warm and cozy be.
I pinched her rump, but up she jumped—
Says she, young man you're too free,
Says she, young man you're too free.
When winter came said I, why do
You choose to sleep alone;
And in single bed
Lay like one dead
As cold as any stone?
I offered her my house and lands
And all my worldly self
With arms so strong to keep her warm-
Says she, keep your arms to yourself.
For years and years I roamed about
And when I had my fill,
I found this girl a woman grown,
But she refused me still.
So when you are old and gray,
And shattery in the knees,
When the wintry blast wintry blast rolls round your rump,
I hope by Jesus you freeze,
I hope by Jesus you freeze.
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Single stanza with music from Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/10/4401)
Courting Case- sung by Bertha Bryant of Peaks of Otter, Virginia on 27 Jul 1918
First Line: Kind Miss, I have a very fine horse,
He will be at your command,
The day you wish to ride, ride, ride,
The day you wish to ride.
Collector: Sharp, Cecil J.
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Single stanza with music Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/10/4352)
The Courting Case sung by Donald, Laura V. [Donald, Laura Virginia] Dewey, Virginia 8 June, 1918
I see you're come, you're come again,
Prat tell me why it's so,
When I met you at Gordonsville,
I told you to come no more.
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Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/10/4260)
The Courting Case Chisholm, James [Chisholm, James H.] of Nellysford Virginia on 21 May 1918
First Line: Kind miss I have a very fine farm
It's sixteen inches square,
It brings a little bit of everything,
Except the chamney ware, ware ware,
Except the chamney ware.
Collector: Sharp, Cecil J.
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Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/10/4232)
Courting Case
First Line: O madam, I'm a courting case
Performer: Coffey, Fanny
Date: 8 May 1918
Place: USA : Virginia : White Rock
Collector: Sharp, Cecil J.
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American Folk Tales and Songs: And Other Examples of ... - Page 145
https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0486226921
Richard Chase, Joshua Tolford - 1956
The Gambling Suitor This song came from Miss Ella Shiflett
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Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/9/3210)
The Courting Case [see EFSSA version B]
First Line: I see you've come again, kind sir
Performer: Gibson, Mary
Date: 9 Sep 1918
Place: USA : N. Carolina : Marion
Collector: Sharp, Cecil J