Single I'll go to my grave- William Wise (Oxf) 1915 A. Williams
[Wiltshire Community History, Folk Song Information online. WSHC 2598/72 Manuscript of A Cotswold Ploughing Match and other folk songs included in Folk Songs of the Upper Thames; also Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard, 19th February, 1916, p 3, Part 19, No. 3. Their notes follow.
This is an accurate recall of the broadside texts.
R. Matteson 2016]
Notes: Williams, Alfred: Ms / WGS: "An old song. We have had occasion to remember several pieces that the subject of them was well laboured, and we may say the same of this. At the same time, it was popular and, that being the case, there is no need for us to pretend to any tediousness. For the words I am indebted to William Wise, Alvescot, Oxfordshire." Transcribed and edited by Chris Wildridge, 2014.
Single I'll go to my grave- Sung by William Wise of Alvescot, Oxfordshire. Collected by Alfred Williams.
Verse 1
"Awake! Awake! you drowsy[1] sleepers.
Awake! Awake! for it's almost day,
How can you sleep, love, here, any longer,
Since you have stole my heart away?"
Verse 2
"Begone! Begone! you'll wake my mother,
My father he will quickly hear,
Begone! Begone! and court some other,
And whisper softly in her ear."
Verse 3
My father heard those lovers talking,
And quickly jumped out of bed,
He put his head out of the window,
And this young man he quickly fled.
Verse 4
"Come back! Come back! don't be called a rover,
Come back! Come back! and stay with me,
And stay until his passion's over,
Your lawful bride then I will be."
Verse 5
"O daughter, dear, now I'll confine you,
Your Jimmy dear shall go to sea,
Then you can write your love a letter,
So that he can read it when far away."
Verse 6
"O father dear, pay me down my fortune,
Which is five hundred pounds, you know,
Then I will cross the watery ocean,
To where the hills are covered in snow."
Verse 7
"No daughter dear, I'll not pay your fortune,
Which is five hundred pounds I know,
Nor you'll not cross the watery ocean,
To where the hills are covered with snow."
Verse 8
"But daughter, dear, now I'll confine you,
All in your own private room,
And you shall have naught but bread and water
But once a day and that's at noon.
Verse 9
"I want none of your bread and water,
Nor any other thing you have;
If I can't have my heart's desire,
Then single I'll go to my grave."
1. spelled, "downy" in MS.