US & Canada Versions: 58. Sir Patrick Spens
[Except for two fragments from the WPA collection, only four text versions of this ballad have been found in North America. The best text is found in the Southern Folk-Lore Quarterly I, 1937. This is the first issue and I have this issue, given to me by my grandmother- it was when my grandfather was President of the Society!
The Niles text "collected" in 1934 may or not be authentic, so that leaves only a recited text from New Brunswick, Canada (that was learned in Aberdeenshire) and the short text collected by the Kirklands in Tennessee.
One of the WPA versions "The Patrick Song" 1939 from Joe Hubbard was so fragmented that Halpert didn't even record the text (see Bronson 9).
R. Matteson 2014]
CONTENTS:
1) Sir Patrick Spence- Tucker (VA-MD) c1860 Powell -- From Southern Folk-Lore Quarterly I, 1937. Also reprinted in Maryland Folklore and Folklife - Page 52 by George Gibson Carey - 1970. The only extant full text of the ballad in North America. Taken down at Norfolk, Virginia, June 4, 1936, from the singing of George Holbert Tucker, who had it about 1915-6, from his maternal grandmother, Mrs. George Edward Marshall (born Sarah Frances Virginia Earle) of Queen Anne's County, Maryland.
2) Patrick Spenser- Bell (TN) 1934 Niles -- From The Ballad Book of John Jacob Niles; 1961. The odds that this ballad is authentic are slim, at best. The difficultly is figuring out Niles-- who did collect ballads and did admit (Wilgus) recreating them. Sung by Christopher Bell, Pitman Center, TN in 1934.
3) Sir Patrick Spence- McCauley (TN) 1937 Brown/Kirkland -- From Southern Folk-Lore Quarterly; 1938 reprinted in Brown 1952 Vol. 2. Recorded by E. C. Kirkland in August 1937, from the singing of Miss Clara J. McCauley.
4) Sir Patrick Spens- Leslie (NB-ABD) c1953 Creighton -- My date. From: Folksong from Southern New Brunswick, Creighton; 1971. Creighton made several recordings of Leslie in 1953. I'm not sure of the date Leslie came to New Brunswick but it was before 1953.
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Excerpt from The British Traditional Ballad in North America by Tristram Coffin 1950, from the section A Critical Biographical Study of the Traditional Ballads of North America
58. SIR PATRICK SPENS
Texts: Brown Coll | SFLQ, I, #i, 10; #4, i.
Local Titles: Sir Patrick Spens
Story 'Types: A ; The king needs a skipper to sail his ship to Norway and "bring home 5 ' Qu&en Margaret's lass. On a counsellor's advice, he writes Sir Patrick Spens. Spens rues the assignment because of the season, but sets out anyway. After a number of insults thrown at him and his crew in Norway, Spens from pride sets sail in the face of an impending storm. The gale strikes, and in spite of cloth wrapped about its sides the ship flounders. The ladies may sit and wait a but Sir Patrick Spens will never come home.
Examples : SFLQ, I, #i, 10; #4,1.
Discussion; For a discussion of the discovery of this ballad in America see SFLQ., I, #1,3. The text given in that issue is excellent, with the famous "old moon" and closing stanzas intact.
Child, II, 19 20 cites events that are possible historical bases for the story. The most likely are the voyages centering about the marriage of Margaret and Eric of Norway in 1281 and the subsequent return of their daughter to marry Edward I of England in 1290.
The American story follows the Child G-J series. The Tennessee ( 54, i) text is abbreviated, however, and leaves out the "moon" stanza, the "wrapping" of the ship during the storm, and the poetic end. The reasons for Spens' leaving Norway and for his being sent have been obscured, and the King is looking for a new sailor in the end. The mood is cold and objective.
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SIR PATRICK SPENS
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.1296 (version a)
Performer Hamilton, J. B.
Place collected USA : Virginia : Wise
Collector Hamilton, Emory L.
SIR PATRICK SONG [Bronson 9- no text]
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, No.1296 (version b)
Performer Hubbard, Uncle Joe
Place collected USA : Virginia : Esserville
Collector Hamilton, Emory L.