Wexford Tragedy- (Falk) 1818 chapbook; T. Johnston
[From a chapbook printed[1] by [Yellich and] T. Johnston 1818; Falkirk, Scotland. 8 1/2 stanzas or 17 divided stanzas. Chapbook is titled: "The freemason's song; to which are added, The Wexford Tragedy Or, The False Lover and My Friend and Pitcher." Printed for Freemason[s], 1818. From: Bodleian's Firth collection, catalogue no. Firth f.75 (23).
This establishes a variant of the Wexford reduction which was missing until now. Notice the course rhymes, awkward verbs (That we might conclude a while), missing ending, and shift from 1st person in stanza 9-- which indicate that this was by no means written by a professional print writer but more likely the capturing of tradition. I had already postulated the existence of this and other printed reductions before finding it at Google Books. This has "The Girl/Maid I left behind Me" opening line as found in New Brunswick's "Wexford Lass." See more on the Wexford tradition later in the article. This is an important printed variant of the Wexford tradition and it may not be the only one. By it's traditional nature, it could have be taken from an earlier Irish or English print since Wexford is associated with the Scottish tradition but it is not that tradition. Steve Gardham of Scotland, an expert of broadsides and prints comments: "Wexford is in Ireland and though it is clearly derived from Oxford the most likely progression is that the alteration to Wexford took place in Ireland. Having had a cursory look at the version I would say it's pretty certain it was taken from oral tradition."
R. Matteson 2016]
The Wexford Tragedy Or, The False Lover" from a chapbook printed by T. Johnson[1] in 1818. Arranged in divided stanza as found in printed broadsides.
1. My parents rear'd me tenderly[2],
Endeavouring for me still,
And in the town of Wagan
They brought me to a mill.
2. Where there I spied a Wexford girl,
That had a black rolling eye,
And I offered to marry her
If she would with me lie.
3. In six months after this,
This maid grew big with child,
Marry me, dear Johnny,
As you did me beguile;
4. I promised to marry her,
As she was big with child:
But little did this fair maid know
Her life I would beguile.
5. I took her from her sister's door,
At 8 o'clock at night,
But little did this fair maid know,
I her bore a spite[3];
6. I invited her to take a walk
To the fields a little way,
That we might conclude a while
And appoint a wedding day.
7. But as we were discoursing
Satan did me surround
I pulled a stick out of the hedge,
And knock'd this fair maid down.
8. Down on bended knees she fell,
And for mercy she did cry;
I'm innocent, don't murder me,
For I'm not prepar'd to die.
9. He took her by the yellow hair
And dragged her along,
And threw her in the river,
That ran both deep and strong,
10. All in the blood of innocence
His hands and clothes were dy'd
He was stained with the purple gore
Of his intended bride.
11. Then returning to his mother's door,
At 12 o'clock at night
But little did his mother think
How he had spent the night,
12. Come tell me dear Johnny
What dy'd your hands and clothes?
The answer he made her was,
Bleeding at the nose.
13. He called for a candle
To light himself to bed,
And all the whole night over,
The damsel lay dead,
14. And all the whole night over,
Peace nor rest he could find,
For the burning flames of torment,
Before his breast did shine.
15 In three days after,
This fair maid she was miss'd,
He was taken up on suspicion,
And into jail was cast,
16. Her sister swore away his life,
Without either fear or doubt,
Her sister swore away his life,
Because he call'd her out.
17. In six weeks after that,
This fair maid was found,
Coming floating to her brother's door
That liv'd in Wexford town.
1. There is no printer listed on the chapbook. The printer, Thomas Johnston, was derived from the following facts in evidence: This was printed for freemasons. The only other chapbook they printed was in 1821 and Yellich and T. Johnston were the printers. The two freemason chapbooks are identical in font and style. Therefore it's likely the printers got their name on the second chapbook.
2. This line is identical to some versions of "The Maid(Girl) I left Behind Me."
3. I bore her a spite.