| Author | Topic: Add: Roving Jack | |
| Jon Freeman | Posted - 04 Dec 02 - 02:07 am | |
Roving Jack Young Jack he was a journeyman That roved from town to town, And when he'd done a job of work, He lightly sat him down. With his kit upon his shoulder, and A grafting knife in hand, He roved the country round about, A merry journey-man. And when he came to Exeter, The maidens lept with joy; Said one and all, both short and tall, Here comes a gallant boy. The lady dropt her needle, and The maid her frying-pan, Each plainly told her mother, that she loved the journey-man. He had not been in Exeter, The days were barely three, Before the Mayor, his sweet daughter. She loved him desparately; She bid him to her mother's house, She took him by the hand., Said she, "my dearest mother, see I love the journey-man!" Now out on thee, thou silly maid! Such folly speak no more: How can'st thou love a roving man, toust ne'er seen before? "O mother sweet, I do entreat, I love him all I can; Around the country glad I'll rove With this young journey-man. "He need no more to trudge afoot, He'll travel with coach and pair; My wealth with me - or poverty With him content I'll share." Now fill the horn with barleycorn, And flowing fill the can: Here let us toast the Mayor's daugter And the roving journey-man. Source: Songs Of The West, S Baring Gould Notes: Baring Gould notes: Taken down, words and melody, from William Aggett, Chagford, and from James Parsons, Lew Down. An inferior version of the words is to be found among Cantach's Broadsheets, Ballads, B.M. (1162, h, vol. vii), also one printed in Edinburgh, Ballads (1750-1840, B.M. (1871, f.) Note what has been said relative to this tune, which is in the Aeolian mode, nder I. "By chance it was," with which it is closely related. %%scale 1 X:1 T:Roving Jack B:Songs Of The West, S Baring Gould S: Taken down from William Aggett, Chagford F:/songs M:6/8 L:1/8 K:F A|D2D D2E|F2F F2G|A2A G2F|D3-D2(F/2G/2)| w:Young Jack he was a jour-ney-man That roved from town to town,_ And A2d d2_e|d2B G2A|B2A G2F|D3B2c| w:when he'd done a job of work, He light-ly sat him down. With his d2d d2c|B2B B2c|d2d c2B|A3-A2B| w:kit up-on his shoul-der, and A graf-ting knife in hand,_ He D2D D2E|F2G A2A|E2F E2E|D3-D2|] w:roved the coun-try round a-bout, A mer-ry jour-ney-man._ Added to database here | ||
| masato sakurai | Posted - 05 Feb 03 - 11:53 am | |
The title of more than ten editions at Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads is "(The) Roving Journeyman". A Catnach edition is: Roving journeyman ("I am a roving journeyman ...") Harding B 11(3355) Printer: Catnach, J. (London) Date: between 1813 and 1838 Imprint: J. Catnach, Printer, 2, Monmouth Court, 7 Dials Illus. Ballads on sheet: 2 Note: Harding B 11(3353) is another impression. | ||
| Jon Freeman | Posted - 05 Feb 03 - 12:11 pm | |
Thanks, I have added "Roving Journeyman" as an alternative title. Jon | ||
| masato sakurai | Posted - 05 Feb 03 - 12:36 pm | |
"The Roving Journeyman" is also in Peter Kennedy's Folksongs of Britain & Ireland (No. 353). | ||
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