In Chester Town there lived
A brisk young widow;
For beauty and fine clothes,
None could excel her.
She was proper stout and tall,
Her fingers long and small,
She's a comely dame withal,
She's a brisk young widow.
A lover soon there came,
A brisk young farmer,
With his hat turned up all round,
Thinking to gain her:
My dear, for love of you
This wide world I'll go through;
If you will but prove true,
You shall wed a farmer.
Says she: I'm not for you,
Nor no such fellow.
I'm for a lively lad
With lands and riches.
Its not your hogs and yows
Can maintain furbelows.
My silk and satin clothes
Are all my glory.
O Madam don't be coy,
For all your glory,
For fear of another day
And another story.
If the world on you should frown,
Your top-knot must come down
To a linsey-woolsey gown.
Where is then your glory?
At last there came that way
A sooty collier.
With his hat bent down all round;
He soon did gain her.
Whereat the farmer swore:
The widow's mazed I'm sure;
And I'll never court no more
A brisk young widow.
abc | midi | pdf
Source: Cyril Winn, A Selection of some less known Folk-Songs, Vol 2, Novello.
Notes:
This song was noted by Cecil Sharp from George Radford at Bridgwater Union, Somerset, 22nd August 1905. Mr Radford was 76 at the time.
Winn probably quotes it from Sharp's Folk Songs of Somerset, no.3, Novello, 1906, where it was first published. Some editorial changes have been made to verses 2-5; the relevant verses are quoted below, as collected, from Maud Karpeles, Cecil Sharp's Collection of English Folk Songs, vol.2 no.379 (OUP 1974):
At length at all there came
A brisk young farmer
With his hat turned up all round,
Thinking to gain her,
Saying: O Madam 'tis for you
This wide world I'll go through,
If that you'll prove true,
If you'll wed a farmer.
She says: I'm not for you
Nor no such fellow;
I am for a lively lad
That hath got riches.
It's not your hogs nor yows
Can maintain furbelows,
Besides all my fine clothes
That's all my glory.
O Madam, don't be coy
For all your glory
For fear of another day
And another story.
If the world on you should frown,
Your top-knot must come down
To a linsey woolsey gown
In all your glory.
At last of all there came
A sooty collier
With his hat bent down all round
He soon did gain her.
Which made the farmer swear:
The widow's mazed I'm sure,
I'll never go no more
Courting a widow.
Miss Karpeles comments:
"The singer said that his father had been a great singer, but that this was the only song he had managed to learn from him. It was the only modal tune in the singer's repertory, most of which were 'composed' songs. Cecil Sharp had some doubts as to whether this was an authentic folk song."
The similarity of the tune to some forms of The Blacksmith has been remarked upon from time to time.
Roud: 2438 (Search Roud index at VWML)
Laws:
Child:
Related Songs: The Blacksmith (melodic)