Last New Year's Day I heard them say,
Young Dicky mounted Dobbin grey.
Away he rode to Taunton Dean
To court the parson's daughter Jane.
(Sing fal the dal did-dle O i-gee O,    
Sing fal the dal did-dle O i-gee O.)

His buckskin breeches he put on,
His Sunday clothes so neatly shone,
The hat he wore upon his head
Was neatly trimmed with ribbons red.

Away he rode all in great sweat
Until he came to the parson's gate,
And there he cried: Hullo, hullo,
What! are the good people at home or no?

O the trusty servant let him in
And then the courtship did begin.
Straightway he went into the hall
And aloud for Parson's Jane did call.

Miss Jane walked down all in great sway
To hear what Dicky had got to say.
I am a good fellow although I am poor,
I never did fall in love before.

If I consent to be your bride,
What will you for me provide?
For I can neither card nor spin
Nor neither help your harvest in.

Sometime I reap, I plough, I sow,
And sometimes I to the market go.
The old mare's keep be corn and hay
And she earn me sixpence every day.

Sixpence a day that will not do
To gird me in silks and satins too,
Besides the coach when I take the air.
The devil, says Dicky, you make me stare.

Sixpence a day that won't find meat,
Nor faith, say Dick, nor sacks of wheat,
But if you'll consent to marry me now
I'll make you as fat as father's old cow.

His complements were so polite
Which made the good people laugh outright.
And when young Dick hd no more to say
He mounted Dobbin and rode away.


abc | midi | pdf

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Source: Cecil Sharp's Collection of English Folk Songs, Vol 2, p 340, No 310, ed Maud Karpeles , Oxford University Press, 1974

Notes:
Sung by Mrs Eliza Hutchings (72) at Taunton, Somerset, 6 September 1905.

The mis-spellng of 'Dean' in verse 1 matches the spelling in the book.


Roud: 382 (Search Roud index at VWML) Take Six
Laws:
Child: