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User Name Thread Name Subject Posted
AndyG Lyr Add: Warrington Fair, with translation (14) RE: Warrington Fair: FAO BruceO 01 Mar 00


For what it's worth here's a take on the first 30 lines.
Bruce O's commentary in bold
My interpretations in italics my guesses are underlined

Notes:
This song seems to be from South Lancs.
whom (meaning home), is pronouced WOM not HOOM
Wur can mean
was - a wur goin t'doit - I was going to do it.
were - wi wur goin wezzed - we were going west
we're - wur goin wezzed - we are going west
where - wur izzit ? - where is it ?
hoo, literally her, used to mean she
Caw, normally Ca' in dialect writing is literally call or called, used in the sense of "said"
eg caw hoo = said she

Warrington Fair

001: Hoorry me gentles, an inny wun tarry,
002: I'll tell o how Gilbert Scott sowd is mere Berry. (sold)
Hurry my gentles, should anyone tarry
I'll tell of how Gilbert Scott sold his mare Berry

003: He sowd is Mere Berry at Warritt'n Fere, (Warrington Fair)
004: Baw coud naw tell whether t be pede ere or nere (it be paid or not?)
He sold his mare Berry at Warrington Fair
But could not decided whether to be paid then and there

005: Baw when he coom whom, e toud is weif Greace (came home)
006: Hoo up with a Kibboo, an swatt im o'r th' Fece (Kibboo- small iron tool, used in making flax)
But when he came home he told his wife grace
She took up a kibboo and beat him about the face

007: He towd her god monny a mad farrant teele (many a mad silly tale)
008: At hoo sweer he was madder in Tum-agood-ele. (that she swore he)
He told her good many a mad silly tale
That she swore was maddened by good tasty ale

009: Baw when i' good yornst hoo soe noo munny coome (earnest, truly she saw no money came)
010: Ten hoo lede abawt uppaw Gilbert soon, (then she laid about)
But when in all earnest she saw no money come
Then she laid about our poor Gilbert soon

011: Hoo thrust im tuth Hillock wo siche a thwack,
012: At he had welly brokken his Back
She thrust him to the hillock with such a thwack
That he had well nigh broken his back

013: Thou whoor, caw he, int(?)l(?)e lemme rise,
014: I'll githed awth' Light, aw in me lies (lost? all the the light)
Thou whore, called he and if you let me rise
from context the next line must mean, I'll tell you the truth as well as I can
or something similar as Gilbert goes on to describe the buyer thus, I'll give thee all the ???, all in my ???

015: Ah' Monn's Cwote wur a grey, ea good thrum-hat, (he had a good)
016: Foo quickly wur I espy'd aw that
The man's coat was a grey, he'd a good thrum-hat
Full quickly I espied all that

017: His bond was tood, with a Congorton-Pwoint, (band was tied)
018: Wo two or three Gaggs at oith eend varry quoint, (each end very quaint)
His band was tied with a Congelton Point
With two or three Gaggs?? at each end very quaint

I'm assuming band = cravat, (NB the silk industry in Congleton (Chesire) in 1752)

019: His doublit wus blue, an his breekes wurr green
020: An his Shoon wudden a doon[,] a mon good to ha seen;
His doublet was blue, and his breeks were a green
And his shoes wouldn't have done, a man good to have seen

I can't make any sense of that line.

021: Hor k(R?N?)om wurn aw brown, e spike spon new
022: Wo greit brode squere noses, as I am true.
???? wasn't all brown, he spoke ??? ???
With great broad square noses as I am true

023: A goodly brode gurdle, a lether was gurt. (broad girdle, of leather)
024: About im like won oth' better swort. (one of the.. sort)
A goodly broad girdle of leather, was girt
about him, like one of the better sort

025: Aw doon wo brass=buckoos, at mede siche a shaw (made such a show)
026: At I durst ha trustit im with price on a Cow.
All down with brass buckles that made such a show
That I dared have trusted him with the price of a cow

Is it possible that lines 021 - 026 are describing a horse/horses ?

027: Baw how N(R?)etts he, caw hoo, ar where doozy dwell! (name? does he)
028: Bimilakin caw he, tat I conne tell. (oath - By my Lady, Virgin Mary)
But how ??? he, said she, and where does he dwell
By my lady's kin said he, that I cannot tell

029: For why, caw he, I cowd naw for shawm (could not for shame)
030: Misduttim so miche ast ask im his naum, (misdoubt him so much as to)
For why, said he, I could not for shame
Misdoubt him so much as to ask him his name


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