IN BODMIN TOWN

In Bodmin Town there lived a maid,
My innocent heart she had betrayed,
I ne'er was wounded so before,
And yet I love her more and more.

In Bodmin Town when I did pass,
I saw my sweet love through the glass,
All dressed in ribbons bright and gay,
She looked more fair than flowers in May.

In Bodmin Town when we did meet,
We joined hands with kisses sweet,
I wring my hands in bitter cry,
Without her love, rather I'd die.

In Bodmin Town her father knew,
That she loved so fast and true
He locked her in a chamber high,
That I to her might not come nigh

To Bodmin Town I came at night
And to her door I hurried straight
Come down! Come down! Let me in,
Your own true love pulls at the pin.

From bed she rose and down she came,
She opened the door and let me in
I'm glad to see you love she cried
Since you have gone my father died.

In Bodmin Town the bells did ring,
For our wedding in the Spring,
I ne'er was so happy before
And still I love her more and more.

Baring Gould noted this song from a William Nicholls in 1891.
The tune Merve used is from a manuscript copy in Plymouth local studies library.
It differs slightly from that given by Being Gould in 'Garland of Country Song' and Later
by Gordon Hitchcock in 'Folk songs of the west' (1974).

When I was typing the song in, I found myself singing it to the tune of 'The Butcher Boy'.

MIDI file: BODMIN.MID

Timebase: 480

Tempo: 160 (375000 microsec/crotchet)
Key: G
TimeSig: 4/4 48 8
Name: BODMIN TOWN
Text: S:MERVE DAVEY, HENEGAN
Start
0000 1 74 127 0239 0 74 000 0001 1 74 127 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 71 090 0239 0 71 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 67 120 0479 0 67 000 0001 1 72 090 0239 0 72 000 0001 1 74 090 0239 0 74 000 0001 1 72 127 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 71 090 0479 0 71 000 0001 1 67 120 0479 0 67 000 0001 1 74 090 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 72 127 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 71 090 0239 0 71 000 0001 1 69 090 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 67 120 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 71 090 0239 0 71 000 0001 1 74 090 0239 0 74 000 0001 1 76 090 0239 0 76 000 0001 1 72 127 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 74 090 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 69 120 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 74 090 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 71 127 0239 0 71 000 0001 1 69 090 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 66 090 0479 0 66 000 0001 1 67 120 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 79 090 0239 0 79 000 0001 1 76 090 0239 0 76 000 0001 1 72 090 0239 0 72 000 0001 1 76 127 0479 0 76 000 0001 1 72 090 0479 0 72 000 0001 1 74 120 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 76 090 0239 0 76 000 0001 1 78 090 0239 0 78 000 0001 1 79 127 0479 0 79 000 0001 1 71 090 0479 0 71 000 0001 1 74 120 0479 0 74 000 0001 1 76 090 0239 0 76 000 0001 1 72 090 0239 0 72 000 0001 1 71 127 0239 0 71 000 0001 1 72 090 0239 0 72 000 0001 1 69 090 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 66 090 0239 0 66 000 0001 1 67 120 0719 0 67 000
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the January 15 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X: 1
T:BODMIN TOWN
M:4/4
L:1/4
Q:70
S:MERVE DAVEY, HENEGAN
K:G
d/|"G"dB/G/Gc/d/|"C"c"G"BGd|"Am"cB/A/ "G"G/B/ d/e/|"C"cd"D"Ad|
"G"B/A/"D"/FG/"C"g/ e/c/|ec"G"de/f/|gBd"C"e/c/|"G"B/c/ "D"A/F/ "G"G3/2z/||

% Output from ABC2Win Version 2.1 f on 17/03/98
TRE BOSVENEGH

Y tryga mowes yn Bosvenegh,
Ow holon glan re wrussa tulla;
Ny vuf-vy brewys nefra an keth,
Mes moy ha moy y's cavaf whath.

Yn Bosvenegh pan dremenys-vy,
Y'n gweder, ow hares welys-vy;
Oll yn snodys lowen gwyskys,
Moy tek es blejen yn Me hevellys.


Yn Bosvenegh pan vetsyn-ny,
Gans ammow whek lufyow junsyn-ny;
Y kynyaf gans gann wherow,
Hepthy gwell vyth dhym bos marow.


Yn Bosvenegh, y whodhya hy thas,
Dre gerensa wyr y fen-ny kelmys;
Y's alwhedhas yn chambour ughel,
Agan kerensa may whrello fyllel.

Dhe Vosvenegh y whruk-vy dos,
Dhe'n darras ow fystyna yn nos.;
Deugh dhe'n dor ha'm geseugh yn,
Dhe'n den y honen a'th car yn fyn.

Dywar'n gwely war nans y teth,
Ha ygery an darras ha dresto my eth;
'Da yu genef dha vos devedhys,
Ow thas yu marrow' hy a armas.

Yn Bosvennegh an clegh a sonas,
Awos agan bos ena demedhys;
Mar lowen nefra kens nyns en-vy,
Ha whath y's keryn moy ha moy.

Agas Dyw gans mos hwi

Baz