THE WRESTLING MATCH

Twas of champions bold,
They wrestled for a sum of gold,
And all the cry was Will Trefry,
That he should win the day.
So, Will Trefry Huzzah!
The Ladies clap their hands and cry,
Trefry, Trefry, Huzzah!

Then up sprang little Jan,
An undersized man,
And I will be thy conqueror
Where thou dost stand.
So will I fight with thee
I'll let thee knowed I can do so
Today I'll fight with thee.

They wrestled on the ground
His match Trefry had found,
And back and back he bore
He felt his force give way.
So little Jan huzzah
So some did say—but others nay,
Trefry, Trefry, Huzzah.

Then with a desperate toss,
Will showed the flying hoss,
And Jan, he fell to the ground
And Jan ceased to move.
O little Jan—alack!
The Ladies say, O woe's the day
O little Jan—alack!

If killed he hadn't been
A wedding we'd have seen
But Jan died aged eighteen
Leaving his love behind.
Oh little Jan—alas.
The Ladies went in mourning all
For little Jan—alas.

Collected by Baring Gould from James Olver of Launceston in 1890. Olver told him that he had heard it sung 67 years earlier when he was a lad, at Liskeard wrestling matches. The version in 'Songs and Ballads of the West' was modified a little, avoiding the suggestion that Jan and Will Trefry were fighting for prize money. This song is also included in the 'Guild of Handicraft Essex song book' Volume 6, no place of origin is stated but with names like 'Jan' and 'Trefry' and the Cornish Wrestling throw 'Flying Hoss' mentioned there is no doubt that it is Cornish.

X: 1
T:The Wrestling Match
M:2/4
L:1/8
S:HENEGAN MERVE DAVEY
K:F
A"F"| cA F>E| "C" E "Dm" D2D|"Bb"BA B/B/B/G/|"F"F "C"E2C|"Bb"D>E FE|
"F"F>A cA|"C"B>G FE|"F"F2zA/c/|"C7"B>G FE|"Dm"DC2E|
"F"FE DC|FA cA|"C7"B>G FE|"F"F2z

% Output from ABC2Win Version 2.1 f on 26/03/98

MIDI file: WRESTLN.MID

Timebase: 480

Tempo: 160 (375000 microsec/crotchet)
Key: F
TimeSig: 2/4 24 8
Name: The Wrestling Match
Text: S:HENEGAN MERVE DAVEY
Start
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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

Agas Dyw gans mos hwi
BAZ