There is I think already a thread on this somewhere but the Watersons also recorded a more northerly offshoot of The Duke's Hunt called Swarthfell Rocks. This genre of hunting songs were usually traditionally written (or rewritten) by members of the hunts themselves, and as people moved from one pack to another or mixed at hunt suppers the songs were adapted to other occasions. Of course the original in this case was probably written by a London hack who was acquainted with the event. We have here an interesting evolution over more than 3 centuries which involves different versions being shunted backwards and forwards around the country between broadside printers and hunt followers, and of course latterly the folk scene. Swarthfell Rocks appears to have reached the Lake District via the Hexham Hunt version which appeared on broadsides. Dido Bendigo/Spendigo of course was widely printed all over the country since the late 18thc.
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