The subject came up on uk.music.folk recently, and on looking into it more closely I rather think that the sleevenotes Bert Lloyd wrote for For Pence and Spicy Ale were wrong or misleading as to the Watersons' source for this song. It actually seems to have come from the Journal of the Folk-Song Society (vol VIII, issue 34, 1930, 190-1). Adieu! Adieu! Hard was my Fate was noted by the Hammond Brothers from Mrs Webb of King's Norton in 1906. Her words are almost exactly the same, and her tune has the same alternating 5/4 3/2 rhythm. The tune is only similar, but the Watersons often changed melodies considerably (they may have got the tune from Barrett, of course). The clincher would probably be the refrain, which the Hammonds wrote down as "Willow day".

The broadside song quoted above turns out to have been based on an earlier one, Devol's Last Farewell, which was issued by Bates of London in the late 17th or early 18th century. Much of the (basically, true) story and wording is retained, but the "hero" is no longer named, and elements of the more familiar Flash Lad songs have been introduced. Here it is, quoted from The Euing Collection of Broadside Ballads, University of Glasgow, 1971.


DEVOL's last Farewel : Containing an Account of many frolicksom Intreigues and notorious Robberies, which he committed : Concluding with his mournful Lamentation, on the Day of his Death.

To the Tune of, VPON THE CHANGE. Licens'd according to Order.

You bold undaunted Souls attend
To me, who did the Laws offend;
For now I come to let you know
What prov'd my fatal overthrow,
And brought my Glory to decay;
it was my Gang, for whom I hang,
Well-a-day, well-a-day.

Unto a Duke I was a Page,
And succour'd in my tender Age,
Until the Devil did me intice,
To leave of Vertue, and follow Vice;
No sooner was I led astray,
but Wickedness, did me possess,
Well-a-day, well-a-day.

If I my Crimes to mind shou'd call,
And lay them down before you all,
They would amount to such a Sum,
That there is few in Christendom,
So many wanton Pranks did play;
but now too late, I mourn my fate,
Well-a-day, well-a-day.

Upon the Road, I do declare,
I caus'd some Lords and Ladies fair,
To quit their Coach, and dance with us;
This being done, the Case was thus,
They for their Musick needs must pay;
but now at last, those Joaks are past,
Well-a-day, well-a-day.

Another time, I and my Gang,
We fell upon a Noble-man;
In spite of all that he could do,
We took his gold and silver too
And with the same we rid away;
but being took, for death I look,
Well-a-day, well-a-day.

When I was mounted on my Steed,
I thought myself a Man indeed;
With Pistol cock'd and glittering Sword,
Stand and deliver, was the word,
Which makes me now to lament and say,
pity the Fall of great Devol,
Well-a-day, well-a-day.

I did belong unto a Crew,
Of as swaggering Blades as ever drew,
Stout Witherington and Dowglis both,
We were all three engag'd by Oath,
Upon the Road to take our way;
but now Devol, must pay for all,
Well-a-day, well-a-day.

Because I was a Frenchman born,
Some Persons treated me with scorn;
But being of a daring Soul,
Although my Deeds was something foul,
My gaudy Plumes I did display,
but now my Pride, is laid aside,
Well-a-day, well-a-day.

I reign'd with an undaunted mind
Some years, but now at last I find,
The Pitcher that so often goes
Unto the Well, as Proverb shows,
Comes broken home at last we say;
for now I see, my Destiny,
Well-a-day, well-a-day.

Then being brought to Justice-hall,
Try'd and condemn'd before them all;
Where many noble Lords did come,
And Ladies for to hear my Doom,
Then Sentence pass'd, without delay,
the Halter fast, and Tybourn last,
In one Day, in one Day.


London: Printed for C. Bates, in Pye-c[orner].


The publisher's name and location place the broadside probably between 1685 and 1714, though Ebsworth (Bagford Ballads, 1878) goes for 1670; and it seems likely enough that the song was originally printed in that year.

The highwayman (Claud) Du Vall is historical, and had quite a reputation in his day. He was executed in January 1670. Since typing out the Euing text, I find the Bagford Ballads text transcribed at Gillian Spraggs' Outlaws and Highwaymen site, together with other material relating to Du Vall; including a Pindaric Ode written by Samuel Butler.