Hi,

Of the about 83 traditional versions I've selected these:

A. "Near Turnbridge Waters" found in Chapter 18 in Tales About Christmas by Peter Parley (Samuel Griswold Goodrich) p. 147-148; London, 1838.

B. "The Bridgewater Merchant," from New York MS taken from a great-aunt of Douglass; dated circa 1820, part of Douglass/Stevens MS from A Pioneer Songster- Thompson, 1958.

C. "The Apprentice Boy" from Ohio/Michigan taken MS book (c. 1852) of Mrs. Elsie Clark Lambertson.

D. "The Bamboo Brier" Sung by Mrs. Samuel Harmon; Cades Cove, TN from Council Harmon (1806-1890) dated c. 1840

E. "The Merchant's Daughter"- Carl Mayhew Missouri, dated 1870, collected in 1910, Belden A

F. "The Bamboo Briers"- Hannah Ross from Virginia to West Virginia; 1875 Cox A

G. "The Bramble Brier"- Sung by Jane Goon Ohio taken from Carrie Brubaker by 1876. Eddy

H. "The Bramble Brier," from Henry J. Wehman (Wehman's Universal Songster); printed in NY. No. 28, p. 23; 1890.

I. "The Jealous Brothers," sung by Mr. Doney Hammontree of Farmington, Arkansas; from Randolph, Ozark Folksongs dated 1890s.

J. In Bruton Town" sung by Mrs. Overd in Somerset, England; collected in 1904 by Cecil Sharp.

K. "A Famous Farmer" sung by George Digweed, Hants. Collected by H. E. Hammond in 1906.

   L. "Lonesome Valley" was collected by Katherine Pettit in Kentucky from an unknown informant before 1907 when it was published in the JAF by Kittredge.

   M. "The Brake o' Briars" sung by Sebbage in Sussex in 1911; collected Gillington.

   N. "The Apprentice Boy" was collected by Hubert Shearin in Kentucky from an unknown informant before 1911 when it was published in the Sewannee Review.

   O. "It's of a Farmer" was collected from an unknown informant in Herts in 1913 by R. V. Williams. It was later published in Palmer's, Everyman's Book of English Country Songs.

    P. "Lord Burling's Sister" was collected by Broadwood from Joiner in Herts, 1914.

    Q. "The Farmer's Daughter" Sung by Richard Gardner of Hardwick, Oxfordshire and collected by Alfred Williams. It was published, December 1915.

    R. "In Seaport Town" Sung by Stella Shelton of Madison County, NC in 1916 (Sharp A).

    S. "Near Bridgewater" Sung by Eliza Pace of Hyden, KY in 1917 (Sharp E).

    T. "In Transport Town-- Sung by Mrs. Mollie Broughton at Barbourville, Knox Co., Kentucky on May 8, 1917 (Sharp F, MS)

    U. "Brandberry Briars" Communicated by Frances Sanders (WV) 1924 Cox C

    V. "The Bridgewater" Sung by George Vinton Graham of California, learned in Iowa. Recorded in 1938 by Cowell for LOC.

    W. "The Bridgwater Farmer" Sung by Caroline Hughes of Dorset, England. Recorded in 1962 MacColl/Seeger.

I've started he ballad story from the traditional text:

A wealthy merchant (or a farmer) lived "near Bridgewater" in C, V, W (in A, "near Tunbridge Waters"; in B, "At Bridgewater"; D "Across Bridgewater" G, "In Portly town" H, "Near Blue-water"; J, "In Bruton Town"; L, "In yonder town"), who had two sons and a daughter fair, when the father died (from life to death; of life to death) "they were bereaved, which filled his children's hearts with care (fear)." Unto the seas the two sons (in S, "young men" in V, "two boys") did venture, to bring home their father's gain (in B, "bring back their gain"). They had an apprentice by firm indenture and sent him factor (in S, factory) o'er the raging main. He was comely of a fair complexion, neat (in B, straight) and complete in every limb. And on him their sister placed her whole affection, Unbeknownst to any of them. Three thousand pounds (in E, Five hundred pounds) it was her portion, all for this fair and comely dame. To this young man that ploughed (in B, crossed) the ocean, she was resolved to bestow the same.

The resulting ur-ballad or missing broadside:

A wealthy merchant lived near Bridgewater,
Who had two sons and a daughter fair,
when the father died they were bereav-ed,
Which filled his children's hearts with care.

Unto the seas the two sons did venture,
To bring home their father's gain;
They had an apprentice by firm indenture
And sent him factor o'er the raging main.

He was comely of a fair complexion,
Neat and complete in every limb.
And on him their sister placed her affection,
Unbeknownst to any of them.

Three thousand pounds it was the portion,
All for this fair and comely dame.
To this young man that ploughed the ocean,
She was resolved to bestow the same.

Comments?

Richie