Lyr Req: A chaise and a pair from the Talbot did

Subject: Lyr Req: A chaise and a pair from the Talbot did
From: davidharley
Date: 18 Jul 21 - 10:17 AM

I was asked about the following couplet: "A chaise and a pair from the Talbot did go / A chaise and four from the Lion below", which I'm told appears in Eddowes’s Shrewsbury Journal 30/8/1876 and also in Pride And Prejudice. The inn/hotel names and the Eddowes source suggest a Shrewsbury/Shropshire connection, but it's new to me and some serious websearching hasn't dug up more lines or information. If anyone has any suggestions, I'll be more than happy to pass them on.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A chaise and a pair from the Talbot did
From: davidharley
Date: 18 Jul 21 - 10:32 AM

A little more from 'Shropshire Shreds and Patches' August 30 1878: "It was known in the neighbourhood of Uppington some years ago... It described a race between the post boys of the Lion and Talbot Inns from Shrewsbury to Hay Gate and went on to give the incidents of 'the road,' describing the places through which the rival chaises passed. 'To Georges o' Norton as they drew near / the chaise and the pair were seen to appear.' " I've just seen it suggested that the inns were both bidding for the mail franchise to London.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A chaise and a pair from the Talbot did
From: GUEST,#
Date: 18 Jul 21 - 10:37 AM

https://books.google.ca/books?id=RA45AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA77&lpg=PA77&dq=A+chaise+and+a+pair+from+the+Talbot+did&source=bl&ots=ECKu-pD0

Bottom right of p.77 and top left of p.78 shows the two lines you gave plus two others.

What specifically does your 'seeker' need, other than the complete poem which seems to have been being sought after way back then?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A chaise and a pair from the Talbot did
From: GUEST,#
Date: 18 Jul 21 - 10:38 AM

Sorry. Cross posted.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A chaise and a pair from the Talbot did
From: davidharley
Date: 18 Jul 21 - 11:39 AM

Thanks anyway. :) There is already quite a lot of information and speculation on the Shropshire-oriented group where I was originally tagged, so I suspect that a complete lyric would be most appreciated, though any definite information would be of interest.

Speaking of which, I've just been searching a Kindle edition of Pride and Prejudice and failed to find anything resembling any of these lines, so that reference is probably mistaken.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A chaise and a pair from the Talbot did
From: GUEST,#
Date: 18 Jul 21 - 11:47 AM

I'm pretty sure it was "a chaise and a four" in 'P and P'. (Tripped over that somewhere.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A chaise and a pair from the Talbot did
From: davidharley
Date: 18 Jul 21 - 12:19 PM

I found 11 matches in P&P to 'chaise' including two references to 'chaise and four'but none that resembled this lyric. And certainly no chaise and pair. :)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A chaise and a pair from the Talbot did
From: GUEST,#
Date: 18 Jul 21 - 12:29 PM

You do get some seriously tough questions thrown your way, David. I'll keep looking, but I think I'll just be following your tracks. If I find anything new I'll post it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A chaise and a pair from the Talbot did
From: davidharley
Date: 18 Jul 21 - 12:36 PM

:-D Thanks. Probably my own fault for having released an album of Shropshire-related songs! But I quite enjoy the challenge, even though I don't claim to be any sort of musicologist.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A chaise and a pair from the Talbot did
From: GUEST,#
Date: 18 Jul 21 - 01:20 PM

Would you be kind enough to talk about the album?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A chaise and a pair from the Talbot did
From: davidharley
Date: 18 Jul 21 - 01:40 PM

It would probably be kinder not to. ;) It's not 'traditional' material: some settings of verse from Housman, mostly from'A Shropshire Lad'; a setting of a poem from the late 18th or 19th century about the arbor tree at Aston Clun; a song based on an article by Ron Nurse about a Jacobite-related incident in Shrewsbury; a song about trainspotting and another about the Welsh Marches Line, albeit from a personal PoV; a sort of mock-medieval protest song; and a couple of instrumental. If that doesn't put you off, it's on Bandcamp (you don't have to pay to listen to it!) https://davidaharley.bandcamp.com/album/tears-of-morning-2

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A chaise and a pair from the Talbot did
From: GUEST,#
Date: 18 Jul 21 - 02:22 PM

If I were to make one suggestion, it would be to lighten up on yourself. I'm listening to Wrekin (TML) as we speak and it's very good. In fact, better than much of what's being released these days.

No, it won't be a million seller, but what is these days? As a btw, I like many people's work regardless the genre, so saying it's not trad doesn't put me off one bit.

It's an excellent idea to have the lyrics with the songs. You should be proud of yourself. It is a ton of work to accomplish what you did, David. Thank you very much.

And I'm making it a 'hot' link.

https://davidaharley.bandcamp.com/album/tears-of-morning-2

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A chaise and a pair from the Talbot did
From: GUEST,#
Date: 18 Jul 21 - 02:54 PM

Love the guitar work on "Southside", and the mastering of the track was excellent. Left enough raw stuff, so it's not squeaky-clean. In the parlance, just like downtown.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A chaise and a pair from the Talbot did
From: davidharley
Date: 18 Jul 21 - 03:11 PM

I have a Masters in false modesty. ;) But thank you for those kind words: I really do appreciate them!

I think it's a bit late to resume my long-dormant career as a musician, but I do have 50-60 years worth of songs to do something with, so there'll probably be more albums, if my health holds out. :) None of them will be million sellers, though!