Lyr Add: Proper Objects for Botany Bay

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Proper Objects for Botany Bay
From: GUEST,warren fahey
Date: 20 Dec 10 - 03:31 PM

anyone interested in a recorded version could preview my version on iTunes.Accompanied on English Concertina where I call it 'Botany Bay Scoundrels'. I am not aware of any other recorded version.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Proper Objects for Botany Bay
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 19 Dec 10 - 06:40 PM

G'day yet again Jim,

I imagine that the songsheet in the Harding collection is pretty close to what Ingleton drew on for "True Patriots All, in 1952 ... and what was turned up in Ron Edwards' search for broadsides and songsheets relevant to colonial Australia in all appropriate UK collections, during the 1980s. (I'll check the images reproduced in the two books that Ron published from that trip...).

My careful comparison of the well-known version with your example from the The County magazine, Volume 1, November, 1786 still agrees with my quick appraisal of last Thursday. All the existing text has been edited for better grammar / better poetic form ... and rather "higher class" spelling conventions. On top of that, that added stanzas tend to look at 'abuses' in the upper-middle class area (lax Parsons, corrupt Judges, dodgy Merchants ... unrepentant bankrupts, 'bribing' Electoral Agents ... and Rakes!).

I think of this as "The Country Gentleman's text" ... as the source would suggest.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Botany Bay, A New Song
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 12:13 AM

The Bodleian collection has a song [Harding B 25(1576)] called PROPER OBJECTS FOR BOTANY BAY, beginning "Let us drink a good health to our schemers above," printed between 1802 and 1819.

Unfortunately, the online image is barely legible at the beginning and totally illegible at the end.

I deciphered enough of it to determine that it matches the first version above much more closely than the second, but it isn't a perfect match.

One thing I like about it is the title. At least it helps distinguish these songs from the others called BOTANY BAY or THE SHORES OF BOTANY BAY.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Botany Bay, A New Song
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 16 Dec 10 - 09:27 PM

G'day Jim,

That looks pretty interesting (over the yoghurt course of lunch at work terminal ...). I'll need to lay the two versions against each other to get the real feel of how ( ... and why ... ) this version appears. At a guess, I would say that (in November 1786) the preparations for shipping all sorts of inconvenient people as far from England as possible were in the news.

It may well be that someone writing for the Country Magazine picked up a copy of the songsheet from a hawker ... and decided to rework it to suit publication and/or the slant of that publication.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: Lyr Add: BOTANY BAY. A NEW SONG.
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 16 Dec 10 - 06:30 PM

Here's another version of the above song. There are many small differences that, in my opinion, make this version scan better, without changing the sense; I have not marked these. However, there are some whole verses that were omitted or substantially changed in the above version, and these I have put in boldface.

From The County magazine, Volume 1, November, 1786, page 186:

BOTANY BAY.
A NEW SONG.

Let us drink a good health to our schemers above,
Who at length have contriv'd from this land to remove
Thieves, robbers, and villains, and send them away
To become a new people at Botany Bay.

Such men as have talents, and trades to get bread,
Yet spunge on the public to be cloathed and fed;
Who spend all they get, and turn night into day,
Such sots should be all sent to Botany Bay.

When gay powder'd coxcombs and proud dressy fops,
With very small fortunes set up in great shops;
If they run into debt:—with design not to pay,
They should all be transported to Botany Bay.

The bankrupt who gets his certificate sign'd,
And once more to take in his friends is inclin'd;
All such depredators our ships should convey,
With other less villains, to Botany Bay.

The tradesmen who play at cards, billiards, and dice,
Must pay for their goods an extravagant price;
No, faith, I'm mistaken,—such rogues never pay,
And therefore should all go to Botany Bay.

If at an election an agent is found
Corrupting the voters, or handing bribes round;
Such dabblers in dirty work, send them away,
With those that employ them, to Botany Bay.

When men that are married to good-natur'd wives
Run after lewd wenches, and lead debauch'd lives,
Our wise legislature should send such away
To support their new system at Botany Bay.

The night-walking strumpets that swarm in each street,
Proclaiming their calling to each man they meet,
Are become such a pest, that without more delay,
Those despoilers of youth should be sent to the Bay.

If any proud parson his flock should neglect,
And more than his bible the tythe laws inspect,
Or if he's too lazy to preach or to pray,
Such a drone would be sent out to Botany Bay.

When clerical coxcombs affect the bon ton,
Keep hunters, grooms, footmen, girls, dogs, and a gun;
Much more than their income they squander away,
And are very fit objects for Botany Bay.

If monopolizers will add to their store,
By cruel oppression, and squeezing the poor,
Or jobbers or farmers grow rich in that way,
Such foes to the public should go to the Bay.

If great men above, or our gentry below,
Who talk much of honour, and make a great show,
If they the poor tradesmen don't annually pay,
Send off such defaulters to Botany Bay.

When lecherous whoremasters practise vile arts,
To ruin young virgins, and break parents' hearts,
Or from the fond husband the wife leads astray,
Let such debauch'd stallions be sent to the Bay.

When rakes are promoted they ought to be watch'd,
For some will pass sentence on girls they've debauch'd;
If men break the peace—who to keep peace –?– pay,
Send off such transgressors to Botany Bay.

Then whores, pimps, and bastards, a large costly crew,
Maintain'd by the sweat of the labouring few,
Should have no commissions, place, pension, or pay;
Such locusts should all go to Botany Bay.

And that our foul nation may cleanly be swept,
Send off all the keepers as well as the kept;
Who beggars his children his bunter to pay,
Should work for a breakfast at Botany Bay.

The hulks and the jails have some thousands in store,
But out of the gaols are ten thousand times more
Who live by fraud, cheating, vile tricks, and foul play,
And should all be sent over to Botany Bay.

Should any take umbrage at what I have writ,
And here find a bonnet, or cap that will fit;
To such I have only this one word to say,—
They're welcome to wear it to Botany Bay.

Subject: Lyr Add: BOTANY BAY, A NEW SONG^^
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 19 Nov 98 - 05:25 PM

G'day all,

This comes out of a request in another thread. I could not find this broadside song in DT, so here it is. The words come from a broadside in Sydney's Mitchell Library, found by Geoffrey Ingleton and published inTrue Patriots All, Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1952.

Folklorist Ron Edwards suggests the tune'Villikins and his Dinah', better known in America as'Sweet Betsy from Pike' and in Australia as'Dinki Di'. The tune is well-known, so I won't bother to post an ABC.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

BOTANY BAY,A New Song,

Let us drink a good health to our schemers above,
Who at length have contrived from this land to remove
Thieves, robbers and villains, they'll send 'em away,
To become a new people at Botany Bay.

Some men say they have talents and trades to get bread,
Yet they spunge on mankind to be cloathed and fed,
They'll spend all they get, and turn night into day,
Now I'd have all such sots sent to Botany Bay.

There's gay powder'd coxcombs and proud dressy tops,
Who with very small fortunes set up in great shops,
They'll run into debt with design ne'er to pay,
They should all be transported to Botany Bay.

The tradesmen who plays at cards, billiards and dice,
Must pay for their goods an extravagant price,
No faith I'm mistaken such rogues never pay,
Therefore they should all go to Botany Bay.

Many men they are married to good natur'd wives,
They'll run after wenches and lead debauch'd lives,
Our wise legislature should send such away,
To support their system in Botany Bay.

There's night walking strumpets who swarms in each street
Proclaiming their calling to each man they meet,
They become such a pest that without more delay,
Those corrupters of youth should be sent to Botany Bay

There's monopolizers who add to their store,
By cruel oppression and squeezing the poor,
There's butchers and farmers get rich quick in that way,
But I'd have all such rogues sent to Botany Bay.

We've great men above and gentry below,
They'll talk much of honour, and make a great shew,
But yet never think their poor tradesmen to pay,
Such defaulters I'd have sent to Botany Bay.

You lecherous whore-masters who practice vile arts,
To ruin young virgins and break parents hearts,
Or from the fond husband the wife leads astray,
Let such debauch'd stallions be sent to Botany Bay.

There's whores, pimps, & bastards, a large costly crew,
Maintain'd by the sweat of a labouring few,
They should no commission, place, pension or pay,
Such locusts should all go to Botany Bay.

And that we may sweep our foul nation quite clean,
Send off the shop-tax promoters so mean,
And those who deprives the light of the day,
Should work for a breakfast at Botany Bay.

The hulks and the jails had some thousands in store,
But out of the jails are ten thousand times more,
Who live by fraud, cheating, vile tricks, and foul play,
Should all be sent over to Botany Bay.

Now, should any take umbrage at what I have writ,
Or here find a bonnet or cap that will fit,
To such I have only this one word to say,
They are all welcome to wear it at Botany Bay.