From Anne Cockburn, “An Edition of the Daybook of John Reddish, 1740-1805. Vol. 2,” Doctoral diss., University of Nottingham, 1979.

I've tidied up the line endings, spelling, and punctuation.The song was written down in Nottinghamshire between 1780 and 1805. It is clearly an early avatar of Brand's song, farmer's daughter, nonsense syllables, and all:


A New Song.   

1
It's of a jolly beggar man as I heard people say,
Rudom dardom dydom, rudom dardom day,
It's of a jolly beggar man as I hard people say,
And he went a-begging all on the highway.

Chorus
With his good and long, stiff and strong,
Still standing, rudom daddy, wag your stump, stump about,
Rudom dardom dydo rudom dardom day.

2
He went unto a farmer's house some charity for to crave,
Rudom dardom dydo, rudom dardom day,
He went unto a farmer's house some charity for to crave
Get off, ye saucy begger man, no Charity you shall have.

3
The farmer he'd a daughter, and her name was Miss Primm,
Rudom dardom dydo, rudom dardom day.
The farmer he'd a daughter, her name it was Miss Primm,
He is a handsome beggar man, so daddy, let him in.

4
She went into the celler to draw a can of beer,
Rudom dardom dydo, rudom dardom day.
She went into the celler to draw a can of Beer
Rudom daddy followed her and kiss't her on stairs.

5
She went into the parlor and likewise into ye hall
Rudom dardom dydo, rudom dardom day
She went into the parlor and likewise in the hall
Rudom daddy follow'd her, to work they both did fall.
Etc.

6
She went into the garden to get a bit of sage,
Rudom dardom dydo, rudom dardom day,
She went into the garden to get a bit of Sage,
Rudom daddy follow'd her because she was at age.
Etc.