Does anyone know anything about the version sung by Steeleye Span, beginning,

When I was on horseback, wasn't I pretty When I was on horseback, wasn't I gay Wasn't I pretty when I entered Cork City And met with my downfall on the 14th of May.

... recorded by Steeleye Span on "Ten Man Mop" (1971)?

Is Cork City on the 14th of May (as I suspect) introduced by Steeleye Span for the first time? I haven't come on it in any of the other versions.

There are two complete "compilation CDs" based on the tradition stemming from "The Buck's Lament" (the title of the first full-length extant version -- "The Rake's Lament" is, while probably earlier, a fragment).

FOLKWAYS RECO1~DS Album No. FA 3805 © Copyright 1960 by Folkways Records and Service Corp., 165 W. 46th St., N • Y. C. USA

THE UNFORTUNATE RAKE A STUDY IN THE EVOLUTION OF A BALLAD -- inset printing of the lyrics.

"'The Unfortunate Rake' – a song trail", Compiled by David Atkinson (1999), in Root&Branch 1. -- the CD was issued with an A3 sheet printing of the texts.

Robin Hamilton