Here are the notes from Penguin:Lovely Joan (FSJ IV 90)
Many of our amatory folk songs show a double sentiment of gaiety and irony that comes as a surprise to those expecting merely yokel quaintness. The young lady may show herself at a loss over the conduct of a false lover, but, confronted with importunity, she remains as a rule unruffled, completely mistress of herself. And if the subterfuges she adopts are of doubtful honesty, the implied judgement is that she is a smart girl and it serves that young fellow right. Thus, "Lovely Joan" seems to be sister to such resourceful girls as the heroine of the Broomfield Hill or of the traditional sets of Blow Away the Morning Dew. The song has been taken from oral tradition in Sussex (FSJ I 270), Suffolk (FSJ IV 330), Somerset (SFS IV 48), and Wiltshire (WUP 46). The text, hitherto published only in modified form, is completed here from the MS collection of Cecil Sharp.
Here's the entry from the Traditional Ballad Index:Lovely Joan
DESCRIPTION: Young man, out riding, comes upon Joan. He offers her a ring/purse of gold in return for a roll in the hay; she says the ring is more use to her than 20 maidenheads. She takes the ring, then hops on his horse and rides off to her true love's gate.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1909
KEYWORDS: virtue seduction bargaining trick virginity
FOUND IN: Britain(England(South))
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Sharp-100E 57, "Sweet Lovely Joan" (1 text, 1 tune)
Vaughan Williams/Lloyd, p. 64, "Lovely Joan" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT, SWTJOAN SWTLJOAN* SWTJOAN4*
Roud #592
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Broomfield Hill" (Child 43) and references there
Notes: Damn fool. -PJS
In Sharp's bowdlerized version, the young man asks Joan to marry him and says that the purse of gold is worth more than twenty husbands! - (PJS)
File: ShH57Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index InstructionsThe Ballad Index Copyright 2003 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.
And the entry from folktrax.org:
LOVELY JOAN - "as she sat milking all alone" - "One noble knight it was indeed mounted on his milk-white steed" - Offers his purse of gold in exchange for her maidenhead, but she says that although she is to be married on the morrow, the gold will be better than 20 husbands - while he is looking around for a bed she jumps on his horse and rides to her truelovers gate, leaving the knight without horse or gold and the empty purse to hold - ROUD#592 - BSs incl BG 1:1:#59/ 9:#200 - CHAPPELL NEA 1838 "Common ballad air" - SHARP-MARSON EFSS 4 pp48-9 James Proll, Monksilver, Somerset - SHARP-KARPELES CSC 1974 #212 p60 Jim Proll "Sweet LJ" - MERRICK FSFS 1912 Henry Hills, Lodsworth, Sussex - JFSS 1:5 1904 p270 Merrick: Henry Hills 1v/m "One Noble Knight" (rest of "Words objectionable") - JFSS 2:4 (15) 1910 p90 RVW: Christopher Jay, Acle, Norfolk 1908 (last v) {This is the tune used in George Butterworth's "Folksong Suite") - JFSS 4 1913 pp330-1 William Hurr, Southwold, Suffolk 1919 - WILLIAMS FSUT 1923 pp46-7 #469 David Sawyer, Ogbourne, Wiltsh 10v (w/o) "Sweet LJ" - PENGUIN BEFS 1959 p64 RVW: Christopher Jay 8v/m - SEDLEY 1967 Words of "Crafty Maid's Policy" (3v only) Crampton/ Merrick - PURSLOW CL 1972 p95 Gardiner: Mrs Hall, North Waltham, Hampsh 1909 10v "Sweet LJ" - PALMER EBECS 1979 #64 pp120-1 RVW: Christopher Jay, Acle, Norfolk 1908 5v - PALMER RVW 1983 #82 pp127-8 William Hurr, Southwold, Suffolk 1919 -- Shirley & Dolly COLLINS (flute organ): POLYDOR 582-025 1968 (from RVW) - Andrew CRONSHAW (instrum): TRANSATLANTIC XTRA-1139 1974 - SPREDTHICK (Group) rec by PK, Dartington, Devon 1975 - Polly BOLTON & group with women's voices Radio 2 17/10/90 CASS-60-1017 - Jo FREYA SAYDISC SDL-402 (CD) 1993