The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #76709 Message #1362086
Posted By: Malcolm Douglas
21-Dec-04 - 01:53 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Oh, Yarmouth is a Pretty Town
Subject: RE: On, Yarmouth is a Pretty Town
The library gets an enormous amount of enquiries (sometimes very silly ones), and Malcolm Taylor and his two part-time assistants do the best they can in the limited time available to deal with them all. You must just have been unlucky.
Material from the Journals isn't available online at present. Because copyright remained with each individual contributor, there are numerous issues that have to be cleared up first; and there is very little money available to fund such things. If more people supported the Society instead of just complaining when it doesn't do what they would like it to, there would be a better income stream and more could be done.
EFDSS is in the process of developing its web presence. The VWML has a site in preparation which will give access to indexes of the major MS collections held there, and to the invaluable Roud Folk Song Index. It will also soon be possible to buy publications, and join the Society, online. Finally, the Folk Music Journal (the present-day continuation of the Journal of the Folk Song Society and The Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society) has a new website (independent of the main EFDSS site at last): at the moment this contains only general information. I designed and administer it, but content isn't my decision; you can be sure, though, that I will do whatever I can to help to ensure that the early Journals at least are made available there as soon as possible. The will is there, but it may take time. http://fmj.efdss.org/
Meanwhile (on an "unofficial" basis) I can at least provide the information Bill was after. The two missing verses (which belong between verses 1 and 2 of the Songs and Carols text) were omitted because the genteel target readership may have found them uncomfortable. Bear in mind that this was 1908. They appeared in the Journal, however, which was aimed at a more serious and informed readership.
It was early one morning just by the break of day, I went to my love's chamber, and thus to her did say. I kissed her, and I courted her, and I bid her lay warm, She replies, "You are the young man, you will do me no harm."
"For to do you any injury, love, I'd think it a scorn, If I stay with you all night, I will marry you in the morn, And before all my officers I will write you a bill." She replied, "You are the young man, do just as you will."
Journal of the Folk Song Society, III, issue 10, 1908, p 53. Sung by Henry Burstow, Horsham, Jan 1893. Noted by Lucy Broadwood.