MtheGM - the lyric goes "the second mates a ripstone pippen been seen in many a gaol" - the quote I picked from your post was "from which it seems that a Ribstone Pippin is proverbially an apple on whose quality one can rely" The allusion I was making was that if the second mate had (presumably good) qualities on which you could rely and was to be seen in many a gaol then perhaps he was doing social work - simples chck

Santa - "Current terms in old songs don't add credibility" - depends I suppose whether you think that folk music is alive or pickled

Stallion - "Where did you get your version from R?" - Paul McHugh the singer - still in his mid twenties - was born in Grimsby and proud of it. He was taught the song by his Grimsby grandfather. He specialises in songs of the sea and of his home county of Lincolnshire. He wrote The Wolds Maidens Lament set in his home county as well as several others. He spent the last four years touring the country with Martin Neal as Norcsalordie