The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #162666   Message #3898159
Posted By: Steve Gardham
08-Jan-18 - 03:16 PM
Thread Name: New Book: Folk Song in England
Subject: RE: New Book: Folk Song in England
Here are some relevant lines from the very common broadside 'No my Love, not I' which was also later rewritten as 'The Newfoundland Sailor'

v4 When eight months were over and nine months were past
This pretty fair maid brought forth a son at last.

v5 And curse the very hour you said 'O no, my love, not I.

I'm sure an oral version I collected in Yorkshire was even closer to Harry's last verse.

As I've stated before this transferring of verses from one ballad to another was common with broadside writers and in oral tradition, particularly with travellers.