RADCLIFFE OTTER HUNT
(Traditional) As Recorded on 'A Lancashire Man'
Full text is in 'Ballads & Songs of Lancashire' Harland & Wilkinson
I am a bold otter, as you shall hear,
I've rambled the country all round;
I valued no dogs far or near,
In the water, nor yet on the ground.
I valued no dogs, far or near,
But I roved through the country so wide,
Till I came to a river so clear,
That did Clifton and Prestwich divide
As through the wild country I rambled,
I liv'd at extravagant rate;
On eels, chubs and gudgeons I feasted;
The fisherman all did me hate;
Yet still up the rivers I went,
Where the fishes my stomach did cheer,
till a challenge from Radcliffe they sent me,
They quickly would stop my career.
Jack Allen, The darling of hunters,
And Ploughman, the glory of hounds;
You may search all the country over,
Their equals are not to be found;
Although I my country did leave,
It was sorely against my own will;
They pursued me woth courage so brave,
That they proved a match for my skill.
Again through the country I rambled;
To the Earl of Wilton's I came,
Where I made bold his fish-pond to enter,
And there I found plenty of game;
But the Earl being now at his hall,
He swore that my life they must end;
So straight for Tom Thorpe he did call,
v And for Squire Lomas' hounds they did send.
'Twas on the next morning so early,
They forced me from my retreat;
Then into the river I dived,
Thinking all their sharp schemes to defeat;
But those dogs they did soon force me out,
Because that my strengtrh did fail;
Tom Damport, that tailor so stout
He quickly laid hold of my tail.
Then into a biag they did put me,
And up on their back did me fling;
And because that in fafety they'd got me,
They made all the valleys to ring;
Then right for old Radcliffe did steer
And soon at Bob Hampson's didi call;
And hundreds of people were there,
to drink and rejoice at my fall.
The same afternoon they contrived
with me more diversion to have;
Put me into a pit, where I dived,
Just like a stout otter so brave;
and yet I remained so stout,
Though they swam me for three hours or more
The dogs they could not force me out,
till with stones they did pelt me full sore
Thus forcing me out of the water
Because that my strength it did fail;
And then in a few moments after
Jack Ogden laid hold of my tail;
And so now the had got me secure,
They right to the "Anchor" did steer;
But my lot was to hard to endure,
And my death was approaching too near.
Next mornint to Whitefield they took me,
To swim as before I had done;
When out of the bag they did put me,
Alas! my poor life it was gone;
And so now this old otter you've killed,
You may go to Bob Hampson's and sing;
Drink a health to all true hearted hunters,
Sucess to our country and Kings.
miditxt to follow