A late reference to a variant of this song

American Ballads and Songs,
Book by Louise Pound; Scribner, 1922

37

GUY FAWKES

I'll tell you a doleful tragedy -- Guy Fawkes, the prince of sinisters,
Who once blew up the House of Lords, the King and all his ministers;
That is, he would have blown them up, and we would ne'er forget him,
His will was good to do the deed, if they had only let him.

Singing bow -- wow -- wow,
Whack fol -- de -- riddle,
Singing bow -- wow -- wow.

Straightway he came from Lambeth side and wished the State was undone;
And crossing over Vauxhall bridge that way he came to London;
That is, he would have crossed the bridge to perpetrate his guilt, sir,
But a trifling thing prevented him, the bridge it was not built, sir.

And as he searched the dreary vaults with portable gas light, sir,
About to touch the powder train at the witching hour of night, sir;
That is, he would have used the gas, had he not been prevented;
But gas you know, in James's time, it hadn't been invented.

Now, when they caught him in the act, so very near the Crown's end,
They sent straightway to Bow Street for that gay old runner Townsend;
That is, they would have sent for him for danger he's no starter at,
But Townsend wasn't living then, he wasn't born till arter that.

So then they put poor Guy to death for ages to remember;
And now they kill him every year in dreary dark November;
That is, his effigy, I mean, for truth is strange and steady,
They cannot put poor Guy to death for he is dead already.

38. Guy FAWKES. Text known to A. J. Leach of Oakdale, Antelope County, Nebraska, 1914, who learned it as a boy in Michigan. A much better known Guy Fawkes song begins, "O don't you remember the fifth of November."

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