Lyr Req: The sun being set {Ground for the floor}

Subject: Lyr Req: The sun being set {Ground for the floor}
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 12 Nov 17 - 03:33 PM

There are a few lines I can't get from the Pop Maynard recording. Can you help?

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SUN BEING SET (from George Maynard)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Nov 17 - 09:47 AM

Here's what I think I hear. I have spelled some things phonetically to represent his pronunciation, and there are a few phrases I have put down as they sound to me, even though they don't make sense. Keep watching this thread for improvements.


THE SUN BEING SET
As sung by George Maynard on "Ye Subjects of England" (Topic Records, 1976)

The sun being set and my work it is done
One more of my days I have spent
Through the meadows to my cottage I tripp-ed along
And I sit myself down with content
Through the meadows to my cottage I tripp-ed along
And I sit myself down with content

My cottage with woodbine are deck-ed all round
I'll just tell me green at my door
Where neath there no trouble nor care to be found
Oh, I've nothing but ground for my floor

My bed made of flock and my sheets they're home spun
Nor trouble ne'er bring to my breast
At night when I'm weary, I lie myself down
And so sweetilye I there take my rest

Like a lark in the morning I rise to my work
There is nothing perplexed in my mind
If a lamb goes astray I'll so careful-lye look
If I seek, I am sure for to find

My pipes made of straw for an ailment I play
While the lambkins skip over the plain
I am blest with content how my time slips away
And at night to my cottage again

No thoughts about riches never entered my breast
Nor none of their honours I desire
For the chiefest of my studies in earning of my bread
And proud titles I never could admire

Subject: Lyr Add: THE CONTENTED RURICOLIST (1806)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Nov 17 - 10:25 AM

I found the following lyrics in a pamphlet held by The Toronto Public Library, titled "Bonny Annie's Elopement, with the Pursuit and Disappointment, to which are added [5 other songs]" (Glasgow: J. & M. Robertson, 1806), page 6:


THE CONTENTED RURICOLIST

The sun being set, and my work being done,
    one more of my days being spent,
Then home to my cottage I tript it along,
    and set myself down with content.

My cottage with woodbines are decked all round,
    and the jessamines green at my door,
Where in it no trouble was there to be found,
    I have nothing but ground for my floor.

My bed made of flocks and my sheets are home spun,
    no trouble ever enters my breast;
For at night being weary, I lay myself down,
    so contented I take me to rest.

With the lark in the morning I rise to my work,
    there's nothing perplexes my mind;
If my lambs go astray, see how careful I look,
    so sure as you seek you shall find.

No thoughts about honour ever enter'd my breast,
    or riches I ne'er can desire,
For the chief of my study is earning my bread,
    to high title I ne'er can aspire.

With pipe made of straw for amusement I play,
    see my lambs they skip over the plain,
Being blest with content see my time slides away.
    and at night to my cottage again.

[I don't consider these words authoritative, however. They have too many grammatical quirks, e.g. "My cottage ... are decked all round." This is the kind of thing you see in folk-processed songs, but seldom in the originals.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The sun being set {Ground for the floor}
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Nov 17 - 01:19 PM

In searching for this song, I have found references to a song called "The Contented Shepherd" (possibly by Mr. Hook, ca. 1780), with the first line: "The sun being set, and my work being done." Several libraries have the sheet music, but I have found no images online that I can access.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The sun being set {Ground for the floor}
From: Reinhard
Date: 13 Nov 17 - 02:15 PM

These are Pop Maynard's verses as printed in There Is a Man upon the Farm (The Voice of the People Vol. 20):

Spoken: I'll try one what my father used to sing. He learnt it off his grandfather.

The sun being set and my work it is done.
One more of my days I have spent.
𝄆 Through the meadows to my cottage I tripp?d along
And I set myself down with content. 𝄇

My cottage with woodbine are deck?d all round.
I've just only green at my door.
𝄆 Where in it there's no trouble nor care to be found.
Oh, I've nothing but ground for my floor. 𝄇

My bed's made of flock and my sheets they're home-spun.
No trouble ever enters my breast.
𝄆 At night when I'm weary, I lay myself down
And so sweetly I there take my rest. 𝄇

Like a lark in the morning I rise to my work.
There is nothing perplexing my mind.
𝄆 If a lamb goes astray, I'll so carefully look.
If I'll seek, I am sure for to find. 𝄇

My pipe's made of straw. For an minute I play,
While the lambkins leap over the plain.
𝄆 I am blessed with content. How my time slips away,
And at night to my cottage again. 𝄇

No thoughts about riches never entered my breast.
Nor none of their honours I desire.
𝄆 For the chiefest of my studies in earning of my bread
And proud title I never could admire. 𝄇

Spoken: That's all I know of it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The sun being set {Ground for the floor}
From: Reinhard
Date: 13 Nov 17 - 02:44 PM

This is the Traditional Ballad Index entry:

Ground for the Floor (I)

DESCRIPTION: At day's end, the singer (a shepherd) makes his way home, where he sits content. He praises the cottage, though he has "nothing but ground for my floor." He sleeps well, rising cheerfully to his work and playing his pipe; he has no high ambitions
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1813 (broadside, Bodleian Harding B 11(2066))
KEYWORDS: home farming work music nonballad sheep shepherd worker
FOUND IN: Britain(England(Lond,South))
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Williams-Thames, p. 153, "Ground for the Floor" (1 text) (also Wiltshire-WSRO Wt 423)
Kennedy 250, "Ground for the Floor" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #1269
RECORDINGS:
George Maynard, "The Sun Being Set" (on Maynard1); "Ground for the Floor" (on Voice20)
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 11(2066), "Ground for the Floor ("I lived in a wood for a number of years"), J. Evans (London), 1780-1812; also Harding B 11(3659), Harding B 11(3660), Harding B 16(108b), Harding B 11(1438), Harding B 11(1439), Harding B 11(1437), Firth c.19(212), Harding B 11(321), Harding B 25(781), "Ground for the Floor"
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Ground for the Floor (II)" (subject)
File: RcGftF

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The sun being set {Ground for the floor}
From: Reinhard
Date: 13 Nov 17 - 02:48 PM

And a somewhat different version from Frank Purslow's The Foggy Dew / Southern Harvest, as collected by George Gardiner from James Dyer, Portsmouth Workhouse, Hampshire, in August 1907 (tune and verse 1) and from W. Rundle of St Merryn, Cornwall, in May 1905:

I've lived in a wood for a number of years,
With my dog and my gun I drives away all cares.
I've a neat little cottage and the roof it is secure,
If you look down below you'll find ground for the floor,
Ground for the floor, ground for the floor,
If you look down below you'll find ground for the floor.

Oh, my cottage is surrounded with briars and thorns,
And so sweet are the notes of the birds in the morn.
I've a guinea in my pocket and three-score more in store,
I'm as happy as those that have thousands or more,
Thousands or more, thousands or more,
I'm as happy as those that have thousands or more.

Oh, my bed's made of straw for my limbs to repose,
As for myself I have one suit of clothes.
It's made up of ticking and is stitch'd up secure,
I'm as happy as those that have broadcloth in store,
Broadcloth in store, broadcloth in store,
I'm as happy as those that have broadcloth in store.

Oh, grate I have none for my fire's on the ground,
Chairs I have none for my friends to sit down.
But a three-legged stool is the chiefest of my store,
I'm as happy as those that have fine furniture,
Fine furniture, fine furniture,
I'm as happy as those that have fine furniture.

In my cottage I will live for the rest of my days.
With a wife that I love and I'll live at my ease.
In my riches I'll take pleasure and bestow on the poor,
For what is the use of riches in store,
Riches in store, riches in store,
For what is the use of riches in store?

Subject: Lyr Add: GROUND FOR THE FLOOR (from Bodleian)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Nov 17 - 06:19 PM

This appears to be the oldest of 11 copies of Roud 1269 "Ground for the Floor" held by the Bodleian collection; they have dated it "between 1780 and 1812." Harding B 11(2066). However, besides the phrase "ground for the floor" and the theme of a person contented with modest rural life, it has almost nothing in common with the song sung by George Maynard.


GROUND FOR THE FLOOR

I lived in a wood for a number of years
With my dog and my gun drive away sorrow and care.
I've a neat little cottage and the roof is secure.
If you look underneath you'll find ground for the floor.

My cot is surrounded with brambles and thorns
And sweet are the notes of the birds in the morn.
I've a guinea in my pocket, and I've plenty more in store,
And a neat little cottage with ground for the floor.

As for grates, I've got none, for my fire's on the ground,
And for chairs I've got none to set myself down.
I've a three-legged stool that is chief of my store,
And a sweet little cottage with ground for the floor.

My bed's made of straw for my limbs to repose,
And for myself I've but one suit of clothes
That is made of good ticken and stitched up secure.
If you look underneath you'll find ground for the floor.

God bless my old father who is dead and gone.
I hope he is safe in heaven never more to return.
He left me all his riches which were heaped up in store,
And [a] neat little cottage with ground for the floor.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The sun being set {Ground for the floor}
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 13 Nov 17 - 07:39 PM

Thank you all for taking so much trouble. I am planning another CD of unaccompanied songs after the success of the last one and hope to include this song.
kind regards to you all
Nick Dow