Origin: Pastorella / Blowzabella

Subject: help find origin of this piece
From: WickedLad
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 03:15 AM

It looks like an 18th Cent comic opera piece any ideas of its origin

Blowsabella me dancing doxie, Come lets trudge it to Kirkham fair Theres stout liquor enough to fox me and young cullies to buy thy wares

Mind your manners, you sot, without meddling How I manage to sell of me toys Get by piping as I do by peddling You need never want me for supplies

God, of mercy my dear sweeting I found our things fitting To head by this twitting I owe thee a crown.

For that I've been staying A greater debt paying You're rate of delaying Will never compound

I'll come home when my pouch is full And soundly pay thee all old arrears

You'll forget it you're pates so dull As by you drowsy neglect of peers

May the drone of my bag never hum If I fail to remember my blouse

May my buttocks be every ones drum If I think thou will pay me a souse

Squeak em squeak em, Bagpipe will make 'em Whiskin frisk'in money brings in

Smoking toping landlady groping Whore and scores will spend it again

By the best that I get into town I swear thou shall have every groat

By the worse't that a woman e're found If I have it will signify nought

If good nature works the better Blowsabella I'd have you to know Though you fancy my stock is so low I've more rhino that I always show For some good reasons to state that I know

As for your cheating I've always knew As for my ware I've got something too I've got more sense than to tell you

Singly let employ wit I'll use pipes as my game does hit

And if I a new chapman get You'll be easy too

Easy as any worn out shoe

Free a frolic we'll couple gratis Thus we'll show all the human race That the best of the marriage state is Blowsabella and Colincase

Free a frolic we'll couple gratis Thus we'll show all the human race That the best of the marriage state is Blowsabella and Colincase

Subject: RE: Help: help find origin of this piece
From: Amos
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 03:44 AM

http://www.greenmanreview.com/blowzabella,_me_doxy.html informsd that:

Blowzabella, Me Bouncing Doxy is taken from Thomas D'Urfey's Witand Mirth: or, Pills to Purge Melancholy ( (the edition of 1719).

Subject: RE: Help: help find origin of this piece
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 09:57 AM

The entry at Andrew Kuntz's  The Fiddler's Companion  is as follows:

BLOWZABELLA.  AKA - "Blouzabella," "Blousy Bella." English, Jig and Air. England, Northumberland. G Major. Standard. AA'BB'CC'DD (Merryweather): AABBCCDDEE (Vickers).  The title was taken as a name by a Northumbrian "revival" band of the late 20th century.  Merryweather (1989) prints the words to the song which about a bagpiper and his wife, who is affectionately known as "Blowzabella, my bouncing doxie;" they banter about their respective livlihoods but come to agreement in the end, confirming their marital bliss.  The song was apparently an 18th century elaboration of a 16th century Italian popular theme, according to Merryweather, and appears in Thomas D'Urfy's 1719 Wit & Mirth or Pills To Purge Melancholy under the title "The Italian Song Call'd Pastorella; made into an English Dialogue."  As "Blousy Bella" it appears in a c. 1708 manuscript in the British Museum by G. B. Buononcini, for unaccompanied flute.  John Walsh, who published the melody in his Caledonian Country Dance volumes of the mid-18th century, identifies the melody as "Scotch."  Merryweather, 1989; pg. 49. Seattle (William Vickers), 1987, Part 2; No. 392. Offord (John of the Greeny Cheshire Way), 1985; pg, 99.

Examples of the melody can be found via  J C's Tunefinder.

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Help: help find origin of this piece
From: GUEST,X
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 10:07 AM

It's by Thomas D'Urfey and is in Pills (with tune) and a single sheet song, but originally appeared earlier (1699).

Subject: Lyr Add: PASTORELLA / BLOWZABELLA
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 04 Dec 10 - 05:01 PM

Copied from Wit and Mirth: or, Pills to Purge Melancholy, Vol. 1 by Thomas D'Urfey (London: J. Tonson, 1719), page 194:

The Italian SONG,
Call'd Pastorella; made into an English Dialogue.

He. Blowzabella my bouncing Doxie,
  Come let's trudge it to Kirkham Fair,
  There's stout Liquor enough to Fox me,
  And young Cullies to buy thy Ware.
She. Mind your Matters ye Sot without medling
  How I manage the sale of my Toys,
  Get by Piping as I do by Pedling,
  You need never want me for supplies.
He. God-a-mercy my Sweeting, I find thou think'st fitting,
  To hint by this twitting, I owe thee a Crown;
She. Tho' for that I've been staying, a greater Debt's paying,
  Your rate of delaying will never Compound.
He. I'll come home when my Pouch is full,
  And soundly pay thee all old Arrears;
She. You'll forget it your Pate's so dull,
  As by drowzy Neglect appears.
He. May the Drone of my Bag never hum,
  If I fail to remember my Blowze;
She. May my Buttocks be ev'ry ones Drum,
  If I think thou wilt pay me a Souse.
He. Squeakham, Squeakham, Bag-pipe will make 'em,
  Whisking, Frisking, Money brings in;
She. Smoaking, Toping, Landlady groping,
  Whores and Scores will spend it again.
He. By the best as I guess in the Town,
  I swear thou shalt have e'ery Groat;
She. By the worst that a Woman e'er found,
  If I have it will signify nought;
He. If good Nature works no better,
  Blowzabella I'd have you to know,
  Though you fancy my Stock is so low,
  I've more Rhino than always I show,
  For some good Reasons of State that I know.
She. Since your Cheating I always knew,
  For my Ware I got something too,
  I've more Sence than to tell to you.
He. Singly then let's imploy Wit,
  I'll use Pipe as my gain does hit,
She. And If I a new Chapman get,
  You'll be easy too,
He. Easy as any worn out Shoo.
 
  [CHORUS of both.]
Free and Frolick we'll Couple Gratis,
  Thus we'll show all the Human Race;
That the best of the Marriage State is,
  Blowzabella's and Collin's Case.

Subject: RE: Origin: Pastorella / Blowzabella
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 04 Dec 10 - 06:18 PM

Question for music historians:
Did D'Urfey get his 'dialogue' from the opera Don Quichotte in Sierra Morena by F. B. Conti (1681-1732)? This had an duet used 70 years later in the opera La Pastorella nobile by Guglielmi (1728-1804).
The story (at least in the latter) concerned a shepherdess who draws the amorous intentions of a marchese engaged to be married to another woman. In the end, the shepherdess turns out to be the daughter of a nobleman.

I can find much on these two operas and the duet music which passed from one to the other, but I can make no connection to D'Urfey.