LYR ADD: Lies, Brags, Marvels adventures, sig

Subject: Lyr Add: TOM TELL-TRUTH and HITTING THE MARK, etc.
From: Bruce O.
Date: 18 Jan 98 - 01:27 PM

[Tom Tell Truth was entered in the Stationers' Register in 1564/5, (Rollins' Analytical Index #2662) but no 16th century copies survives. A later text, to a new tune, is here given from 'Roxburghe Ballads', VIII, p. 425]

Tom Tell-Truth.

All you that will not believe me, disprove it if you can;
You by my, story may perceive I am an Honest Man.

To the tune of, Tanta ra ra ra, Tantivee [Crost Couple]

I killed a man and he was dead, fa la la, la la la,
I killed a man and he was dead,
and run to St. Alban's without a head:
With a fa la, fa la la la, fa la la la la la la.

I asked him why he run so wild?
He told me he got a maid with child.
And in his head there was a spring;
a thousand great salmons about there did swim.

I saddled a whore and rid to Whitehall,
and under the Gate-house whe gave me a fall.
I lay in a swound three-and-twenty long year,
and when I awak'd I was fill'd with fear.

The thing that did fright me I cannot express:
I saw a man big as the Tower, no less.
This man with the Monument would run away,
but at Aldgate watch they did him stay.

I got up again and rid to Hyde Park,
and made the old whore to sneeze and to fart.
Atop of Paul's steeple there I did see
a delicate, dainty, fine apple-tree.

The apples were ripe, and ready to fall
and kill'd seven hundred men on a stall.
The blood did run both to and fro,
which caused seven water-mills for to go.

I see Paul's steeple run upon wheels, fa la, etc
I see Paul's steeple run upon wheels
and in the middle of all Moor-fields
With a fa la, fa la la la, fa la la la la la la.

Wright, Clarke, Thackeray, and Passinger. [1682-4]

A reworked version of "Tom Tell-Truth" is in 'The Universal Songster', II, p. 98, 1826, as "Hitting the Mark", which opens:

One day as I was walking
In a place they call Moorfields, sirs,
I saw St. Paul's a stalking,
and going on two wheels, sirs;
Upon it grew a tree,

And, though it may seem odd, sirs,
Indeed, it puzzled me,
For an apple-tree it was, sirs.

The codlins all were ripe,
And just began to fall, sirs,
And killed, I'm almost sure,
Ten Thousand men in all, sirs!
Their blood ran down in streams,
And did so swiftly flow, sirs,
That, in its course, it made,
a thousand mills to go, sirs.

[Five more verses] This was to the tune of "Bow, wow, wow" which is in Wm. Chappell's PMOT.

A shoulder of mutton jumped over from France

A shoulder of mutton jumped over from France,
Fal lal, lal de ro lee!
A shoulder of mutton jumped over from France
And the music did play and the people did dance
With a fal lal, la de ro lee!

As I was a walking along in the fields
Fal lal, lal de ro lee.
As I was a walking along in the fields
I saw Paul's steeple run on wheels
With a fal lal, la de ro lee.

On top of the steeple, O what should I see
Fal lal, lal de ro lee.
On top of the steeple, O what should I see
But a fine young sapling codling tree.
With a fal lal, la de ro lee.

When the codlings were ripe they began to fall;
Fal lal, lal de ro lee.
When the codlings were ripe they began to fall;
They killed six thousand people and all.
With a fal lal, la de ro lee.

They killed a man when he was dead
Fal lal, lal de ro lee.
They killed a man when he was dead
And sent for some people to look for his head.
With a fal lal, la de ro lee.

And in his head they found a spring
Fal lal, lal de ro lee.
And in his head they found a spring
And twenty live salmon a-swimming within.
With a fal lal, la de ro lee.

Each salmon was as big as an elf
Fal lal, lal de ro lee.
Each salmon was as big as an elf
If you want any more you must sing it yourself.

Contributed by Cecil Sharp to 'Journal of the Folk Song Society' #20 (1916). Another version is "As I was going to Banbury", in Sharp, Vaughn Williams et. al., 'A Selection of English Folk Songs', and also in 'Cecil Sharp's Collection of English Folksongs'.

[Compare the above with the early 18th century "Teague's Ramble to Hyde Park" and its traditional descendents "Nottamun/ Nottingham Fair". Tune for "Teague's Ramble" is variant of "The Irish Lady", 'Dancing Master', 1651. "

[NLS MS 6299, starting f. 186v. Beginning or ends of lines lost in binding. No punctuation at ends of lines. MS seems to have been compiled in the 1740's. Printed copies listed below.]

Teague's Ramble

Dear Catholick sister thou son of great Mars
I've been at the fighting where there was no wars
no guns or no swords, but a great deal of arms
to kill our poor friends that wou'd do us no harms

I set out for Dublin, next michael mass past
and Gallop't to Chester in a Damnable haste
but the seas blow'd a storm, & the winds they di[--
which cast me away on the shore by my sho[--

I having no haste did ride post to the mar[--
Dear sister pray hear my poor sorrowful [--
My] horse standing still, She threw me in the dirt [f. 187, left lost
I] doubed all my flesh & sore bruised my shirt

I] being of Courage I mounted again
And] on my ten toes I tript over the main
The]re taking a nap for six days on the ground
In th]ree I arrived in fair London Town

And] when I came there not a shoul cou'd I see
The] Crowd was so thick they stood staring at me
Not] one word did thee speak but made damnable pime? [pain?
--] my feet were worn out & my Brogues grown so thin

Then] nevertheles standing still I did go
--]e for hide peark & enquire for the shew? [Hyde Park
By] my shoul Cry'd the people but nothing did say
The] army is here tho the Camp's march'd away.

To f]ind out new pleasures I was at a loss
So] shuting my eyes, I perceiv'd Charing Cross
The]re a man sat on horse back upon a cold stone
Wi]th thousands about him good fait all alone.

P]ult'd off my head to his majesties Graces
I ask'd him the way to, I do not know what pl[aces [f. 187v, right lost
but he was so Brazen, he wou'd not come do[wn
Nor shew me the way for an Irish half Cro[wn

So by my own self I went stumbling on
Quite tired to death, with the Damnable C[?]h[--
at last to hide Park good fait I die Con[--
by the beat of a Trumpet & Sound of a Dru[m

Heat[?] soldiers on horseback stood here & lay cher[e?-
With their left wing in the front & their right in the [rear
and horse men on foot in an open Defence
broke open open [sic] their files with a brave allie[nce?

Then by my fait they began to retire
when the Conel cry'd march, present they gave [fire
Without powder or Ball such a noise the[y] did mak[e
as made the earth tremble & Clouds for to quake

The noise being over, tho' none did I hear
I went to the Baker to Buy me some Bee[r
and having no trust I payd Chink for my Ch[--
I took Hakney Coach & away I did walk

Then down to the Thames I made my appro[ach
I] took me a place in the flying stage coach
So] long we did Roll on the watery main
At la]st we arrived at Salisbury plain

I']s quite Choak'd with dust tho' it rained all the day
I ho]ld for a pint to drive Gladness away
But] ever I cou'd drink it, I heard a great noise
'Twas] nothing at all but Hallo my boys

The] King and the Prince & a great many more
All] coming behind us just going before
And] all keeping silence the[y] loudly did sing
They] keept on their hats for to honour the King

Be]ing Contented to sit on my seat
--] still and went out to the midst of the street
The]re the Bishop of Salisbury he did rehearse
A p]iece of good Latine in old English verse

It] pleased his majestys grace to protest
Bu]t it was a fine Altho meanly dres'd [missing word?]
The]n out came the Clergy in a black scarlet Gown
To] kiss the King's hand for the sake of the Crown

But all the while that the Condects[?] did run [f. 188v
There was good rost beef & Backon & best o[f rum ?
There was Baskets of Claret & white wine was [---
on Tables for firemen to eat when they red[---

I took such a surfeit now at this fine fe[ast
as did not disturb my poor shoul in the le[ast
but if ever I go to see London again
The Devil may be after taking Teague for h[im]

This verse must be sung after the 10th

There was Hollands Genever run thro' every [---
and horses made fast for Greeting of win[--
By my shoul I admired their wisdom & p[---
With Sword on their shoulders & Guns [in] their s[---

Prrined copies: Catalogue of English and American Chapbooks .. Harvard College Library, 1905: Item #1120a = #2025: Teague's Ramble to Hyde Park, broadside with woodcut #1600, Teague's garland, including "Teague's ramble to Hyde Park"; #1601- "Teague's Ramble to Hyde Park": Tune "Teague's Ramble" (Hime's New Selection.. Irish Airs., c 1800) is variant of "The Irish Lady" in The English Dancing Master, 1651, and later editions.

A later revamping:

Nottingham Fair [Nottamun Town]

As I was a-walking to Nottingham Fair,
A riding on horseback all on a gray mare,
With a white tail and a streak down her back
But darn a hair on her but what was coal black.

My mare she stood still, and threw me off in the ditch,
My skin she did dab and my shirt whe did bruise,
My foot in the stirrup, I mounted again
And on my ten toes I rode over the plain.

I met a king and a queen and a company more,
All riding on horseback, all walking before,
Witj a stark naked drummer a-beating the drum
With his heels in his pockets before them did run.

I pulled off my head the majest' to greet,
I asked him the road though I knew not the place.
Buth with gladness he could scarcely look down
To tell me the road to fair Nottingham Town.

When I came to the town not a soul could I see,
The streets were all lined a-gazing at me.
I set myself down on a hot frozen stone,
Then thousand around me and me all alone.

I called for a glass to drive gladness away,
I stiffled with dust though it rained all the day.
It rained and it hailed and I stood in the storm,
With my hat in my hand for to keep my head warm.

Randolph's 'Ozark Folksongs', III, p. 202

Others:

"Paddy Backwards," Ballads and Sea Songs of Newfoundland, p. 219. / MacEward Leach's Folk Ballads & Songs of the Lower Labrador Coast, #110, 1965./ H. Creighton, Songs and Ballads from Nova Scotia, p. 177, 1932, 1966./ Greenleaf and Mansfield, Ballads and Sea Songs of Newfoundland, p. 219, 1933, 1968. Paddy's Ramble J. Kendrew, York. Lib. of Congress. (digging up land)/ Frolicksome Irishman, Jennigs, Water Lane, London (diggin up land.) Around 1790 -1820 there were a pile of songs about the strange sights seen by an Irishman on a visit to England. Several of these may be found in the 3 volumes of 'The Universal Songster', 1825-28.<>

"Carrion Crow"

Related are song of nonsensical or fablous news of which there are examples from the 16th century and "Gossip Joan", apparently derived from a lost 16th century ballad.

There are more that I haven't gotten around to tracking down at all yet.

Subject: RE: LYR ADD: Lies, Brags, Marvels adventures, sig
From: Bill D
Date: 18 Jan 98 - 01:48 PM

and I don't doubt that simple songs like "Old Dan Tucker" have roots in this sort of 'rhyming non-sequiter' tradition! That's the first time I have ever seen reference to older versions of 'Nottamun Town', and it is fascinating! Looking forward to more, Bruce...thanks..

Subject: RE: LYR ADD: Lies, Brags, Marvels adventures, sig
From: Bruce O.
Date: 18 Jan 98 - 02:19 PM

If we stretched our category slightly, we could throw in "The Red Herring" and "The sow took the measles and she died in the spring". The title of another along that line escapes me at the moment.

Subject: Tune Add: TEAGUE'S RAMBLE
From: Bruce O.
Date: 18 Jan 98 - 02:43 PM

he tune was previously printed in B. Cooke's 'Cooke's Selection of .. original Irish Airs', Dublin, c 1795, of which there appears to be only 1 copy, and that in BL. I think Hime's work below (never before printed) is a pirated edition. I have run across the tune nowhere else.

X:1
T:Teague's Ramble
N:A New Selection of the most Admired Original Irish Airs
N:Hime:Dublin, n.d. (c 1800). one of 22 tunes.
Q:56
L:1/8
M:6/8
K:Dm
A|d3/2e/2d/2e/2 f3/2a/2g/2f/2|ecc c2A|\
d3/2e/2d/2e/2 f3/2a/2g/2f/2|eAA A2f/2g/2|\
a3/2b/2a/2b/2 g3/2a/2g/2a/2|\
f/2e/2f/2a/2g/2f/2 {f}e2e|\
f/2e/2f/2g/2a/2f/2 g/2f/2g/2a/2b/2g/2|add d2|]

Subject: RE: LYR ADD: Lies, Brags, Marvels adventures, sig
From:
Date: 21 Jan 00 - 03:25 PM

Can anyone tell me if "As I was Going to Banbury" is included on the Albion Band's Battle of the Field album? I would very much like to get a copy of this song.