Lyr Req: King Alfred and the Shepherd

Subject: Lyr Req: King Alfred and the Shepherd
From: Peter Brice
Date: 17 Nov 02 - 08:38 PM

This ballad appears (I believe) in the book "A Collection of Old Ballads" published in 1723 (possibly collected by the poet Ambrose Phillips) and is probably the foundation for later masques bearing the name "Alfred" (notably that of Thomas Arne). The ballad, itself, yet eludes me. If anyone knows it, I would be most appreciative.

Cheers,
Peter

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King Alfred and the Shepherd
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Nov 02 - 09:58 PM

Only 'A Collection of Old Ballads' give the ballad that title. For the more common title see ZN1422 in the broadside ballad index at www.erols.com/olsonw

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King Alfred and the Shepherd
From: masato sakurai
Date: 17 Nov 02 - 10:36 PM

According to Florence E. Brunnings' Folk Song Index (Garland), a ballad with that title is in Maude M. Hall's Ballads and Other Narrative Poems, which I haven't seen.
~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King Alfred and the Shepherd
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 17 Nov 02 - 11:43 PM

To enlarge a little on Bruce Olson's comment above on alternative titles and the references at his site, Claude M. Simpson (The British Broadside Ballad and Its Music, 1966, p.97), discussing broadsides naming as tune Flying Fame states:

"The Shepherd and the King, beginning 'An elder time there was of yore' (Wood 401, Pepys, Euing, Lord Crawford, Harvard, Douce, Roxburghe; reprinted in Roxburghe Ballads III, 211). licensed in 1578, but no surviving copy earlier than c. 1625; found in Pills to Purge Melancholy V, 289)."

The song appears with music in Pills as The King and the Shepherd, and Gillian the Shepherd's Wife, and her churlish Answer to the King. Two broadside editions can be seen at Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads:

[The shepherd and the king, and of Gillian the shepherds wife] Printed between 1663 and 1674 for F. Coles, T. Vere, and I. Wright, [London]. Douce Ballads 1(1b)

The shepherd and the king, and of Gillian the shepherds wife Printed between 1624 and 1680 for F. Coles, in the Old Baily [London]. Wood 401(1)

F. J. Child (The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, III, p. 165, points out correspondences of narrative and text between no.135, Robin Hood and the Shepherd, and the King Alfred text in Old Ballads (London, 1723-5).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: King Alfred and the Shepherd
From: masato sakurai
Date: 18 Nov 02 - 01:23 AM

From The Dicey and Marshall Catalogue:

King Alfred and the Shepherd.

King Alfred and the shepherd. With the humours of Gillian, the shepherd's wife. To the tune of Flying fame. Northampton: printed by William Dicey; and sold by William Peachey, in Cambridge; Matthias Dagnell, and at Mr. Burnham's snuff chop in Aylesbury; John Timbs in Stony Stratford; Paul Stevens in Bicester; [and 1 in Tring, 1 in St. Albans, and 1 in St. Ives], [1730?] 1 sheet; 1/20. Harvard University Houghton Library *pEB75.P4128C no.134 A song "In elder times there was of yore". Publication date from Houghton. Originally published as: The shepherd and the king(1650?). Not in Foxon. Houghton copy = 28.5 x 40 cm. ESTCN1954.

NOTE: Percy no 134. Also, London, 1775.

~Masato