Lyr Add: The Meikle Black Deil

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MEIKLE BLACK DEIL
From: MMario
Date: 13 May 03 - 10:18 AM

found this while searching for something else (isn't that always the way it happens?) Found it interesting in that when I googled on "Bogle-Bo" only the 'Foggy Dew' versions came up

THE MEIKLE BLACK DEIL
Harding B 11(2397)

Ye Priests of Knox, as sly as fox,
Wha lang and loud bawl till ye blow,
Ye act your part wi' meikleart
to keep us fra the bogle-Bo!

O the tremendous Bogle-bo!
One foot of him has ne'er a toe;
But hoof'd lif goat, tail, horns to boot
Has this great lout, the bogle-bo!

Why so inclin'd to spend your wind,
sindce, predestin'd to bliss or woe,
Preach ye, or not, we'll get our lot
In Heav'n, or with - the Bogle Bo!

chorus:

Thou great lock-Hearts, Master of Arts,
Of wond'rous parts, though rather slow,
Thou striv'st in voin our point to gain
If mark'd (like Cain) for the Bogle-Bo!

chorus:

Thou cont'st them fools who Sunday-Schools
Set up to teach the Christ-cross row
To children poor, as some ill hour,
they'll victim fall to the Bogle-Bo!

Chorus:

Come, sir, Don't fron, your brasw new gown,
(The Ladies' gift) makes you a beau!
And well you chatter 'bout Scripture matter,
Especially the Bogle-bo!

Chorus:

What priests in arms, to spread alarms!
To work us charms, ere hence we go!
Much it must cost, lest we be lost,
At last be tost to the Bogle-Bo!

Chorus:

What a gude warl', we ne'er should quazrrel
While passing through this vale below;
Blithe was we be, were we but free
Fra the mighty HE, the Bogle-Bo!

Choru

Subject: RE: The Meikle Black Deil
From: Jim McLean
Date: 13 May 03 - 05:10 PM

Hi MMario,
The text seems riddled with typos. Where did this text version come from as the lanuage and sense seem quite confused?
Jim

Subject: RE: The Meikle Black Deil
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 13 May 03 - 05:28 PM

There are some errors of transcription, but they don't affect the sense, which is obscure to most of us nearly 180 years on. The two (omitted) verse footnotes provide a little clarification, but not much. You may not be familiar with the  Bodleian Library Broadside Collection, where a photograph of the sheet can be seen, together with the information that it was published Nov. 2, 1826, by W. Fordyce, Printer, 29, Sandhill, Newcastle.

Subject: RE: The Meikle Black Deil
From: masato sakurai
Date: 13 May 03 - 07:37 PM

The link to this broadside is:

Harding B 11(2397)

~Masato

Subject: RE: The Meikle Black Deil
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 13 May 03 - 07:59 PM

The intent is perfectly clear. Title- The Great (Clever) Black Devil.
John Knox, the Scottish religious reformer, preached predestination.
1. Clergymen of his church preach loudly, and act with great art to keep us from the Devil (Bogle-Bo).
The chorus describes the usual form of the Devil.
2. Why do these priests rant so since we are predestined either to bliss (Heaven) or woe (Hell). It doesn't matter what they preach since our fate is predestined.
3. You (clergy) strive in vain to gain our point, if we are already marked for the Devil.
4. Sunday Schools are set up to teach children about Christ, but at some ill-hour they will fall victim to the Devil.
5. You priests in gowns (made by the ladies) look grand, like a beau, as you chatter about Scripture.
6. Much it must cost to have these priests spreading alarms and working charms in order to save us. (One of the little verses at the end (not reproduced) suggests God has damned seven out of a dozen, so much money is wasted on and by the priests.
7. What a good world, this vale below. Blyth we would be if we were but free from the mighty Bogle-Bo.

MMario- Thanks for finding this old poem. It has given me a good laugh!

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MEIKLE BLACK DEIL (from Bodleian)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 May 03 - 10:07 AM

Here's my improved transcription of the above-referenced broadside from the Bodleian. I have corrected the typos (I hope), added some stuff that was omitted, and inserted some HTML to make the typography more closely resemble the original. Enjoy.

THE MEIKLE BLACK DEIL;
Or, The BOGLE-BO!

Being a new SONG on a very old Subject.

YE PRIESTS of KNOX, as sly as fox,
  Wha lang and loud bawl till ye blow,
Ye act your part wi' meikle art
  To keep us fra the BOGLE-BO!

                CHORUS:
        O the tremendous Bogle-bo!
          One foot of him has ne'er a toe;
        But hoof'd like goat, tail, horns to boot
          Has this great lout, the Bogle-bo!

Why so inclin'd to spend your wind,
  Since, predestin'd* to bliss or woe,
Preach ye, or not, we'll get our lot
  In HEAV'N, or with–—the BOGLE BO!

        O the tremendous, &c.

Thou great Lock-Hearts, Master of Arts,
  Of wond'rous parts, though rather slow,
Thou striv'st in vain our point to gain,
  If mark'd (like Cain) for the BOGLE-BO!

        O the tremendous, &c.

Thou count'st them fools who Sunday-schools†
  Set up to teach–the Christ-cross row
To children poor, as some ill hour,
  They'll victims fall to the BOGLE-BO!

        O the tremendous, &c.

Come, Sir, don't frown, your braw new gown,
  (The Ladies' gift) makes you a beau!
And well you chatter 'bout Scripture matter,
  Especially the BOGLE-BO!

        O the tremendous, &c.

What Priests in arms, to spread alarms!
  To work us charms, ere hence we go!
Much it must cost, lest we be lost,
  At last be tost to–the BOGLE-BO!

        O the tremendous, &c.

What a gude warl', we ne'er should quarrel
  While passing through this vale below;
Blithe wad we be, were we but free
  Fra the mighty HE, the BOGLE-BO!!!

      O the tremendous Bogle-bo!
          One foot of him has ne'er a toe;
        But hoof'd like goat, tail, horns to boot
          Has this great lout, the Bogle-bo!

–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—

* If God, from all eternity, has chosen
   One soul to save, and seven damn o' the dozen,
   No priest can ever alter this decree:
   Then what are Knox's Ministers to me?
        –—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—
† L**b, too, bold fellow! just from College come,
   To beat a cushion as it were a drum,
   Is now colleagu'd with other knaves or fools
   Striving to do away with Sunday Schools.

Newcastle, Nov. 2, 1826     FORDYCE, PRINTER, 29, SANDHILL

Subject: RE: The Meikle Black Deil
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 14 May 03 - 12:26 PM

Interesting to see how a black minister, Elder Joseph Baysmore, First Colored Baptist Church, Weldon, NC, handled the subject of predestination (sermon printed in 1887). "How We Were Made Sinners and How We Were Redeemed...." Baysmore

Subject: RE: The Meikle Black Deil
From: Jim McLean
Date: 14 May 03 - 06:54 PM

I understand the sense of the lyrics completely but the language doesn't ring true. It sounds like an attempt at 18th century Scottish verse --- a strange mixture of words.
Any thoughts?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Meikle Black Deil
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 15 May 03 - 12:45 AM

The date is 1826. An Englishman's attempt at Scottish dialect? Don't think so. The OED says Bogle (various spellings) has been common in Scottish writing since 1500 and examples are given to 1864. Deil is a common contraction of the period.
Meikle (var. spellings) also has had long usage. The contractions, etc., are of the period. Seems above-board to me. Maybe Malcolm Douglas will comment again.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Meikle Black Deil
From: Jim McLean
Date: 15 May 03 - 04:22 AM

Thanks Guest Q,
I know the meaning of the words, it's just that the whole 'poem' seems rather unwieldy. I wasn't suggesting it was an Englishman's attempt at Scottish dialect, it could also be a Scot with a poor knowledge of the idiom.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Meikle Black Deil
From: MMario
Date: 15 May 03 - 08:08 AM

well - a lot of the broadsides appear (to me at least) to be contrived and a bit clumsy - but then again they weren't suppossed to be examples of undying poetry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Meikle Black Deil
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 15 May 03 - 12:08 PM

I think MMario is right. Some of the broadsides are more than clumsy, they are downright awful. This one makes its point with a bit of humor, which puts it above average.