Lyr Req: The Bonelace Weaver's Song

Subject: Lyr Req: The bonelace weaver's song
From: GUEST,It's then I wish...
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 12:02 AM

This song appears on the Beverley Young cassette, "It's then I wish..." but I can't hear all the words clearly and can't find the lyrics even by Googling. Can anyone help?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bonelace weaver's song
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 01:43 AM

Hmmm. Couldn't find much - this page (click) says there was a Fellside recording, FE-0043, called Songs of South Bedfordshire that had a track called "The Bonelace Weaver."

That's all she wrote...

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bonelace weaver's song
From: Peace
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 03:05 AM

There are many hits regarding CDs if one Googles

"Bone Lace Weaver".


This site discusses weaving and also that bobbin lace is often as not called bone lace.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bonelace weaver's song
From: Peace
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 03:25 AM

Bone Lace Weaver - Wheatcroft, Leonard/Harris, Roy

Muckram Wakes. Map of Derbyshire, Trailer LER 2085, LP (1973), trk# B.05a

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bonelace weaver's song
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 10:37 AM

The fact that you don't find it via Google doesn't mean that it isn't here in the Forum. Always try the internal search engine as well; if asked for bonelace (bonelace weaver returns fewer results) it will reveal an earlier thread here with both words and tune. The thread itself is titled "lace", but deals solely with this song:

Lyr Add: BONELACE WEAVER'S SONG (L Wheatcroft)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bonelace weaver's song
From: Peace
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 02:24 PM

Good reminder, Malcolm. Thanks again.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bonelace weaver's song
From: Peace
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 02:29 PM

It was a bit difficult to get to, so here is the particular post:

Subject: Lyr Add: BONELACE WEAVER'S SONG (L Wheatcroft)
From: GUEST,MCP - PM
Date: 13 Jan 03 - 04:50 AM

I must have missed this before. Here's the song from Roy Palmer's Ballad History Of England

THE BONELACE WEAVERS SONG
Here is myrthe and melody
(Leonard Wheatcroft)

I am a maid new com to towne
But lounge I will not tarry.
I have but two years for to stay
and then I thinke to marry;
But if a briske younge man com in,
and that is no decever,
to corte him then I will begin
Like a bone-lace weaver.

If that he be a gentellman
and vowes he'll love me kindly
then for him I'le doe what I can
and strive to please him finely.
Of if he be a yoman good,
and to me no decever,
then I will strive to pleas his mood,
Like a bone-lace weaver.

We get our living with our handes,
having our wits about us.
We hope to purches hous & lands,
tho young men the[y] doe flout us.
But let them all say what y can
Wee'l trust no decever,
Wee'l sing you songs of peg and nan,
Like a bone-lace weaver.

We keepe out hands both whit and neat,
our pritty lace to handle,
We sing our sonits all compleat,
By daylight or a candell,
And when out Task we ended have,
Our Mistris shews such fancy,
We sport ans sing, that all doth ring,
O Brave Bone-lace weaver.

And thus we leade most merry lives,
We heed no young mens saying
We scorne for to be married wives,
Wee'l keepe our fingers playing.
Wee'l weare brave laces on our heads,
We scorne as yeat a beaver,
Wee'l worke a pace, Brave flanders lace
o brave Bone-lace weaver.

(I have left all spelling as printed by Palmer, except that all the letter vs in the abover were printed as u. I think this orthographic change makes it slightly easier to read while not obliterating the original).

Palmer writes: "The song was written in about 1650 by Leonard Wheatcroft, of Ashover in Derbyshire. Apart from writing songs he was village publican, tailor, parish clerk and a combatant in the Civil War - on both sides. No tune was indicated, but there is a modern recording with a tune by Roy Harris (Muckram Wakes, A Map of Derbyshire, Leader LER 2085)."

Palmer's source is given as: MS in the Ashover Parish Records, D253A/PZ11, Derbyshire Records Office

The tune (not given in Palmer) used is (IIRC) virtually the same as the tune for some other song, the title of which I can't remember now. I'll put up the tune as I remember it later.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bonelace weaver's song
From: Rumncoke
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 02:56 PM

I thought that one must be different from the one required - I have sung it for some time now, to a tune of my own.

Oh - it is the cassette title not part of the song. Duh!

It makes a good song.

I remember my mother's mother had an old OXO tin full of bobbins. They were nicely turned things with a wire ring threaded with beads to identify them, held at the tail end by being passed through a hole drilled in the bobbin - it would have kept them from rolling around on the cushion too.

I never got my hands on them - they were on a high shelf in a cupboard out of harms way.

Anne

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bonelace weaver's song
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 03:33 PM

What is the purpose of repeating the lyrics posted by Mick?
Why not just make a link to the earlier thread? (28543)
lace bonelace

These threads should be united.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bonelace weaver's song
From: Peace
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 03:36 PM

I have had troubles in the past making links to threads. Also, I had some difficulty getting to the thread mentioned by Malcolm. So, I copied the post here. That's why. Sorry it tciked you off.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bonelace weaver's song
From:
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 03:41 PM

People! don't distress yourselves. Actually, if you look at Malcolm's message, he did have a link to the thread in question. So, both of you were right!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bonelace weaver's song
From: Peace
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 03:45 PM

I didn't notice the link earlier.