[MR. DENHAM of Piersbridge, who communicates the following, says—‘there is no question that the Farmer’s Boy is a very ancient song; it is highly popular amongst the north country lads and lasses.’ The date of the composition may probably be referred to the commencement of the last century, when there prevailed amongst the ballad-mongers a great rage for Farmers’ Sons, Plough Boys, Milk Maids, Farmers’ Boys, &c. &c. The song is popular all over the country, and there are numerous printed copies, ancient and modern.]
THE sun had set behind yon hills,Across yon dreary moor,Weary and lame, a boy there cameUp to a farmer’s door:‘Can you tell me if any there beThat will give me employ,To plow and sow, and reap and mow,And be a farmer’s boy?
‘My father is dead, and mother is leftWith five children, great and small;And what is worse for mother still,I’m the oldest of them all.Though little, I’ll work as hard as a Turk,If you’ll give me employ,To plow and sow, and reap and mow,And be a farmer’s boy.
‘And if that you won’t me employ,One favour I’ve to ask,—Will you shelter me, till break of day,From this cold winter’s blast?At break of day, I’ll trudge awayElsewhere to seek employ,To plow and sow, and reap and mow,And be a farmer’s boy.’
‘Come, try the lad,’ the mistress said,‘Let him no further seek.’‘O, do, dear father!’ the daughter cried,While tears ran down her cheek:‘He’d work if he could, so ’tis hard to want food,And wander for employ;Don’t turn him away, but let him stay,And be a farmer’s boy.’
And when the lad became a man,The good old farmer died,And left the lad the farm he had,And his daughter for his bride.The lad that was, the farm now has,Oft smiles, and thinks with joyOf the lucky day he came that way,To be a farmer’s boy.
Richard of Taunton Dean;
[THIS song is very popular with the country people in every part of England, but more particularly with the inhabitants of the counties of Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall. 149 The chorus is peculiar to country songs of the West of England. There are many different versions. The following one, communicated by Mr. Sandys, was taken down from the singing of an old blind fiddler, ‘who,’ says Mr. Sandys, ‘used to accompany it on his instrument in an original and humorous manner; a representative of the old minstrels!’ The air is in Popular Music. In Halliwell’s Nursery Rhymes of England there is a version of this song, called Richard of Dalton Dale.
LAST New-Year’s day, as I’ve heerd say, 151Young Richard he mounted his dapple grey,And he trotted along to Taunton Dean,To court the parson’s daughter, Jean.Dumble dum deary, dumble dum deary,Dumble dum deary, dumble dum dee. With buckskin breeches, shoes and hose,And Dicky put on his Sunday clothes;Likewise a hat upon his head,All bedaubed with ribbons red.
Young Richard he rode without dread or fear,Till he came to the house where lived his sweet dear,When he knocked, and shouted, and bellowed, ‘Hallo!Be the folks at home? say aye or no.’
A trusty servant let him in,That he his courtship might begin;Young Richard he walked along the great hall,And loudly for mistress Jean did call.
Miss Jean she came without delay,To hear what Dicky had got to say;‘I s’pose you knaw me, mistress Jean,I’m honest Richard of Taunton Dean.
‘I’m an honest fellow, although I be poor,And I never was in love afore;My mother she bid me come here for to woo,And I can fancy none but you.’
‘Suppose that I would be your bride,Pray how would you for me provide?For I can neither sew nor spin;—Pray what will your day’s work bring in?’
‘Why, I can plough, and I can zow,And zometimes to the market goWith Gaffer Johnson’s straw or hay,And yarn my ninepence every day!’
‘Ninepence a-day will never do,For I must have silks and satins too!Ninepence a day won’t buy us meat!’‘Adzooks!’ says Dick, ‘I’ve a zack of wheat;
‘Besides, I have a house hard by,’Tis all my awn, when mammy do die;If thee and I were married now,Ods! I’d feed thee as fat as my feyther’s old zow.’
Dick’s compliments did so delight,They made the family laugh outright;Young Richard took huff, and no more would say,He kicked up old Dobbin, and trotted away,Singing, dumble dum deary, &c.