Yorkshire Garland
 

The Yorkshire Bite

 
Performed by:
Bill Sowerby
Recorded in:
Hull
Recorded on:
20/11/2007
Recorded by:
Bill Sowerby
Genre:
Humour
Keywords:
Farm animals,
Highwaymen,
Money,
Theft,
Public houses
 

Archival information

TYG:
78
Key:
G
Time Signature:
3/4
Roud id:
2637
Laws id:
L1
Master title:
The Crafty Ploughboy
Places Cited:
Herefordshire,
Yorkshire

Lyrics

1
If you please, do draw near, it’s the truth I declare,
It was of an old farmer in Herefordshire;
He’d a fair Yorkshire boy who acted as man
To manage his business, his name they called John.

Chorus
To me fol-the-dol-lero-li-day.

2
One morning quite early he called up his man,
And when he came to him, as we understand,
He said, ‘Take this cow to Hereford Fair;
She is in good order, I can well her spare.’

3
Away went the boy with his whip in his hand
And soon reached the fair as you’ll all understand.
Well, in a short time he met with three men
And sold one his cow for six pounds ten.

4
They went to an alehouse in order to drink;
It was there that the farmer paid the boy down his chink.
The boy to the landlady then he did say,
‘Oh, what shall I do with this money, I pray?’

5
‘I will sew it within thy coat-lining,’ said she,
‘For fear on the road there a robber should be.’
Close by sat a highwayman drinking his wine;
Thought he to himself, ‘That money is mine.’

6
The boy took his leave and he homeward did go,
And the highwayman soon followed after also.
He soon overtook him upon the highway,
And, ‘Well overtaken, young man,’ he did say.

7
‘Will you get up behind me?’ the highwayman said.
‘How far are you going?’ replied the lad.
‘Well, it’s three or four miles for what I do know.’
So he jumped up behind and away they did go.

8
They rode till they came to a very dark lane;
The highwayman says, ‘Now I’ll tell you quite plain,
Deliver up your money without noise or strife,
Or else I shall certainly take your sweet life.’

9
The boy soon found out there could be no dispute,
So he quickly alighted without fear or doubt;
He tore his coat linings, the money took out,
And among the long grasses he strewed it about.

10
The highwayman then he jumped down off his horse,
But little he thought that it was for his loss.
And before he could find any money, they say,
The boy jumped on horseback and rode fast away.

11
The highwayman shouted and begged him to stay;
The boy wouldn’t hear him, but kept on his way,
And to his old master the boy he did bring
Horse, saddle and bridle, a very fine thing.

12
The master he laughed while his sides he did hold
And said, ‘For a boy thou hast been very bold.
Now as for the villain, thou hast served him right
And hast put upon him a real Yorkshire bite.’

13
They searched in the saddle bags and quickly they told
Two-hundred pounds in silver and gold
And two brace of pistols; the boy he did vow,
‘I think, good master, I’ve well sold the cow!’

Archival information

TYG:
78
Key:
G
Time Signature:
3/4
Roud id:
2637
Laws id:
L1
Master title:
The Crafty Ploughboy
Places Cited:
Herefordshire,
Yorkshire