Child has 2 (A-B) versions of The Jolly Beggar [ A | B | The Pollittick Begger-Man ] Version A Name: 'There was a wife in yon toun,' "Old Lady's Collection," No. 36. 1 'THER is a wife in yone toun-end, an she has dothers three, An I wad be a beager for ony of a' the three.' 2 He touk his clouty clok him about, his peak- staff in his hand, An he is awa to yon toun-end, leak ony peare man. 3 'I ha ben about this fish-toun this years tua or three, Ha ye ony quarters, deam, that ye coud gie me?' 4 'Awa, ye pear carl, ye dinne kean my name; Ye sud ha caed me mistress fan ye called me bat deam.' 5 He tuke his hat in his hand an gied her juks three; 'An ye want manners, misstres, quarters ye'11 gie me.' 6 'Awn, ye pear carle, in ayont the fire, An sing to our Lord Gray's men to their hearts' disire.' 7 Some lowked to his goudie lowks, some to his milk- whit skine, Some to his ruffled shirt, the gued read gold hung in. 8 Out spak our madin, an she was ay shay, Fatt will the jolly beager gett afore he gaa to lay? 9 Out spak our goudwife, an she was not sae shay, He'se gett a dish of lang kell, besids a puss pay. 10 Out spak the jolly beager, That dish I dou denay; I canne sup yer lang kell nor yet yer puss pay. 11 Bat ye gett to my supper a capon of the best, Two or three bottels of yer wine, an bear, an we sall ha a merry feast. 12 'Ha ye ony siler, earl, to bint the bear an wine?' '0 never a peney, misstress, had I lang sine.' 13 The beager wadne lay in the barn, nor yett in the bayr, Bat in ahind the haa-dor, or att the kitchen-fire. 14 The beager's bed was well [made] of gued clean stray an hay, * * * * * * * * * * 15 The madin she rose up to bar the dor, An ther she spayed a naked man, was risen throu the flour. 16 He tuke her in his arms an to his bed he ran; 'Hollie we me, sir,' she says, 'or ye'll waken our pear man.' 17 The begger was a cuning carle, an never a word he spake Till he got his turn dean, an sayn began to crak. 18 'Is ther ony dogs about this toun? madin, tell me nou:' 'Fatt wad ye dee we them, my hony an my dou?' 19 'They wad ravie a' my meall-poks an die me mukell wrang:' '0 doll for the deaing o it! are ye the pear man? 20 'I thought ye had ben some gentelman, just leak the leard of Brody! I am sorry for the doing o itt! are ye the pore boddie?' 21 She tuke the meall-poks by the strings an thrue them our the wan: 'Doll gaa we meall-poks, madinhead an a'!' 22 She tuke him to her press, gave him a glass of wine; He tuke her in his arms, says, Honey, ye'ss be mine. 23 He tuke a horn fra his side an he blue loud an shill, An four-an-tuenty belted knights came att the beager's will. 24 He tuke out a pean-kniff, lute a' his dudes faa, An he was the braest gentelman that was among them a' 25 He patt his hand in his poket an gaa her ginnes three, An four-an-tuenty hunder mark, to pay the nires feea. 26 'Gin ye had ben a gued woman, as I thought ye had ben, I wad haa made ye lady of castels eaght or nine.' Version B Name: a. The Jolly Beggar, Herd, The Ancient and Modern Scots Songs, 1769, p. 46; ed. 1776, II, 26. b. The Jolly Beggars,' Curious Tracts, Scotland, British Museum, 1078. m. 24. No 30 ( a collection made by James Mitchell at Aberdeen in 1828). c. The Jolly Beggar-Man,' Macmath MS., p. 103, a fragement. d. The same, a fragment. 1 THERE was a jolly beggar, and a begging he was bound, And he took up his quarters into a landart town. Fa la la, etc. 2 He wad neither ly in barn, nor yet wad he in byre, But in ahint the ha-door, or else afore the fire. 3 The beggar's bed was made at een wi good clean straw and hay, And in ahint the ha-deer, and there the beggar lay. 4 Up raise the goodman's dochter, and for to bar the door, And there she saw the beggar standin i the floor. 5 He took the lassie in his arms and to the bed he ran, '0 hooly, hooly wi me, sir! ye'll waken our goodman.' 6 The beggar was a cunnin loon, and neer a word he spake Until he got his turn done, syne he began to crack. 7 'Is there ony dogs into this town? maiden, tell me true.' 'And what wad ye do wi them, my hinny and my dow?' 8 'They'11 rive a' my mealpoeks, and do me meikle wrang.' '0 dool for the doing o't! are ye the poor man?' 9 Then she took up the mealpoeks and flang them oer the wa: 'The d-l gae wi the mealpoeks, my maiden-head and a'! 10 'I took ye for some gentleman, at least the Laird of Brodie; 0 dool for the doing o't! are ye the poor bodie?' 11 He took the lassie in his arms and gae her kisses three, And four-and-twenty hunder merk to pay the nurice-fee. 12 He took a horn frae his side and blew baith loud and shrill, And four-and-twenty belted knights came skipping oer the hill. 13 And he took out his little knife, loot a' his duddies fa, And he was the brawest gentleman that was amang them a'. 14 The beggar was a cliver loon and he lap shoulder height: '0 ay for sicken quarters as I gat yester night! The Pollitick Beger-Man Who got the love of a pretty maid And on her cittern sweetly plaid; At last she slung her milk-pail over the wall, And bid the De'l take mailk=pail maidenhead and all. Tune is, There was a jovial begger. Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, J. Wright and J. Clarke 1 There was a jovial begger-man, a begging he was bound, And he did seek his living in country and in town. With a long staff and a patcht coat, he prancd along the pad, And by report of many a one he was a proper lad. His cheeks were like the crimson rose, his forehead smooth and high, And he was the bravest begger-man that_ever I saw with eye. 2 He came unto a farmer's gate and for an alms did crave; The maid did like the begger-man and good relief she gave. She took him by the lilly hand and set him to the fire, Which was as well as tongue could tell Or heart of man desire. 3 A curious mess of firmaty for him she did provide, With a lovely cup of nut-brown and sugar sops beside. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 4 'Sweet-heart, give me some lodging, that I all night may stay, Or else give me my answer, that I may go away.' The maid went to the hay-mow and fetcht a bottle of hay, And laid it behind the parlor-door, On which the begger-man lay. 5 'Resolve me,' said the maiden, 'if that you will or can, For I do verily believe thou art a gentleman.' 'In truth then,' said the begger, 'my parents they are poor, And I do seek my living each day from door to door.' 6 'Tis pity,' said this maiden fair, 'that such a lively lad Should be a begger's only heir, a fortune poor and bad. I wish that my condition were of the same degree, Then hand in hand I'de quickly wend throughout the world with thee.' 7 When he perceivd the maiden's mind, and that her heart was his, He did embrace her in his arms And sweetly did her kiss. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 8 In lovely sport and merriment the night away they spent In Venus game, for their delight and both their hearts content: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 9 Betimes in the morning then, as soon as it was day, He left the damosel fast asleep and nimbly budgd away. When he from her an hour was gone the damosel she did wake, And seeing the begger-man not there her heart began to ake. 10 Then did she sigh and wring her hands, the tears did trickling pour, For loosing her virginity and virgins maiden flower. When twenty weeks were come and gone her heart was sometbing sad, Because she found berseif with barn, and does not know the dad. 11 'There is, I see, no remedy for what is past and gone, And many a one that laughs at me may do as I have done.' Then did she take her milk-pail, and flung it over the wall '0 the Devil go with my milk-pail, my maidenhead and all !' 12 You maidens fair, where ere you are, Keep up your store and goods, For when that some have got their wills They'1 leave you in the suds. Let no man tempt you nor entice, be not too fond and coy, But soon agree to loyalty, Your freedom to enjoy.