“Drunken Maidens”

Description

(Three/four drunken maidens) come to a tavern and go on a spree. After eating and drinking for hours, they run up a tally of (40 pounds). They are forced to give up clothes and riches (and maidenheads?)

Supplemental text

Drunken Maidens
  Complete text(s)

          *** A ***

The Four Drunken Maidens

As printed by W. H. Logan, The Pedlar's Pack of Ballads and Songs,
pp. 241-242. From a broadside of uncertain date; Logan guesses it
came from the early nineteenth century. It was printed by
"C. Crashaw, Printer, Coppergate, York."

Four drunken Maidens came from the Isle of Wight,
Drunk from Monday morning till Saturday night;
When Saturday night came they would not go out,
And the four drunken Maidens they pushed the jug about.

In came Bouncing Sally and her cheeks like any bloom,
"Sit about dear sister and give me some room,
I will be worthy of my room before I do go out!"
And the four drunken Maidens they pushed the jug about.

There was woodcock and pheasant, partridges and hare,
And all sorts of dainties; no scarcity was there;
There was forty quarts of Malaga, they fairly drunk it out,
And the four drunken Maidens they pushed the jug about,

Down came the landlady to see what was to pay,
This is a forty pound bill to be drawn here this day;
That is ten pounds apiece and they would not go out,
And the four drunken Maidens they pushed the jug about.

Sally was a walking along the highway,
And she meet with her mother and unto her did say;
"Where is the head dress you had the other day?
And where is your mantle so gallant and so gay,"
"So gallant and so gay we had no more to do,
We left them in the alehouse; we had a randan row." *

* Every other version I've encountered gives this last
line as "We left them in the alehouse; we drank them
clean away."

Recordings

• A. L. Lloyd, "Four Drunken Maidens" (on Lloyd2)

References

1. Logan, pp. 240-242, "The Four Drunken Maidens" (1 text)
2. Kinloch-BBook VIII, p. 30, (no title) (1 text, a 3-stanza fragment but almost certainly this piece)
3. DT, DRNKMAID* FRDNKMD*
4. ST Log240 (Full)
5. Roud #252
6. BI, Log240