“Richard (Irchard) of Taunton Dean”
Description
Herchard/Irchard/Richard courts Miss Jane, saying, "I can reap and I can mow..." and earn his ninepence every day. She replies that she needs silks and satins. He perseveres, saying he has pigs and will inherit more if they marry; she consents
Supplemental text
Richard (Irchard) of Taunton Dean
Complete text(s)
*** A ***
Irchard of Taunton Deane
Called "Richard of Taunton Deane" on the LP cover, but the LP and notes
label it "Irchard," and this is the name used in the recording.
As sung by George and Gerry Armstrong on "Simple Gifts" (Folkways FA 2335).
They learned it "in 1954 from an eighty-year-old, white-bearded gentleman
name[d] James Pyke-Knott, a retired farmer from Devonshire." I (RBW)
compared the recorded version with the text in the liner notes, and made
some modifications to the latter in that light.
'Twas Christmas Eve as I've heard say,
Young Irchard he mounted his dobbin grey,
And started out from Taunton Deane
To woo the parson's daughter, Jane.
Chorus:
With a dumble down derry, dumble down day.
He rode along without any fear
Till he came to the home of his lady dear,
And then he shouted, "Hey, hello!
Be ye folks at home? Say ye eis* or no."
The servants quickly let Dick in,
That he his courtship might begin.
And Dick he strode into the hall
And loudly on Miss Jane did call.
Miss Jane came down without delay
To hear what Irchard had for to say,
"I do suppose you know, Miss Jane,
That I be Irchard of Taunton Deane?
"I'm an honest lad though I be poor,
And I never was in love before.
But Mother sent I here to woo,
And I can fancy none but you."
"If I consent to be your bride,
Pray how for me would you provide?
It never would do for you and I...."
"Oh, come," says Dick, "Us can but try."
"For I can reap and I can mow,
And I can plow and I can sow,
I goes to market with father's hay
And earns me ninepence every day.
"I've got a pig poked up in the sty
As comes to me when Granny do die,
And if you'll consent to marry me now,
Why Father'll gie us the old fat sow."
Dick's compliments were so polite,
He won Miss Jane before the night.
And when he'd got no more to say,
He gied her a kiss and rode away.
* So the liner notes. It sounds more like "yees."
Cross references
- cf. "Lucindy, Won't You Marry Me?"
Recordings
- Aunt Fanny Rumble, "Richard of Taunton Dean" (on Lomax41, LomaxCD1741)
- Tony Wales, "Richard of Taunton Dean" (on TWales1)
References
- ST RcIOTD (Full)
- Roud #382
- BI, RcIOTD