“Tyburn Hill”

Description

"A beggar man laid himself down to sleep, Rumsty-o, Rumsty-o. A beggar man laid himself down to sleep, On the banks of the Mersey so wide and steep." Two thieves come by and rob the beggar. The singer sees them in the dock, then on Tyburn gallows

Supplemental text

Tyburn Hill
  Partial text(s)

          *** A ***

From Eloise Hubbard Linscott, Folk Songs of Old New England, pp. 295-296.
From the singing of Dr. Frank Allen Hubbard.

A beggar man laid himself down to sleep,
    Rumsty-O, Rumsty-O.
A beggar man laid himself down to sleep,
On the banks of the Mersey so wide and steep,
    Rumsty-O, Rumsty-O.

Two thieves came walking by that way,
    Rumsty-O, Rumsty-O.
Two thieves came walking by that way,
And they came to the place where the beggar man lay,
    Rumsty-O, Rumsty-O.

(3 additional stanzas)

Notes

Linscott points out that executions at Tyburn (Tye Burn) stopped in 1783 (after which time they took place at Newgate), implying that that dates this song. This doesn't really follow; "Tyburn" had by then become a byword of sorts.

In fact the song seems somewhat confused; why would robbers who worked near the Mersey be hanged at Tyburn? Also, the form looks rather like a singing game. It's most unfortunate that we can't find more versions of this piece. - RBW

References

1. Linscott, pp. 295-296, "Tyburn Hill" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. ST Lins295 (Partial)
3. Roud #3746
4. BI, Lins295