Young Country Squire, The
AKA | |
First Published | 1891 |
Writer/composer | George Ware / Felix Dumas | Roud | RN559? |
Music Hall Performers | Jolly John Nash, Marie LLoyd |
Folk performances | None of this song, lots of Blackberry Fold |
There's a young country squire, so I have been told Who is after a widow who is sixty years old The young squire's handsome, the young squire's bold But the young squire's short of both silver and gold The widow they call her old Auntie Maria Her late husband was the festived Josiah Who left his gay widow, so I have been told Three nieces, and over a million in gold Now what do you think, this young country squire Told Auntie he loved her, the gay holy friar And Auntie Maria said, 'I shall expire If I don't wed Bertie, the young country squire.' Now Auntie Maria had a niece named Sophia Who was up to her eyebrows in love with the squire But the young squire found out she hadn't oof And it was his intentions her Antie to spoof 'All right,' said Sophia,'You marry Maria I can wait for you squire, you know I'm quite young For Auntie Maria, I know,' said Sophia 'You won't long require, she is not very strong.' Now the young country squire married Auntie Maria And her young niece Sophia, gave Auntie away And Auntie Maria, she gave the young squire A million of money on her wedding day But Auntie Maria is under the briar And the young niece Sophia has taken her place The young country squire, and his young wife Sophia Enjoy their youngselves now, there is love in each face. But this young country squire, did not want his wife long He had led a gay life, and was not over strong And the squire he loved hunting - and his loving wife Saw him brought home one day - without any life There was sighing, and crying, for nearly an hour At last he was burried, close to the old Tower And they say his widow - with a million of gold Is in love with a policeman not thirty years old. Now you've heard the tale of Sophia and the squire How he got the cash from old Auntie Maria And he's left the pile to his late wife Sophia And if she's not soon married - you call me ....... (another)
Words by George Ware, music by Felix Dumas. Sung in the Halls by ‘Jolly’ John Nash and later Marie Lloyd, in the past this song has been confused with a the well-known traditional song Young Squire, better known as Blackberry Fold and at the time of writing it has the same Roud Index number (Roud 559). The reason for including the song is partly to point out that it’s not really the same song, and partly to allow comparison…
Its possible that this song may be in a distant way parodying and updating some of the themes in Blackberry Fold, which follows a storyline found in other traditional songs originating in the 18th century and earlier. It usually involves the young squire raping a pretty milk maid, who vigorously defends herself, injuring him with a dagger or sword, but ends happily when he recovers and they get married! On the other hand, it may just be that the songs have similar names… More about Blackberry Fold can be found on the Mainly Norfolk site
Sources:
- Entries in the Roud Indexes at the Vaughn Williams Memorial Library: https://archives.vwml.org/search/all:single[folksong-broadside-books]/0_50/all/score_desc/extended-roudNo_tr%3A559? for Blackberry Fold (RN559)
- Steve Roud New Penguin
- Kilgarrif Sing Us
- Lyrics: monologues.co.uk
- Worldcat entry
- Sheet Music: not found
- March’s Royalty Songs at Bodleian Ballads