Bailiff's Daughter- Alexander (NB) 1927 Barry
[From British Ballad From Maine, 1929, Barry Eckstorm and Smyth. Barry's notes follow.
R. Matteson 2015]
THE BAILIFF'S DAUGHTER OF ISLINGTON
(Child 105)
In JAFL, XXXIX (1926), 100-102, there is an eight stanza version of this ballad called "The comely youth," recovered in Mississippi. The name of the town has been changed to Hazling town, and there are several other changes; for example, the girl, instead of disguising herself as a beggar, dresses in fine silk, and instead of asking for a penny, she begs a kiss. Her lover buys her jewels and they have a merry wedding.
Stanza 2 of the Mississippi text (corresponding to Child B and 4 as in our text) shows how the ballad is breaking down; for instead of "an apprentice for to bind," we have something without sense:
When his cruel parents came this to find,
That he was so inclined,
They sent him away down to London city,
Oh, and bid him a printer's bind, bind,
And bid him a printer's bind.
All of Child's copies were the same version from various printed broadsides of the seventeenth century.
"Bailiff's Daughter." Taken down, October, 1927, from the recitation of Mrs. John Alexander of Campobello, New Brunswick, who learned it in childhood in England.
1 There was a youth, and a well beloved youth,
And he was a squire's son,
He loved the baitiff's daughter dear
Who lived in Islington.
2 But she was coy and would not believe
That he did love her so,
And neither would she at any time
Any countenance to him slow.
3 Now when his friends did understand
His fond and foolish mind,
They sent him to fair London
An apprentice for to bind.
4 And there for seven long years,
And never his love did he see,
"Oh, many a tear I have shed for her sake,
When little she thought of me."
5 Then all the maids of Islington
Went forth to sport and play,
All but the bailiff's daughter dear,
She secretly stole away.
6 She then put off her gown of green,
And put on a ragged attire,
And journeyed up to gay London
Her true love to inquire.
7 And as she went along the road,
The weather being hot and dry,
She sat her down upon a bank
And her true love came riding by.
8 She started up with color so red,
Catching hold of his bridle and rein,
"One penny, one penny, kind sir," she said,
"Will ease me of much pain."
9 "Before I give you a penny, sweetheart,
Pray tell me whether you know
The bailiff's daughter of Islington."
She is dead, sir, long ago."
10 "If she be dead, then take my horse,
My bridle and saddle also,
And I will to some far country
Where no man will ever me know."
11 "O stay, O stay, thou goodly youth,
She standeth by thy side,
She is not dead, she is here alive,
And ready to be thy bride."
12 "Farewell grief and welcome joy,
Ten thousand times therefor,
For now I've found my own true love
Whom I thought I would never see [any] more."