Barbara Allen's Cruelty- (English) c.1750 Child B b.
[Child supplies the following changes from B a. to make B b.:
b. Barbara Allen's Cruelty, or, The Young Man's Tragedy. No name of printer.
1[3. for my own.
2[2. they were.
2[4. the sake of.
3[4. name is.
4[4. thy name is.
5[3. Then wanting.
6[1. she came to him.
6[2. came to him.
6[4. a wanting.
7[2. you are.
7[4. As I am on my death-bed lying.
8[1. If you are on your death-bed lying.
8[3. from your.
8[4. Then farewell: said wanting
9[2. on him.
9[3. and wanting: to you all.
10[1. And wanting: out one day.
10[2. bells.
10[3. And they.
11[2. And saw.
11[3. corps said she.
12[3. cry'd out.
13[1. in his.
13[4. will quite undo me.
14[1. A wanting.
14[3. more kind.
14[4. In time of life.
15[3. eer.
16. As she was lying down to die,
A sad feud she fell in;
She said, I pray take warning by
Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.
The condition of the illustration is poor even though it's estimated to be nearly 100 years after child B a.]
Barbara Allen's Cruelty, or, The Young Man's Tragedy- Roxburghe broadside black-letter print 3.522-523. No date given, estimated date is 1750. The broadside located at the British Library.
IN Scarlet Town where I was bound,
There was a fair maid dwelling;
Whom I had chosen for my own,
And her name it was Barbara Allen.
All in the merry month of May,
Where green leaves they were springing
This young man on his death bed lay,
For the sake of Barbara Allen.
He sent his man unto her then,
To the town where she was dwelling
You must come to my master dear,
If your name is Barbara Allen.
For death is printed in his face,
And sorrows in him dwelling;
And you must come to my master dear,
If thy name is Barbara Allen.
If death be printed in his face,
And sorrows in him dwelling;
O little better shall he be
For Bonny Barbary Allen.
So slowly she came to him,
And so slowly she came to him;
And all she said when she came to him,
Young man, I think you are dying.
He turnd his face unto her then,
If you are Barbara Allen,
My dear, said he, come pity me,
As I am on my death-bed lying.
If you are on your death-bed lying,
What is that to Barbara Allen?
I cannot keep you from your death,
Then farewell Barbara Allen.
He turnd his face unto the wall,
And death came creeping on him,
Then adieu, adieu, adieu to you all,
And adieu to Barbara Allen.
As she was walking out one day,
She heard the bells a ringing,
And they did seem to ring to her,
Unworthy Barbara Allen.
She turnd herself round about,
And saw the corpse a coming,
Lay down, lay down, the corpse said she,
That I may look upon him.
And all the while she looked on,
So loudly she lay laughing,
While all her friends cryd out amain,
Unworthy Barbara Allen,
When he was dead and laid in his grave,
Then death came creeping to she,
O mother, mother, make my bed,
For his death will quite undo me.
Hard-hearted creature that I was,
To slight one that lovd me so dearly;
I wish I had been more kind to him,
In time of life when he was near me.
So this maid she then did die,
And desired to be buried by him;
And repented herself before she dyd,
That eer she did deny him.
As she was lying down to die,
A sad feud she fell in;
She said, I pray take warning by
Hardhearted Barbara Allen.