The Black-Jack Davy- Lowrimore (CA) 1945 Lowrimore
[From: Some English and Scottish Ballads from California by Burton S. Lowrimore; California Folklore Quarterly, Vol. 5, No. 2 (Apr., 1946), pp. 210-213. His notes follow.
Taken from his mother during Christmas vacation, 1945. She learned them as a child and did not see them in print or hear them on a radio or phonograph.
R. Matteson 2015]
C. THE BLACK-JACK DAVY
This is a version of "The Gipsy Laddie," Child, 200. The earliest versions have the abductor a Gipsy Laddie named Johny Fla. The ballad is supposed to have arisen after the execution of Johny Fla and members of his band in the early 1600's. He is
also called Gipsy Davy. I believe the substitution of "Black-Jack" for "Gipsy" is quite recent as I have been unable to find the term in the literature. Other changes to be noted are lines 9-io and 14-15, which are recent humorous substitutions. The
"high heeled" shoes of Child, 200, I, stanza 7, become "high-quartered" ones in the version below. The "home wrecker" goes unpunished in the ballad I have collected, but was hanged in the older versions.
I. The Black Jack Davy came riding thru the woods,
He sang so boldly, boldly.
He sang so loud that he made the woods ring,
And he charmed the heart of a lady,
And he charmed the heart of a lady.
II. Will you go with me my pretty little miss?
Will you go with me my honey?
I'll swear by the sword that hangs by my side,
That you never shall want for money,
That you never shall want for money.
III. I'll go with you, I'll go with you,
I'll go with you my honey.
I'll swear by the sword that hangs by your side,
That I'll always want for money,
That I'll always want for money.
IV. She pulled off her high-quarter shoes,
That were made of Spanish leather,
And put on her low quarter ones,
And away they went together,
And away they went together.
V. The landlord came home at midnight,
Inquiring for his lady.
The servant met him at the gate,
She's gone with the Black Jack Davy,
She's gone with the Black Jack Davy.
VI. Go saddle up my old grey horse.
Go saddle up my pony,
Go saddle up my old grey horse,
For the roan is not so speedy,
For the roan is not so speedy.
VII. He saddled up his old grey horse,
He saddled up his pony,
He rode all day and he rode all night.
Till he overtook his lady,
Till he overtook his lady.
VIII. He rode all day and he rode all night,
Till he came to the deep blue waters;
And the tears came trinkling down his cheeks;
As there he spied his lady,
As there he spied his lady.
IX. How can you forsake your house and land,
How can you forsake your baby,
How can you forsake your own true love?
And go with the Black Jack Davy,
And go with the Black Jack Davy?
X. Very well I can forsake my house and land,
Very well I can forsake my baby,
And it's better I can forsake my own true love,
And go with the Black Jack Davy,
And go with the Black Jack Davy.
XI. She pulled off her sky-blue glove,
That was made of Spanish leather,
And gave to him her lily-white hand,
And bade him adieu forever,
And bade him adieu forever.
XII. Last night I slept on a feather bed[1]
Beside my husband and baby;
Tonight I'll sleep on the damp, cold ground,
Beside the Black Jack Davy,
Beside the Black Jack Davy.
1. In most versions this last verse is found in an earlier part of the ballad.