Fattinghey Glee- G.H.Harrison (Wilt) c1946 Collinson
[My date. From Collinson Manuscript Collection Folksongs Vol. 2 No. 55; https://www.vwml.org/record/COL/2/55,
R. Matteson 2018]
Fattinghey Glee- sung by G.H. Harrison of Durrington, Wiltshire. Collected and tune by Francis Collinson.
Verse 1: My father's a lord, he's a lord of high renown;
For me to marry a soldier t'would bring his honour down;
For my birth and thy birth they never would agree,
So take it as a warning my bonny bold dragee.
Verse 2: No warning, no warning, no warning will I take,
I'll either die or marry for thy sweet sake,
So to church they both went and got married on that day,
And soon they were returning, returning on their way.
Verse 3: As they were returning, returning on that day,
They saw her father coming with several armed men,
'I fear,' cried the lady, 'that we shall all be slain.'
'I fear not at all,' cried the jolly bold drago[on].
Verse 4: 'Don't you see, don't you see, they are all armed for the battle,
Don't you see, don't you see, there is no time to prattle.'
So the dragoon drew his glittering sword and he made their shields to rattle,
And the lady held the horse while the dragoon fought the battle.
Verse 5: 'Hold you hand, hold your hand, hold your hand, thou bold dragoon,
And thou shalt have my daughter and fifty thousand pounds.'
'Fight on,' cried the dragoon, 'thy fortune is too small.'
'Hold your hand,' cried the lord then, 'and thou shalt have it all.'
Verse 6: So all you ladies fair, who have lots of gold in store,
Never despise a soldier although he be but poor.
Though a soldier so poor, he can fight for his own,
So here's health to the lady and the jolly bold dragoon.