George E. Wedlock- Dusenbury (AR) 1875 Randolph C
[From Randolph; Ozark Folksongs, 1946 Volume I. Randolph's notes follow. Compare to Johnny Wedlock, collected in NC in 1924 by Chappell.
R. Matteson 2013, 2016]
The old ballad of "Georgie" or "Geordie" is well known on both sides of the Atlantic. Belden (1907), 319, points out its derivation from an eighteenth century broadside, "The life and Death of George of Oxford" (Child 209), and Cox (1925), 135 gives numerous references to English texts. There is a comment on the use of a silken rope in Pepys's Diary, Feb 27, 1663. American versions have been reported by Campbell and Sharp, Shoemaker (1919), 140; Pound(1915),11; A. Richardson, 504; A. K. Davis (1929), 435-38, Randolph, OMF, pp 223-25; Greenleaf and Mansfield, 40; L. Chappell, 37; Gardner and Chickering, 317; Belden (1940), 76-78; Brewster (1941), 170; and the Brown Collection.
C. "George E. Wedlock."- Emma Dusenbury of Mena, AR supplied Randolph this version in 1930 which she learned about 1875. Randolph C
Oh George E. Wedlock is my name,
And many a man doth know me,
An' many a bad deed I have done,
But this will overthrow me.
Is there a portman in this town
That will ride for me from Staldon?
That will ride for me from Staldon town
With a letter for a lady?
Go saddle me up my milk white steed,
Go saddle her up trim neatly,
I'll ride for you from Staldon town,
With a letter for a lady.
The sun went down when he got there,
An' supper it was ready,
An' this young lady she was there,
She was both brief an' merry.
She took the letter in her hand,
An' broke it open most speedily,
She had not read but a line or two,
Till she seen the case of Georgie.
Is there a portman in this town
That will ride with me to Staldon?
That will ride with me to Staldon town,
To plead the case of Georgie?
Go saddle me up my milk white steed,
Go saddle her up trim neatly.
I'll ride with you to Staldon town
To plead the case of Georgie.
The cart drove up as they got there,
The rope it was made ready,
An' the King looked over his right shoulder
An' saw a neat trimmed lady.
She run her hands into her pockets,
Sayin' gents, oh I have plenty,
An' I'll lay you down ten thousand pounds,
If you'll spare me the life of Georgie.
If you'll lay me down ten thousand pounds,
I'll spare you the life of Georgie,
You need not weep, or sigh any more,
I'll spare you the life of Georgie.
Now Georgie is a free man in this town,
By one he does love dearly,
Now Georgie is a free man in this town,
By the lovin' of a lady.