Madam, I am come a-courting- Greening (Dor) 1906
[From Henry Hammond Manuscript Collection (HAM/3/17/18) also some text from music. The form as found in the first stanza has repetitions similar to the Roxburghe version of Madam titled "The Handsom' Woman." Cf. Elizabeth Simms.
First stanza text reprinted with melody as sung by Mrs Greening (his wife) in Songs Collected from Sussex by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Cecil J. Sharp, G. S. K. Butterworth, Frank Kidson, A. G. Gilchrist and Lucy E. Broadwood from Journal of the Folk-Song Society, Vol. 4, No. 17 (Jan., 1913), pp. 279-324.
SUNG BY MRS. GREENING, Noted by H. E. D. Hanmmond. CUCKOLDS CORNER (DORSET).
Pretty maid walking in the garden
who she is I do not know,
I'll go court her for her beauty
Let the answer be yes or no,
Do not know, do not know,
Who she is I do not know.
Yes or no, yes or no,
Let her answer be yes or no.
This is still another variant with repetitions as found below.
R. Matteson 2017]
Madam I Am Come a Courting- sung by John Greening of Cuckolds' Corner, N. Bridgport, Dorset in May, 1906. Collected by Henry Hammond.
1. Pretty maid walking in the garden[1],
Who she is I do not know;
Do not know, do not know,
Who she is I do not know.
I'll go court her for her beauty,
Let the answer be yes or no,
Yes or no, yes or no,
Let the answer be yes or no.
2. "Madam, I am come a-courting,
Hoping your favour I can gain.
If that you may entertain me,
Perhaps I might call this way again, way again."
3. "Maiden, I have gold and silver,
Maiden, I've got houses and land[2],
Maiden, I've got a world of treasure,
All shall be at your command."
4. I don't value your [gold and silver
I don't value your houses and land
I don't value your world of treasure,
All I want is a handsome man.]
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1. The first part with music equals the first stanza- I would assume the rest to appear similarly. However, the end of 2 doesn't show the same variation- probably just not written out like 1.
2. It says to repeat, I assume this means to follow the repetition of stanza 1.