The Old Beggarman- Estey (NB) 1963 Haggerty/Felt
[From Bronson; Vol. 4 Addenda No. 4.1. sent by Lee B. Haggerty and Henry Felt to Bronson. Cf. Doucette, 1958 PEI. Joe Estey is recorded on Folk-Legacy's Ballads and Songs of Tradition (CD-125).
R. Matteson 2014]
"The Old Beggarman"- Sung by Joseph Estey, Red Bank, New Brunswick, August, 1963. Collected by Lee B. Haggerty and Henry Felt.
1. Where were you bred and where were you born?
In dear old Scotland, where I was bred and born.
I am going for to leave you, so love, do not mourn,
Until the day when I do return.
2. Here is a ring, I'll give it unto thee
As a token of true friendship, given by me,
And when this ring is faded and worn,
You'll know that your true-love's with another one.
3. For seven long years he sailed o'er the sea,
He sailed and he sailed to a foreign countery.
He looked at the ring, it was faded and worn,
He knew that his truelove was with another man.
4. And he turned, he sailed o'er the sea,
He sailed and he sailed to his own countery.
The first one he met when he came to the land
Was a poor old beggarman.
5. Old man, good man, old man, said he.
what news, what news have you got for me?
Bad news, bad news, the old man did say.
Tomorrow is your true-love's wedding day.
6 Then give to me your rags and your shield
And I'll give to you my coat and my steel.
Your coat and your steel is far too good for me,
While an old beggar's clothes not fit for thee.
7. Let it be right, or let it be wrong
The old beggar's clothes I will put on,
I will beg from the richest to the poorest in the land
Take nothing but the best from the young bride's hand,
8. So he begged from Peter, and he begged from Paul,
He begged from the richest to the poorest of then all,
He begged till he came to his own true love's hand,
He stood on the bridge, he leaned against the gate.
9. Down came the bride a-tripping down the stair,
Rings on her fingers and jewelry in her hair.
The glass of wine she held in her hand
She gave it to the old beggarman.
10. Out of the tumbler he drank the wine,
Back in the tumbler he dropped the ring.
She said, Where did you get it? on sea or on land?
Or did you steal it off some dead man's hand?
11 I did not get it on sea or on land,
Neither did I take it off a dead man's hand.
It's a token of true friendship when we used to court so gay
And I have returned it all on your wedding day.
12. Rings from her fingers she did pull off,
Trinkets from her hair she did let fall,
Saving, Willie, I'll go with you for now and evermore
Supposing that we beg from door to door.
13 O between the kitchen and the hall
The old beggar's clothes he did let fall.
His costly garments they shone far above them all,
He was the finest-looking young man that stood in the hall.
14. It was as early the next morning just at the break of day
This couple hastened off to church and made no delay,
It's now they're married, as you may understand,
No more wilt he be called the old beggarman. (Last word spoken.)