Tiranti, my Son- Lawrence (MA) pre1850 Child I e-f
[From English and Scottish Popular Ballads, Child 1882 Vol. 1. Both Child I e and Child I f are from Mrs. Katherine Bigelow Lawrence Lowell. I'm including both here. Her husband, Augustus Lowell (January 15, 1830– 1900) was a businessman and philanthropist from Massachusetts. He was born in Boston to John Amory Lowell and his second wife Elizabeth Cabot Putnam. Lowell was amongst the fifth generation in his family to graduate from Harvard College, class of 1850. On June 1, 1854 he married Katherine Bigelow Lawrence, the daughter of Hon. Abbott Lawrence. Both Augustus and Katherine Lawrence Lowell were able to trace their ancestry back through the earliest colonial settlers and founders of New England, in the mid-17th century, and even further back to notable English families of the 12th and 13th centuries. [from wiki]
Although this is considered a New England title, versions with this title have been found in NC (Brown) and elsewhere. Phillips Barry claims that the assorted "Tiranti" titles came from a corruption of Tyrannus and not from Randall at all. He says that Tyrannus is rare and is mentioned in New England Genealogical Record
Child lists seven versions of I, all from the US, but doesn't offer individual texts. Instead he gives the text of I a and the changes from I a to make the other versions. For I a he gives changes the order of the verses to conform with standard verses. The changes for other texts are found in the End Notes. It should be noticed that some of the changes given in end notes in these editions are not completely accurate- they cover most important differences.
In Volume 2, Additions and Corrections, he adds I h and I i, then he gives the changes for h and k [sic], which should be i. I'm adding the texts, assembled from the End Notes, for all nine below:
I. 'Tiranti, my Son.'
a. Communicated by a lady of Boston,
b. By an aunt of the same.
c. By a lady of New Bedford,
d. By a lady of Cambridge,
e. By ladies of Boston.
f. By ladies of Boston.
g. By ladies of Boston.
h. Communicated by Mr. George M. Richardson.
i. Communicated by Mr. George L. Kittredge.
Child adds the following: I, a version current in eastern Massachusetts, may be carried as far back as any. a, b derive from Elizabeth Foster, whose parents, both natives of eastern Massachusetts, settled, after their marriage, in Maine, where she was born in 1789. Elizabeth Foster's mother is remembered to have sung the ballad, and I am informed that the daughter must have learned it not long after 1789, since she was removed in her childhood from Maine to Massachusetts, and continued there till her death. 'Tiranti' ['Taranti'] may not improbably be a corruption of Lord Randal.
R. Matteson 2011, 2014]
TIRANTI, MY SON- Child I e.
e. By Mrs. Augustus Lowell, of Boston.
1. 'O where have you been, Tiranti, my son?
O where have you been, my sweet little one?'
'I have been to my grandmother's; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at heart, and faint [fain] to lie down.'
2. 'What did you have for your supper, Tiranti, my son?
What did you have for your supper, my sweet little one?'
'I had eels fried in butter; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at heart, and faint [fain] to lie down.'
3. 'What will you leave your mother, Tiranti, my son?
What will you leave your mother, my sweet little one?'
'A coach and six horses; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at heart, and faint [fain] to lie down.'
4. What will you leave your sister, Tiranti, my son?
What will you leave your sister, my sweet little one?'
A box of fine clothing; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at heart, and faint [fain] to lie down.'
5. 'What'll you give to your grandmother, Tiranti, my son?
What'll you give to your grandmother, my sweet little one?'
A rope to hang her with; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at heart, and faint [fain] to lie down.'
6.* 'Where shall I make it, Tiranti, my son?
'Where shall I make it, my sweet little one?'
'In the corner of the churchyard; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at heart, and faint [fain] to lie down.'
* The footnotes are incomplete, I assume stanza 6 is as I've assembled it.
Footnotes Child I e. :
I. e. 1[4]. For I 'm sick at heart, and faint [fain] to lie down.
3 = a 7. 1. What will you leave your mother?
3. A box full of jewels.
4[1]. What will you leave your sister?
3. A box of fine clothing.
5 = a 8. 3. A rope to hang her with.
6 = a 5. 1. Where shall I make it?
3, 4 of a are wanting.
______________________
TIRANTI, MY SON- Child I f.
f. By Mrs. Augustus Lowell, of Boston.
1. 'O where have you been, Tiranti, my son?
O where have you been, my sweet little one?'
'I have been to my grandmother's; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at heart, and fain to lie down.'
2. 'What did you have for your supper, Tiranti, my son?
What did you have for your supper, my sweet little one?'
'I had eels fried in butter; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at heart, and fain to lie down.'
3. What will you leave your sister, Tiranti, my son?
What will you leave your sister, my sweet little one?'
A box of fine clothing; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at heart, and fain to lie down.'
4. 'What will you leave your mother, Tiranti, my son?
What will you leave your mother, my sweet little one?'
'A coach and six horses; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at heart, and fain to lie down.'
5. 'What'll you give to your grandmother, Tiranti, my son?
What'll you give to your grandmother, my sweet little one?'
A rope to hang her with; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at heart, and fain to lie down.'
6.* 'Where shall I make it, Tiranti, my son?
'Where shall I make it, my sweet little one?'
'In the corner of the churchyard; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at heart, and fain to lie down.'
* The footnotes are incomplete, I assume 6. is as I've assembled it.
Footnotes Child I f. :
f. This copy was derived from the singing of the lady who communicated e, and they naturally agree closely.
1[4], fain to lie down.
f 3 = e 4;
f 4 = e 3.