Shrowsbury For Me

DESCRIPTION: The singer praises Shrowsbury. He praises the churches and ministers, the "twice a week market," "gallant young men and maids," the trades-men and their wives, the fishing and fowling, shooting and bowling. "Who would not gladly live in this brave town?"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1675 (broadside, Bodleian 4o Rawl. 566(26))
LONG DESCRIPTION: The singer praises Shrowsbury. He praises the churches and ministers, the "twice a week market," "gallant young men and maids," the trades-men and their wives, the fishing and fowling, shooting and bowling. Even the sailors who have gone to the noble city of London freely return to Shrowsbury. There's no poverty in Shrowsbury: "all things are plenty and nothing is scant" "Who would not gladly live in this brave town ... The like of it is not in England to see" "Cast up your caps bravely for all men to see, And still cry with one accord, Shrowsbury for me"
KEYWORDS: pride commerce hunting river nonballad
FOUND IN:
Roud #V21423
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, 4o Rawl. 566(26), "Shrowsbury For Me" ("Come listen young gallants of Shrowsbury fair town"), R. Burton (London), 1641-1674; also Wood E 25(44), Douce Ballads 2(206a), "Shrowsbury For Me"
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Bonny Paisley" (some lines) and references there
cf. "Bonny Udny" (some lines)
NOTES [111 words]: Lines of "Shrowsbury For Me" have drifted to or from other songs. The title is from the last two lines of every verse except the last: "Then every man to his mind, Shrowsbury for me"; Bonny Paisley includes the line "of all the towns in ---, --- is for me." One line, "the young men of Shrowsbury are jovial blades," appears in a different context in "The Poor Stranger"; you can see more about that line in the discussion of "The Poor Stranger." Here the line introduces a compliment to Shrowsbury: "The young men of Shrowsbury are jovial blades, When they are in company with pretty maids. They court them completely with complements free, Then every man ...." - BS
Last updated in version 5.0
File: BdShrFoM

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