Yorkshire Sword Dance Song

DESCRIPTION: "Samson" introduces "the six lords that first ruined me": King William Raw and his brother, another milder man, one that fettered his feet and hands, one that had him blinded and "the sixt' is no better at all than the rest." He pulls down the house.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1893 (Broadwood/Maitland-EnglishCountySongs)
KEYWORDS: dancing Bible Christmas nonballad
FOUND IN: Britain(England(North))
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Broadwood/Maitland-EnglishCountySongs, pp. 16-17, "Sword Dance Song" (2 texts, 1 tune)
Roud #610
NOTES [56 words]: The story of Samson occupies chapters 13-16 of Judges; his blinding is in 16:21, and his pulling down of the building where he is being exhibited is in 16:28-30. The "six lords that first ruined me" is curious; there were *five* Lords of the Philistines, and those of Samson's period are not named (and certainly not named William!). - RBW
Last updated in version 2.6
File: BrMa016

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