Lawyer and Nell, The

DESCRIPTION: A lawyer seduces his housekeeper. She has him wish the Devil would take him if he does not marry her. He deserts her for a lady. She conspires with a chimney-sweep to play the Devil and threaten to take him. They marry. She reveals the plot. He is happy
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1826 (broadside, Bodleian Harding B 25(1089)); 18C (broadside, Bodleian Douce Ballads 2(180b)
KEYWORDS: marriage seduction bargaining promise disguise trick humorous lawyer servant Devil
FOUND IN: Britain(England(South),Scotland(Aber))
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Greig/Duncan2 308, "The Lawyer and Nell" (3 texts, 2 tunes)
Reeves/Sharp-TheIdiomOfThePeople 75, "Poor Nell" (1 text)
Roud #555
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Douce Ballads 2(180b), "The Politick Maid of Suffolk" or "The Young Lawyer Out-witted ("Come young men and maidens"), unknown, 18C; also Harding B 1(97), "The Politick Maid of Suffolk" or "The Lawyer Outwitted"; Harding B 25(1089), "The Lawyer and Nell" ("You lads and you lasses draw near")
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Kate and Her Horns [Laws N22]" (plot)
cf. "The Jealous Husband Outwitted" (plot)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
Well Done Nell
There Was a Noble Lawyer
NOTES [18 words]: Greig/Duncan2 entries are incomplete; broadside Bodleian Harding B 1(97) is the basis for the description. - BS
Last updated in version 2.6
File: GrD2308

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography