Captain Fowler

DESCRIPTION: Orangeman Captain Dick Fowler arrives in hell. Fowler says that if a croppy brings him water he will "own to him I've done great wrong." Beelzebub explains that no croppy can help him: "it was for Freedom those boys fell And heaven is their station"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1970 (Healy's _Mercier Book of Old Irish Street Ballads_, according to Moylan-TheAgeOfRevolution-1776-1815)
KEYWORDS: death humorous patriotic Devil Hell religious rebellion
FOUND IN: Canada(Newf)
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Moylan-TheAgeOfRevolution-1776-1815 39, "Captain Fowler" (1 text)
ADDITIONAL: Kenneth S. Goldstein, "A Report on Continuing Research into 'Treason Songs': A Private Newfoundland Tradition," essay on pp. 126-153 of Gerald Thomas and J. D. A. Widdowson, editors, _Studies in Newfoundland Folklore: Community and Process_, Breakwater Books, 1991, pp. 141-142, "Dick Fowler" (1 text)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Orangeman's Dream" (theme of an Orangeman trying to get into heaven)
cf. "The Prooshian Drum" (theme of an Orangeman trying to get into heaven)
NOTES [194 words]: Moylan-TheAgeOfRevolution-1776-1815: "Richard Fowler was a distiller living in Dunlavin, who in November 1797 had been condemned in the Union Star as 'a notorious informer and one of those principled murderers, orangemen'." Moylan lists other "activities" contributing to Fowler's reputation. - BS
In my original notes on this song, I wrote, "I can't help but think this is inspired by the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), for which see, e.g., 'Dives and Lazarus"' [Child 56]. I can't prove it, though."
Having seen the Newfoundland "Dick Fowler" version, I no longer have any doubts. In the parable, found in Luke 16:19-31. Jesus's version is much more convincing; the rich man goes to Hell in part because he directly refused Lazarus charity, and he asks Lazarus's help. I really doubt Jesus would have felt his parable applicable in this case.
Apparently the Moylan version is humorous. The Newfoundland version strikes me as entirely un-funny; it's just a case of one set of bigots hating another set of bigots.
In Newfoundland, this was regarded as a "Treason Song." For background on Treason Songs, see the notes to "The Prooshian Drum."- RBW
Last updated in version 4.5
File: Moyl039

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