London Lawyer's Son, The

DESCRIPTION: A lawyer's son leaves his fiance for two months, returns to find her married to rich squire, and dies of broken heart. His ghost haunts her until she dies, admitting she must "answer for great offence"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1856 (Thompson-APioneerSongster)
KEYWORDS: grief infidelity love marriage return separation death money ghost
FOUND IN: US(MA)
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Thompson-APioneerSongster 12, "The London Lawyer's Son" (1 text)
Thompson-BodyBootsAndBritches-NewYorkStateFolktales, p. 382, "The London Lawyer's Son" (1 excerpt)
Roud #2813
NOTES [59 words]: The only other record I have seen for this song is an entry naming, and giving the first line for, a broadside sold 1800 or later in Boston: #3284, "The Perjur'd Female Lover or, London Lawyer's Son," ("Behold a London Lawyer's Son, A pretty Youth, nigh twenty-one") (Broadsides, Ballads etc Printed in Massachussetts 1639-1800 (Boston,1922), p. 434.) - BS
Last updated in version 4.0
File: TPS012

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