Rosie Anderson

DESCRIPTION: Rosie marries Hay Marshall, but soon attracts the attention of Lord Elgin. Elgin dances with Rosie and takes her home. After more wantonness on her part, Marshall divorces Rosie. She is left to lament her fate (and court a soldier or become a prostitute)
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1869 (Logan-APedlarsPack)
KEYWORDS: marriage adultery nobility betrayal
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Aber))
REFERENCES (8 citations):
Ford-VagabondSongsAndBalladsOfScotland, pp. 184-187, "Rosey Anderson" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lyle/McAlpine/McLucas-SongRepertoireOfAmeliaAndJaneHarris, p. 173, "Hie Marshall" (1 fragment, 1 tune)
Greig-FolkSongInBuchan-FolkSongOfTheNorthEast #127, pp. 1-2, "Rosie Anderson" (1 text)
Greig/Duncan7 1462, "Rosie Anderson" (12 texts plus a single verse on p. 529, 10 tunes)
Ord-BothySongsAndBallads, pp. 91-92, "Rosey Anderson" (1 text)
Logan-APedlarsPack, pp. 392-395, "Rosey Anderson" (1 text)
DT, ROSANDER
ADDITIONAL: W. Christie, editor, Traditional Ballad Airs (Edinburgh, 1876 (downloadable pdf by University of Edinburgh, 2007)), Vol I, p. 220, ("Hay Marshall was as brave a lord") (1 tune) [first and last verse only; the rest, writes Christie, "is not suited for this Work."]
ST Log392 (Full)
Roud #2169
BROADSIDES:
Murray, Mu23-y1:010, "Rosy Anderson," unknown (Glasgow), no date
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Peggy and the Soldier (The Lame Soldier)" [Laws P13] (plot)
cf. "The Brewer Laddie" (plot)
cf. "Tamiston" (theme: seduction by Lord Elgin)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
Hay Marshall
NOTES [90 words]: Logan-APedlarsPack has many details about the facts behind this ballad (though providing few dates). Rosie reportedly married Thomas Hay Marshall at the age of 16, urged on more by her parents than her own desires. The divorce was rather more messy than the ballad shows, as Marshall had neglected his wife. Sadly, the affair ended with Rosie walking the streets of London.
The Lord Elgin mentioned in this ballad is also the one who walked off with the Grecian marbles. All in all, not the sort of person I'd want to let into the house. - RBW
Last updated in version 4.2
File: Log392

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