Richard (Irchard) of Taunton Dean

DESCRIPTION: Herchard/Irchard/Richard courts Miss Jane, saying, "I can reap and I can mow..." and earn his ninepence every day. She replies that she needs silks and satins. He perseveres, saying he has pigs and will inherit more if they marry; she consents
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1846 (Dixon-AncientPoemsBalladsSongsOfThePeasantryOfEngland); before 1830 (broadside, Bodleian Harding B 17(254a))
KEYWORDS: courting marriage bargaining farming
FOUND IN: Britain(England(South),Scotland(Aber))
REFERENCES (7 citations):
Dixon-AncientPoemsBalladsSongsOfThePeasantryOfEngland, Song #19, pp. 201-203,247-250, "Richard of Taunton Dean, or Dumble dum deary"; pp. 247-249, "Dicky of Ballyman, (Irish version of Dumble dum deary)" (2 texts)
Bell-Combined-EarlyBallads-CustomsBalladsSongsPeasantryEngland, pp. 369-373, "Richard of Taunton Dean" (1 text plus a text of "Dicky of Ballyman" in the noted)
Greig-FolkSongInBuchan-FolkSongOfTheNorthEast #163, p. 1, "The Minister's Daughter Jean," "The Parson's Daughter Jean" (2 texts)
Greig/Duncan4 821, "The Minister's Daughter Jean" (3 texts, 2 tunes)
Broadwood/Maitland-EnglishCountySongs, pp. 166-167, "Young Herchard" (1 text, 1 tune)
Williams-Wiltshire-WSRO Wt 386, "Dick of Taunton Dene" (1 text)
Karpeles-TheCrystalSpring 110, "Dicky of Taunton Dean" (1 text, 1 tune)
ST RcIOTD (Full)
Roud #382
RECORDINGS:
Aunt Fanny Rumble, "Richard of Taunton Dean" (on Lomax41, LomaxCD1741)
Tony Wales, "Richard of Taunton Dean" (on TWales1)
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 17(254a), "Richard of Taunton Dean" ("Last new year's day, as I have heard"), T. Birt (London), 1828-1829; also Harding B 11(1343), "Richard of Taunton"; Harding B 25(1617), Harding B 17(253b), Harding B 11(3271), Harding B 25(1619)[mostly illegible], "Richard of Taunton Dean"
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Lucindy, Won't You Marry Me?"
ALTERNATE TITLES:
On New Year's Day
Dick of Taunton Dean
NOTES [153 words]: Greig: "Version A ["The Minister's Daughter Jean"] retains the English style and language, while B ["The Parson's Daughter Jean"] shows the Scotticising process."
Without exception, the Greig/Duncan4 and Bodleian texts have Richard rejected (broadside Bodleian Harding B 17(254a): "Dick's compliments were so polite, That all the family laughed outright; So when he had no more to say, He mounted old Dobbin and rode away"; Greig/Duncan 821C ends "Your answer, Jean, is quite a treat I'm happy for once at my defeat If this be all you've got to say I'll bid you goodnight for I must away.")
From an undated flier "English Folk-Songs given by the London Glee Singers" [with words to the song]: "An old Somersetshire Folk-Song dating probably from 1716." From The Library of Congress American Memory Courtesy of the Special Collections Department, University of Iowa Libraries. Search on the flier title as shown here. - BS
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File: RcIOTD

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