Communicated by Mr. J.M. Watson, of Clark's Island,
Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts, April 10, 1889, as remembered
by him from the singing of his father.
| 1 |
As I walked out one morning in May,
Just before the break of day,
I heard two brothers a making their moan,
And I listened a while to what they did say.
I heard, etc. |
| 2 |
'We have a brother in prison,' said they,
'Oh in prison lieth he!
If we had but ten men just like ourselves,
The prisoner we would soon set free.' |
| 3 |
'Oh, no, no, no!' Bold Dickie said he,
'Oh no, no, no, that never can be!
For forty men is full little enough
And I for to ride in their companie. |
| 4 |
'Ten to hold the horses in,
Ten to guard the city about,
Ten for to stand at the prison-door,
And ten to fetch poor Archer out.' |
| 5 |
They mounted their horses, and so rode they,
Who but they so merrilie!
They rode till they came to a broad river's side,
And there they alighted so manfullie. |
| 6 |
They mounted their horses, and so swam they,
Who but they so merrilie!
They swam till they came to the other side,
And there they alighted so manfullie. |
| 7 |
They mounted their horses, and so rode they,
Who but they so merrilie!
They rode till they came to that prison-door,
And then they alighted so manfullie. |
| 8 |
. . . .
. . . .
'For I have forty men in my companie,
And I have come to set you free.' |
| 9 |
'Oh no, no, no!' poor Archer says he,
'Oh no, no, no, that never can be!
For I have forty pounds of good Spanish iron
Betwixt my ankle and my knee.' |
| 10 |
Bold Dickie broke lock, Bold Dickie broke key,
Bold Dickie broke everything that he could see;
He took poor Archer under one arm,
And carried him out so manfullie. |
| 11 |
They mounted their horses, and so rode they,
Who but they so merrilie!
They rode till they came to that broad river's side,
And there they alighted so manfullie. |
| 12 |
'Bold Dickie, Bold Dickie,' poor Archer says he,
'Take my love home to my wife and children three;
For my horse grows lame, he cannot swim,
And here I see that I must die.' |
| 13 |
They shifted their horses, and so swam they,
Who but they so merrilie!
They swam till they came to the other side,
And there they alighted so manfullie. |
| 14 |
'Bold Dickie, Bold Dickie,' poor Archer says he,
'Look you yonder there and see;
For the high-sheriff he is a coming,
With an hundred men in his companie.' |
| 15 |
'Bold Dickie, Bold Dickie,' High-sheriff said he,
'You're the damndest rascal that ever I see!
Go bring me back the iron you've stole,
And I will set the prisoner free.' |
| 16 |
'Oh no, no, no!' Bold Dickie said he,
'Oh no, no, no, that never can be!
For the iron 'twill do to shoe the horses,
The blacksmith rides in our companie.' |
| 17 |
'Bold Dickie, Bold Dickie,' High-sheriff says he,
'You're the damndest rascal that ever I see!'
'I thank ye for nothing,' Bold Dickie says he,
'And you're a damned fool for following me.' |
