[Page 155]
The Banks of Sweet Dundee.
1
F.B. Sept. 20.
(1)
'Twas of a farmer's daughter, so beautiful I'm told,
Her parents died and left her, five thousand pounds in gold.
She lived with her uncle, who caused her all her woe,
And soon
you'll hear how this maiden fair came by her overthrow.
(2)
Her uncle had a ploughing boy young Mary loved right
well,
And in her uncle's garden, her tales of love did
tell.
There was a wealthy squire who oft came her to
see,
But still she loved her ploughing boy, on the banks of
sweet Dundee.
2(3)
'Twas on
one summer morning, her uncle went straitway,
He knocked at her
bedroom door, and these words to her did say:
"Come arise my
pretty Mary, for a lady you shall be,
The squire is waiting to
take you from the banks of sweet Dundee."
[Page 156]
(4)
"A fig for
all your squires, your dukes and lords likewise!
My William's
hand appears to me like diamonds in my eyes."
"Begone, you
foolish female, for you never shall happy be,
For I will banish
William from the banks of sweet Dundee."
(5)
Her uncle and the squire rode out that summer day,
Young William in her favor, her uncle then did say:
"Indeed
it's my intention to tie him to a tree
Or else to bribe the
press gang
3 on the banks of sweet
Dundee."
(6)
The press gang came on William as
he was all alone,
He boldly fought for liberty though they were
six to one.
The blood did flow in torrents, "Come kill me now"
says he
"For I'd rather die for Mary on the banks of sweet
Dundee."
[Page
157]
(7)
One morning as young Mary was lamenting for
her love,
She met the wealthy squire down in her uncle's
grove.
He put his arms around her. "Stand off, base man" said
she,
"For you have sent the one I love, from the banks of sweet
Dundee."
(8)
He put his arms around her and
tried to throw her down.
Two pistols and a sword she spied,
beneath his morning gown.
Young Mary seized the pistols, his
sword he used so free,
She fired and shot the squire on the
banks of sweet Dundee.
(9)
Her uncle
overheard the noise and hastened to the ground.
"Since you have
killed the squire, I'll give you your death wound."
"Stand off!
stand off!" said Mary "For daunted I'll not be."
She the trigger
drew and her uncle slew, on the banks of sweet Dundee.
[Page 158]
(10)
A doctor he was sent for, a man of noted skill
And
likewise came a lawyer for him to sign his will
He willed his
gold to Mary, who fought so manfully
And he closed his eyes no
more to rise on the banks of sweet Dundee.
(11)
Young William he was sent for and speedily did return
As soon as he arrived on shore, young Mary ceased to mourn.
The
banns were quickly published, their hands were joined so free,
She now enjoys her ploughing boy on the banks of sweet Dundee.
4
Finis
[Page 159]
The Banks of Sweet Dundee. Mrs.
D.
(1)
'Twas of a beautiful damsel, as I have heard it
told,
Her father died and left her five thousand pounds in
gold.
She livèd with her uncle as you may plainly see,
And she loved a ploughboy on the banks of sweet Dundee.
(2)
Her uncle had a ploughboy, young Mary loved him
well,
And in her uncle's garden her tales of love would
tell.
There was a lofty squire oft times came her to
see,
But still she loved her ploughboy on the banks of sweet
Dundee.
(3)
One morning very early just at
the break of day,
Her uncle came to Mary and these words to her
did say,
"Arise you sweet young fair one and come along with
me,
For the squire's waiting for you on the banks of sweet
Dundee."
[Page
160]
(4)
"A fig for all your squires, your noble
dukes likewise,
For Willie, he appears to me like diamonds in my
eyes."
"Begone! you unruly female! unhappy for to be,
And I'll have young Willie banished from the banks of sweet
Dundee."
(5)
The press gang came on Willie, as
he was all alone.
He boldly fought for liberty, though they were
six to one.
The blood did flow in torrents. "Pray kill me now"
said he,
"For I'd rather die for Mary on the banks of sweet
Dundee."
(6)
One morning very early, as
Mary she walked out,
She spied the lofty squire down in her
uncle's grove.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
[Page 170]
(7)
He clasped his arms around her, afore to throw her
down.
He spied two pistols and a sword beneath her morning
gown.
Her pistols she used manfully, her sword she handled
free,
She fired and shot the squire on the banks of sweet
Dundee.
(8)
Her uncle overheard the noise,
he hastened to the ground
Saying "Since you've killed the
squire, I'll give you your death wound."
"Stand off! Stand off!"
cried Mary "for daunted I'll not be."
Her sword she drew and her
uncle slew on the banks of sweet Dundee.
(9)
A doctor he was sent for a man of noted skill,
Likewise there came a lawyer to write the uncle's will.
He
willed his gold to Mary, she fought so manfully,
And he shut his
eyes, no more to rise on the banks of sweet Dundee.
Finis.
Notes
1
Ballad also known by alternate title "Undaunted Mary" or "The
Banks of the Sweet Dundee" (According to Cox'sFolk-Songs of the
South,2013,West Virginia University Press:Morgantown, WV).
2
Dundee: Located in Scotland,
U.K.
3
Press gangs, also known
as the "impress service", were used as a forced recruitment method by the Royal
Navy in the 18th and 19th centuries. Men who had been seized had two options:
volunteer for service and receive the related benefits or be forced into service
receiving nothing (According to the
Royal Naval Museum Library,Impressment: The Press
Gangs and Naval Recruitment,2001, Retrieved from http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/info_sheet_impressment.htm).
