283

THE CRAFTY FARMER

a.‘The Crafty Farmer,’ Logan, A Pedlar’s Pack, p. 126, from a chap-book of 1796; ‘The Crafty Miller,’ Maidment, Scotish Ballads and Songs, 1859, p. 208, from a Glasgow stall-copy; a stall-copy, printed by M. Randall, Stirling.b.‘The Yorkshire Farmer,’ Kidson, Traditional Tunes, p. 140, from The Manchester Songster, 1792.c.‘Saddle to Rags,’ Dixon, Ancient Poems, etc., p. 126, Percy Society, vol. xvii., taken down from the recitation of a Yorkshire yeoman in 1845.d.‘The Thief Outwitted,’ Notes and Queries, Fourth Series, XI, 112, 1873, taken down by E. McC., Guernsey, “from the recitation of an old woman now in her eighty-second year, who learnt it in her childhood from her father, a laborer from the neighborhood of Yeovil.”e.‘The Silly Old Man,’ Baring-Gould and Sheppard, Songs and Ballads of the West, 3d ed., No 18, Part I, p. 38, as sung by the Rev. E. Luscombe, a Devonshire man, about 1850 (Part IV, p. xviii).f.‘The Silly Old Man,’ Miss M. H. Mason’s Nursery Rhymes and Country Songs, p. 43, as sung in Devonshire.

b.‘The Yorkshire Farmer,’ Kidson, Traditional Tunes, p. 140, from The Manchester Songster, 1792.

c.‘Saddle to Rags,’ Dixon, Ancient Poems, etc., p. 126, Percy Society, vol. xvii., taken down from the recitation of a Yorkshire yeoman in 1845.

d.‘The Thief Outwitted,’ Notes and Queries, Fourth Series, XI, 112, 1873, taken down by E. McC., Guernsey, “from the recitation of an old woman now in her eighty-second year, who learnt it in her childhood from her father, a laborer from the neighborhood of Yeovil.”

e.‘The Silly Old Man,’ Baring-Gould and Sheppard, Songs and Ballads of the West, 3d ed., No 18, Part I, p. 38, as sung by the Rev. E. Luscombe, a Devonshire man, about 1850 (Part IV, p. xviii).

f.‘The Silly Old Man,’ Miss M. H. Mason’s Nursery Rhymes and Country Songs, p. 43, as sung in Devonshire.

An old farmer who is on his way to pay his rent imparts the fact to a gentlemanlike highwayman who overtakes him. The highwayman cautions him not to be too communicative, since there are many thieves on the roads. The old man has no fear; his money is safe in his saddle-bags. At the right time and place the thief bids him stand and deliver. The farmer throws his saddle over a hedge; the thief dismounts to fetch it, and gives his horse to the farmer to hold; the farmer mounts the thief’s horse and rides off. The thief hacks the saddle to pieces to get at the bags. Arrived at his landlord’s, the farmer opens the thief’s portmanteau, and finds in it six hundred pounds. The farmer’s wife is made very happy by her husband’s report of his performances; the thief’s money will help to enlarge her daughter’s marriage portion.

This very ordinary ballad has enjoyed great popularity, and is given for that reason and as a specimen of its class. There is an entirely similar one, in which a Norfolk(Rygate, Cheshire) farmer’s daughter going to market to sell corn is substituted for the farmer going to pay his rent: ‘The Norfolk Maiden,’ in The Longing Maid’s Garland, of the last century, without place or date;[98] ‘The Maid of Rygate,’ Logan’s Pedlar’s Pack, p. 133; ‘The Highwayman Outwitted,’ Leigh’s Ballads and Legends of Cheshire, p. 267. Another variety is of a Yorkshire boy sent to a fair to sell a cow: ‘Yorkshire Bite,’ etc., The Turnip-Sack Garland (like The Longing Maid’s Garland, one of a collection of Heber’s);[98]‘The Yorkshire Bite,’ “from a collection of balladscirca1782,” Logan’s Pedlar’s Pack, p. 131; ‘The Crafty Ploughboy,’ Ingledew’s Ballads and Songs of Yorkshire, p. 209.

For certain ballads in which a country girl, beset by an amorous gentleman, mounts his horse and makes off with his valise or the like, see II, 483, and the page preceding.

‘The Politick Squire, or, The Highwaymen catch’d in their own play,’ is a ballad of a gentleman who, having been robbed by five highwaymen that then purpose to shoot him, tells them that he is the Pretender, and is taken by them as such to a justice. The squire makes explanations, four of the thieves are hanged, and the fifth, who had shown some mercy, is transported.[99]

1The song that I’m going to sing,I hope it will give you content,Concerning a silly old man,That was going to pay his rent.2As he was riding along,Along all on the highway,A gentleman-thief overtook him,And thus to him did say.3‘Well overtaken!’ said the thief,‘Well overtaken!’ said he;And ‘Well overtaken!’ said the old man,‘If thou be good company.’4‘How far are you going this way?’Which made the old man for to smile;‘By my faith,’ said the old man,‘I’m just going two mile.5‘I am a poor farmer,’ he said,‘And I farm a piece of ground,And my half-year’s rent, kind sir,Just comes to forty pound.6‘And my landlord has not been at home,I’ve not seen him this twelvemonth or more,Which makes my rent be large;I’ve to pay him just fourscore.’7‘Thou shouldst not have told any body,For thieves there’s ganging many;If any should light on thee,They’ll rob thee of thy money.’8‘O never mind,’ said the old man,‘Thieves I fear on no side,For the money is safe in my bags,On the saddle on which I ride.’9As they were riding along,The old man was thinking no ill,The thief he pulled out a pistolAnd bid the old man stand still.10But the old man provd crafty,As in the world there’s many;He threw his saddle oer the hedge,Saying, Fetch it, if thou’lt have any.11The thief got off his horse,With courage stout and bold,To search for the old man’s bag,And gave him his horse to hold.12The old man put’s foot i the stirrupAnd he got on astride;To its side he clapt his spur up,You need not bid the old man ride.13‘O stay!’ said the thief, ‘O stay!And half the share thou shalt have;’‘Nay, by my faith,’ said the old man,‘For once I have bitten a knave.’14The thief he was not content,But he thought there must be bags;He out with his rusty old swordAnd chopt the old saddle in rags.15When he came to the landlord’s house,This old man he was almost spent;Saying, Come, show me a private roomAnd I’ll pay you a whole year’s rent.16‘I’ve met a fond fool by the way,I swapt horses and gave him no boot;But never mind,’ said the old man,‘For I got the fond fool by the foot.’17He opend this rogue’s portmantle,It was glorious to behold;There were three hundred pounds in silver,And three hundred pounds in gold.18And as he was riding home,And down a narrow lane,He espied his mare tied to a hedge,Saying, Prithee, Tib, wilt thou gang hame?19When he got home to his wifeAnd told her what he had done,Up she rose and put on her clothes,And about the house did run.20She sung, and she sung, and she sung,She sung with a merry devotion,Saying, If ever our daughter gets wed,It will help to enlarge her portion.

1The song that I’m going to sing,I hope it will give you content,Concerning a silly old man,That was going to pay his rent.

The song that I’m going to sing,

I hope it will give you content,

Concerning a silly old man,

That was going to pay his rent.

2As he was riding along,Along all on the highway,A gentleman-thief overtook him,And thus to him did say.

As he was riding along,

Along all on the highway,

A gentleman-thief overtook him,

And thus to him did say.

3‘Well overtaken!’ said the thief,‘Well overtaken!’ said he;And ‘Well overtaken!’ said the old man,‘If thou be good company.’

‘Well overtaken!’ said the thief,

‘Well overtaken!’ said he;

And ‘Well overtaken!’ said the old man,

‘If thou be good company.’

4‘How far are you going this way?’Which made the old man for to smile;‘By my faith,’ said the old man,‘I’m just going two mile.

‘How far are you going this way?’

Which made the old man for to smile;

‘By my faith,’ said the old man,

‘I’m just going two mile.

5‘I am a poor farmer,’ he said,‘And I farm a piece of ground,And my half-year’s rent, kind sir,Just comes to forty pound.

‘I am a poor farmer,’ he said,

‘And I farm a piece of ground,

And my half-year’s rent, kind sir,

Just comes to forty pound.

6‘And my landlord has not been at home,I’ve not seen him this twelvemonth or more,Which makes my rent be large;I’ve to pay him just fourscore.’

‘And my landlord has not been at home,

I’ve not seen him this twelvemonth or more,

Which makes my rent be large;

I’ve to pay him just fourscore.’

7‘Thou shouldst not have told any body,For thieves there’s ganging many;If any should light on thee,They’ll rob thee of thy money.’

‘Thou shouldst not have told any body,

For thieves there’s ganging many;

If any should light on thee,

They’ll rob thee of thy money.’

8‘O never mind,’ said the old man,‘Thieves I fear on no side,For the money is safe in my bags,On the saddle on which I ride.’

‘O never mind,’ said the old man,

‘Thieves I fear on no side,

For the money is safe in my bags,

On the saddle on which I ride.’

9As they were riding along,The old man was thinking no ill,The thief he pulled out a pistolAnd bid the old man stand still.

As they were riding along,

The old man was thinking no ill,

The thief he pulled out a pistol

And bid the old man stand still.

10But the old man provd crafty,As in the world there’s many;He threw his saddle oer the hedge,Saying, Fetch it, if thou’lt have any.

But the old man provd crafty,

As in the world there’s many;

He threw his saddle oer the hedge,

Saying, Fetch it, if thou’lt have any.

11The thief got off his horse,With courage stout and bold,To search for the old man’s bag,And gave him his horse to hold.

The thief got off his horse,

With courage stout and bold,

To search for the old man’s bag,

And gave him his horse to hold.

12The old man put’s foot i the stirrupAnd he got on astride;To its side he clapt his spur up,You need not bid the old man ride.

The old man put’s foot i the stirrup

And he got on astride;

To its side he clapt his spur up,

You need not bid the old man ride.

13‘O stay!’ said the thief, ‘O stay!And half the share thou shalt have;’‘Nay, by my faith,’ said the old man,‘For once I have bitten a knave.’

‘O stay!’ said the thief, ‘O stay!

And half the share thou shalt have;’

‘Nay, by my faith,’ said the old man,

‘For once I have bitten a knave.’

14The thief he was not content,But he thought there must be bags;He out with his rusty old swordAnd chopt the old saddle in rags.

The thief he was not content,

But he thought there must be bags;

He out with his rusty old sword

And chopt the old saddle in rags.

15When he came to the landlord’s house,This old man he was almost spent;Saying, Come, show me a private roomAnd I’ll pay you a whole year’s rent.

When he came to the landlord’s house,

This old man he was almost spent;

Saying, Come, show me a private room

And I’ll pay you a whole year’s rent.

16‘I’ve met a fond fool by the way,I swapt horses and gave him no boot;But never mind,’ said the old man,‘For I got the fond fool by the foot.’

‘I’ve met a fond fool by the way,

I swapt horses and gave him no boot;

But never mind,’ said the old man,

‘For I got the fond fool by the foot.’

17He opend this rogue’s portmantle,It was glorious to behold;There were three hundred pounds in silver,And three hundred pounds in gold.

He opend this rogue’s portmantle,

It was glorious to behold;

There were three hundred pounds in silver,

And three hundred pounds in gold.

18And as he was riding home,And down a narrow lane,He espied his mare tied to a hedge,Saying, Prithee, Tib, wilt thou gang hame?

And as he was riding home,

And down a narrow lane,

He espied his mare tied to a hedge,

Saying, Prithee, Tib, wilt thou gang hame?

19When he got home to his wifeAnd told her what he had done,Up she rose and put on her clothes,And about the house did run.

When he got home to his wife

And told her what he had done,

Up she rose and put on her clothes,

And about the house did run.

20She sung, and she sung, and she sung,She sung with a merry devotion,Saying, If ever our daughter gets wed,It will help to enlarge her portion.

She sung, and she sung, and she sung,

She sung with a merry devotion,

Saying, If ever our daughter gets wed,

It will help to enlarge her portion.

There are some slight verbal differences in the three copies, but none worthy of notice.

1A song I will sing unto you,A song of a merry intent,It is of a silly old manThat went to pay his rent,That went to pay his rent.2And as he was riding along,A riding along the highway,A gentleman-thief steps before the old manAnd thus unto him he did say.3‘My friend, how dare you ride alone?For so many thieves there now be;If any should but light on you,They’d rob you of all your money.’4‘If that they should light upon me,I’m sure they’d be very ill-sped,For, to tell you the truth, my kind sir,In my saddle my money I’ve hid.’5So as they were riding along,And going down a steep hill,The gentleman-thief slipped before the old manAnd quickly he bid him stand still.6The old man, however, being cunning,As in this world there are many,He threw the saddle right over the hedge,Saying, Fetch it if thou wouldst have any.7The thief being so greedy of money—He thought that of it there’d been bags—Whipt out a rusty old swordAnd chopped the saddle to rags.8The old man put his foot in the stirrupAnd presently he got astride;He put the thief’s horse to the gallop,You need not bid the old man ride.9‘Nay, stay! nay, stay!’ says the thief,‘And half the money thou shalt have;’‘Nay, by my troth,’ says the old man,‘For once I have cheated a knave.’10And so the old man rode along,And went with a merry devotion,Saying, If ever I live to get home,‘Twill enlarge my daughter’s portion.11And having arrived at home,And got there with merry intent,Says he, Landlord, show me a room,And I’ll pay you your half-year’s rent.12They opened the thief’s portmanteau,And from it they took out so boldA hundred pounds in silverAnd a hundred pounds in gold.

1A song I will sing unto you,A song of a merry intent,It is of a silly old manThat went to pay his rent,That went to pay his rent.

A song I will sing unto you,

A song of a merry intent,

It is of a silly old man

That went to pay his rent,

That went to pay his rent.

2And as he was riding along,A riding along the highway,A gentleman-thief steps before the old manAnd thus unto him he did say.

And as he was riding along,

A riding along the highway,

A gentleman-thief steps before the old man

And thus unto him he did say.

3‘My friend, how dare you ride alone?For so many thieves there now be;If any should but light on you,They’d rob you of all your money.’

‘My friend, how dare you ride alone?

For so many thieves there now be;

If any should but light on you,

They’d rob you of all your money.’

4‘If that they should light upon me,I’m sure they’d be very ill-sped,For, to tell you the truth, my kind sir,In my saddle my money I’ve hid.’

‘If that they should light upon me,

I’m sure they’d be very ill-sped,

For, to tell you the truth, my kind sir,

In my saddle my money I’ve hid.’

5So as they were riding along,And going down a steep hill,The gentleman-thief slipped before the old manAnd quickly he bid him stand still.

So as they were riding along,

And going down a steep hill,

The gentleman-thief slipped before the old man

And quickly he bid him stand still.

6The old man, however, being cunning,As in this world there are many,He threw the saddle right over the hedge,Saying, Fetch it if thou wouldst have any.

The old man, however, being cunning,

As in this world there are many,

He threw the saddle right over the hedge,

Saying, Fetch it if thou wouldst have any.

7The thief being so greedy of money—He thought that of it there’d been bags—Whipt out a rusty old swordAnd chopped the saddle to rags.

The thief being so greedy of money—

He thought that of it there’d been bags—

Whipt out a rusty old sword

And chopped the saddle to rags.

8The old man put his foot in the stirrupAnd presently he got astride;He put the thief’s horse to the gallop,You need not bid the old man ride.

The old man put his foot in the stirrup

And presently he got astride;

He put the thief’s horse to the gallop,

You need not bid the old man ride.

9‘Nay, stay! nay, stay!’ says the thief,‘And half the money thou shalt have;’‘Nay, by my troth,’ says the old man,‘For once I have cheated a knave.’

‘Nay, stay! nay, stay!’ says the thief,

‘And half the money thou shalt have;’

‘Nay, by my troth,’ says the old man,

‘For once I have cheated a knave.’

10And so the old man rode along,And went with a merry devotion,Saying, If ever I live to get home,‘Twill enlarge my daughter’s portion.

And so the old man rode along,

And went with a merry devotion,

Saying, If ever I live to get home,

‘Twill enlarge my daughter’s portion.

11And having arrived at home,And got there with merry intent,Says he, Landlord, show me a room,And I’ll pay you your half-year’s rent.

And having arrived at home,

And got there with merry intent,

Says he, Landlord, show me a room,

And I’ll pay you your half-year’s rent.

12They opened the thief’s portmanteau,And from it they took out so boldA hundred pounds in silverAnd a hundred pounds in gold.

They opened the thief’s portmanteau,

And from it they took out so bold

A hundred pounds in silver

And a hundred pounds in gold.

c-f,the traditional copies, were beyond doubt all derived originally from print.cis froma;d-fare from another edition, not recovered, resemblingb.This had variations, especially at the beginning and end, of which some specimens will suffice.

1Oh ’tis I that will sing you a song,A song of merry intent;’Tis about a silly old manThat was going to pay his rent.2And as he was riding along,Along and alone in a lane,A gentleman-thief overtook him,And said, Well overtaken, old man!3‘You’re well overtaken, old man,You’re well overtaken by me;’‘Nay, further go,’ said the old man,‘I’m not for thy company.’

1Oh ’tis I that will sing you a song,A song of merry intent;’Tis about a silly old manThat was going to pay his rent.

Oh ’tis I that will sing you a song,

A song of merry intent;

’Tis about a silly old man

That was going to pay his rent.

2And as he was riding along,Along and alone in a lane,A gentleman-thief overtook him,And said, Well overtaken, old man!

And as he was riding along,

Along and alone in a lane,

A gentleman-thief overtook him,

And said, Well overtaken, old man!

3‘You’re well overtaken, old man,You’re well overtaken by me;’‘Nay, further go,’ said the old man,‘I’m not for thy company.’

‘You’re well overtaken, old man,

You’re well overtaken by me;’

‘Nay, further go,’ said the old man,

‘I’m not for thy company.’

4, 6are wanting, as also ine,f, (and inb).

82-4‘He shall but poorly speed,For all the money I haveIn my old saddle ’tis hid.’19, 20Oh, when that he came home,His daughter she looked like a duchess,And his old woman capered for joy,And danced him a gig on her crutches.

82-4‘He shall but poorly speed,For all the money I haveIn my old saddle ’tis hid.’

82-4

‘He shall but poorly speed,

For all the money I have

In my old saddle ’tis hid.’

19, 20Oh, when that he came home,His daughter she looked like a duchess,And his old woman capered for joy,And danced him a gig on her crutches.

19, 20

Oh, when that he came home,

His daughter she looked like a duchess,

And his old woman capered for joy,

And danced him a gig on her crutches.

1Aw come now, I’ll sing you a song,’Tis a song of right merry intent,Concerning a silly old manWho went for to pay his rent.2And as this here silly old manWas riding along the lane,A gentleman-thief overtook him,Saying, Well overtaken, old man!3‘What, well overtaken, do’y say?’‘Yes, well overtaken,’ quoth he;‘No, no,’ said the silly old man,‘I don’t want thy company.’82-4‘Why, badly the thief would be sped,For the money I carry about meIn the quilt o my saddle is hid.’19, 20Aw, when to his home he were come,His daughter he dressd like a duchess,And his ol woman kicked and she capered for joy,And at Christmas danced jigs on her crutches.

1Aw come now, I’ll sing you a song,’Tis a song of right merry intent,Concerning a silly old manWho went for to pay his rent.

Aw come now, I’ll sing you a song,

’Tis a song of right merry intent,

Concerning a silly old man

Who went for to pay his rent.

2And as this here silly old manWas riding along the lane,A gentleman-thief overtook him,Saying, Well overtaken, old man!

And as this here silly old man

Was riding along the lane,

A gentleman-thief overtook him,

Saying, Well overtaken, old man!

3‘What, well overtaken, do’y say?’‘Yes, well overtaken,’ quoth he;‘No, no,’ said the silly old man,‘I don’t want thy company.’

‘What, well overtaken, do’y say?’

‘Yes, well overtaken,’ quoth he;

‘No, no,’ said the silly old man,

‘I don’t want thy company.’

82-4‘Why, badly the thief would be sped,For the money I carry about meIn the quilt o my saddle is hid.’

82-4

‘Why, badly the thief would be sped,

For the money I carry about me

In the quilt o my saddle is hid.’

19, 20Aw, when to his home he were come,His daughter he dressd like a duchess,And his ol woman kicked and she capered for joy,And at Christmas danced jigs on her crutches.

19, 20

Aw, when to his home he were come,

His daughter he dressd like a duchess,

And his ol woman kicked and she capered for joy,

And at Christmas danced jigs on her crutches.

f.Resemblesd,ein the passages cited.

FOOTNOTES:[98]Also among the garlands collected by J. Bell, Newcastle, British Museum: the first, 11621. c. 2 (36), and 4 (13); the other, c. 2 (70). The garlands in 4 were printed, according to Bell, by J. White, †1769, or by T. Saint, †1788.[99]Douce Ballads, III, fol. 78 b., London, Printed and sold at Sympson’s Warehouse, in Stonecutter-Street, Fleet-Market.

[98]Also among the garlands collected by J. Bell, Newcastle, British Museum: the first, 11621. c. 2 (36), and 4 (13); the other, c. 2 (70). The garlands in 4 were printed, according to Bell, by J. White, †1769, or by T. Saint, †1788.

[99]Douce Ballads, III, fol. 78 b., London, Printed and sold at Sympson’s Warehouse, in Stonecutter-Street, Fleet-Market.

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