Yorkshire Garland
 

You Noble Spectators

 
Performed by:
Peter Meese of Highside Longsword
Recorded in:
Masham
Recorded on:
21/01/2007
Recorded by:
Mark Ellison
Genre:
Ritual
Keywords:
Sword Dancing,
Revenge
 

Archival information

TYG:
83
Key:
F
Time Signature:
Various
Roud id:
610
Laws id:
Master title:
You Noble Spectators
Places Cited:
Dallowgill

Lyrics

1
You noble spectators, wherever you be,
Your attention I beg and I crave,
For it’s all my desire you make a big room,
And abundance of pastime you’ll have.

2
I am the second Samson in Judges you’ll find,
Who delights in his darling so dear;
What a blockhead was I for to tell her my mind,
So gallant and quick you shall hear.

3
Now here comes the man who laid hands upon me,
By him I was grieved to the heart;
As I lay asleep on my dear darling’s knee,
Oh the barber was playing his part.

4
The second’s his brother, you might think they were twins,
I thought by the world they would fight,
When these two philistines seized upon me,
You’d ’a thought they’d ’a ruined me quite.

5
The third is a man of some much milder blood;
Some pity there’s lodged in his breast;
He oft-times threatened to do me some good,
But he daresn’t for fear of the rest.

6
The fourth he comes on like a ranting young lad,
He’s like to some majestial stand;
’Twas he that gave orders that I should be polled,
So they fettered my feet and my hands.

7
The fifth is as cruel as cruel can be,
The others and him did advise;
’Twas he that gave orders that I should no more see
So they instantly bored out my eyes.

8
The sixth is no better than all of the rest,
He was the first breeder of strife,
And if any of you had been there in my place,
You’d be glad to come off with your life.

9
Now these are the six lads that laid hands upon me
Without the consent of my dear,
But I shall come even with them by and by,
So gallant and quick you shall hear.

10
Now when they were all merry carousing with wine,
The first one for Samson did call,
He pulled the house down and slew all at that time,
And that was an end of them all.

Dancers sing:
These are six actors bold
Ne’er come on stage afore,
But they have done their best
And the best can do no more.
You’ve seen ’em all go round,
Think of ’em what you will,
Music, strike up and play
T’ Awd Lass of Dallowgill.

Recorded by Mark Ellison at Masham Church during a performance by the Highside Longsword Team, 21st January, 2007 . The tune played on melodeon for the dancers before and after the song is a variant of The Girl I left behind me with a hint of My love is but a lassie yet.

Archival information

TYG:
83
Key:
F
Time Signature:
Various
Roud id:
610
Laws id:
Master title:
You Noble Spectators
Places Cited:
Dallowgill