Songs of the West. S. (Sabine) Baring-Gould

If rightly understood—

       Not find 'twould do him good

       To hearken and attend.

      2

      In Brixham town so rare

       For singing sweet and fair,

       Few can with us compare,

       We bear away the bell.

       Extolled up and down

       By men of high renown,

       We go from town to town;

       And none can us excell.

      3

      There's a man in Brixham town

       Of office, and in gown,

       Strove to put singing down,

       Which most of men adore.

       For House of God unmeet,

       The voice and organ sweet!

       When pious men do meet,

       To praise their God before.

      4

      Go question Holy writ,

       And you will find in it,

       That seemly 'tis and fit,

       To praise and hymn the Lord.

       On cymbal and on lute,

       On organ and on flute,

       With voices sweet, that suit;

       All in a fair concord.

      5

      In Samuel you may read

       How one was troubled,

       Was troubled indeed,

       Who crown and sceptre bore;

       An evil spirit lay

       On his mind both night and day,

       That would not go away,

       And vexed him very sore.

      6

      Then up and uttered one,

       Said, "Jesse hath a son,

       Of singers next to none;

       David his name they say."

       "So send for David, fleet,

       To make me music sweet,

       That the spirit may retreat,

       And go from me away."

      7

      Now when that David, he

       King Saul had come to see,

       And playèd merrily.

       Upon his stringèd harp,

       The Devil in all speed,

       With music ill agreed,

       From Saul the King, he fleed,

       Impatient to depart.

      8

      Now there be creatures three

       As you may plainly see

       With music can't agree

       Upon this very earth

       The swine, the fool, the ass,

       And so we let it pass

       And sing, O Lord, thy praise

       Whilst we have breath.

      9

      So now, my friends, adieu!

       I hope that all of you

       Will pull most strong and true,

       In strain to serve the Lord.

       God prosper us, that we

       Like angels may agree,

       In singing merrily

       In tune and in accord.

      No 10 GREEN BROOM

       Table of Contents

      C.J.S.

      [Listen] [XML] [Note]

      1

      There was an old man lived out in the wood,

       His trade was a-cutting of Broom, green Broom;

       He had but one son without thrift, without good,

       Who lay in his bed till 'twas noon, bright noon.

      2

      The old man awoke, one morning and spoke,

       He swore he would fire the room, that room,

       If his John would not rise and open his eyes,

       And away to the wood to cut Broom, green Broom.

      3

      So Johnny arose, and he slipped on his clothes,

       And away to the wood to cut Broom, green Broom,

       He sharpened his knives, for once he contrives

       To cut a great bundle of Broom, green Broom.

      4

      When Johnny passed under a lady's fine house,

       Passed under a lady's fine room, fine room,

       She called to her maid, "Go fetch me," she said,

       "Go fetch me the boy that sells Broom, green Broom."

      5

      When Johnny came into the lady's fine house,

       And stood in the lady's fine room, fine room,

       "Young Johnny," she said, "Will you give up your trade,

       And marry a lady in bloom, full bloom?"

      6

      Johnny gave his consent, and to church they both went,

       And he wedded the lady in bloom, full bloom.

       At market and fair, all folks do declare,

       There is none like the Boy that sold Broom, green Broom.

      No 11 AS JOHNNY WALKED OUT

       Table of Contents

      C.J.S.

      [Listen] [XML] [Note]

      1

      As Johnny walked out one day

       It was a summer morn,

       Himself he laid beneath the shade

       All of a twisted thorn,

       And as he there lay lazily

       A shepherdess pass'd by;

       And 'twas down in yonder valley, love,

       Where the water glideth by.

      2

      "O have you seen a pretty ewe

       That hath a tender lamb,

       A strayed from the orchard glade

       That little one and dam?"

       "O pretty maid" he answered,

       "They passed as here I lie!"

       And 'twas down in yonder valley, love,

       Where the water glideth by.

      36

      She