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TRADITIONAL TUNES OF UNCERTAIN DATE. 735 |
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EAELY ONE MORNING.
If I were required to name three of the most popular songs among the servant-maids of the present generation, I should say, from my own experience, that they are Cupid's Garden, I sow'd the seeds of love, and Early one morning. I have hoard Early one morning sung by servants, who came from Leeds, from Hereford, and from Devonshire, and by others from parts nearer to London.'
The tune of Early one morning was, I believe, first printed in my collection of National English Airs ; but the words are contained in many old song-books, such as Sleepy Davy's Garland, The Songster's Magazine, &c.
In the National English Airs, a version was printed from one of the penny song-books collected by Ritson; and it is curious that scarcely any two copies a;;ree beyond the second line, although the subject is always the same,—a damsel's complaint for the loss of her lover.
The following was given to me by the late R. Scrafton Sharpe, who recollected it from childhood:—
"Early one morning, just as the sun was rising, I heard a damsel to sing and to sigh, Crying, 0 Oupid ! 0 send my lover to me, Send me my sailor, or else I shall die.
How can you slight a young girl that loves you ?
False-hearted young man ! tell me for why. What was your cruel notion, to plough the raging ocean,
And leave me behind you, to sob and to sigh?"
In Sleepy Davy's Garland, it commences thus:—■ " Early one morning, near the sun rising, I heard a damsel most sweetly to sing, Crying, kind Cupid ! pray now defend me,
Send my poor yielding heart into my breast again."
Here the particular occupation of the youth is not mentioned; but in The Songster's Magazine he is a " gentle shepherd."
" Early one morning, just as the sun was rising, I heard a pretty damsel to sigh and complain; Oh ! gentle shepherd, why am I forsaken '? Oh! why should I in sorrow complain ? "
An utter disregard of rhyme pervades many of the copies, but they nearly all end with, or include, a complaint like the following:—
" How can you slight a heart that doth love you, Perjured young man, now tell me for why ? It was your false wooing that first prov'd my ruin, And now for the falsest of men I must die."
Of the tune I can say no more than that it bears relationship to a hornpipe that was formerly played at the theatres, and was known by the name of " Come, ;ill you young blades that in robbing take delight," from a slang song, com-' laencing with that line. |
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