> June Tabor > Songs > The Merchant’s Son

The Merchant’s Son and the Beggar Wench

[ Roud 2153 ; Master title: The Merchant’s Son and the Beggar Wench ; G/D 2:303 ; TYG 65 ; Ballad Index K338 ; Bodleian Roud 2153 ; trad.]

Davie Stewart sang The Merchant’s Son and the Beggar’s Daughter in a recording made by Alan Lomax in Angus, Scotland on the anthology Songs of Seduction (The Folk Songs of Britain Volume 2; Caedmon 1961; Topic 1968). This recording was also included in 2002 on his and Jimmy McBeath’s Rounder compilation Two Gentlemen on the Road. Another recording of Davie Stewart singing The Merchant’s Son was made by Hamish Henderson in the home of James Ross, Edinburgh, in probably 1955 but possibly 1962. It was released in 1978 on his Topic album Davie Stewart, and included in 1998 on the Topic anthology They Ordered Their Pints of Beer and Bottles of Sherry (The Voice of the People Volume 13). Another recording made in Blairgowrie by Hamish Henderson, who also joined in on the chorus, was published in the early 1960s on the Prestige album Folksongs & Music From the Berryfields of Blair. A fourth recording of The Beggar Wench made by Peter Kennedy in Dundee in 1956 was included in 1994 on the Saydisc anthology Songs of the Travelling People.

John Strachan sang a fragment of The Merchant’s Son to Alan Lomax and Hamish Henderson on 16 July 1951 in Fyvie, Aberdeenshire. This recording was included in 2002 on his Rounder anthology Songs From Aberdeenshire. Hamish Henderson and Ewan McVicar noted:

This song would hardly raise a blush nowadays, but the topic of the wealthy lad consorting with a beggar girl raised class issues as well as being too explicit for the douce dames at the dance with John Strachan. Davie Stewart had a fine version of this song, in which he sang “Lived in wrong” rather than “Lived in Hull”. He also sometimes interpolated a line of the secret Scottish Travellers’ language called “cant”—instead of, “She’s away with the merchant’s gear”, he sang, “She’s awa wi the gadgie’s lowie”.

Jimmy McBeath sang The Merchant and the Beggar Maid on his 1967 Topic album, Wild Rover No More. Peter Hall commented in the sleeve notes:

The first known copy of this song is in A Collection of Old Ballads (London, 1723), and Logan, in his Pedlars Pack, prints a version from later in the some century under the title The Merchant’s Son and the Beggar Wench of Hull. Singers in Aberdeenshire were still giving Hull as the location when Gavin Greig was collecting at the beginning of this century although Dean Christie records hearing a version as The Beggar Wench of Wales.

Isabel Sutherland sang The Beggar Wench on the 1960 HMV album of broadside ballads old and new, A Jug of Punch.

Owen Hand sang The Beggar Wench in 1966 on his Transatlantic album I Loved a Lass. He noted:

One of the few songs I know in which the woman comes out the better from a casual love affair.

Archie Fisher sang The Beggar Wench in 1968 on his eponymous Transatlantic album, Archie Fisher. He noted:

The Beggar Wench and Bogie’s Bonny Belle were both from the most outrageous musical character I have ever met and I sorely miss, the late Davie Stewart.

Norman Kennedy sang Oh, Hae Ye Heard o’ the Merchant’s Son in 1968 on his Folk-Legacy album Ballads & Songs of Scotland. and on his Topic LP Scots Songs and Ballads.

Ian Manuel sang The Merchant’s Son and the Beggar Wench on his 1977 Topic album The Dales of Caledonia: Scots Traditional Songs.

June Tabor sang The Merchant’s Son in 1976 on her first solo album, Airs and Graces. She commented in her sleeve notes:

From the singing of Dave Stewart; first heard from Ian Manuel of Hull.

The Tannahill Weavers sang The Merchant’s Son in 1979 on their eponymous Plant Life album The Tannahill Weavers. They noted:

At last a blow for women’s lib where, being short of a few bob, the young lady in question cons this rich young man out of his money and his clothes.

Jim Malcolm sang The Merchant’s Son on his 2014 album The Corncrake. He noted:

I recently heard Rod Paterson singing a version of this cheeky old song, but I’ve leaned more heavily here on an older version by Aberdonian favourites the Gaugers.

Rod Paterson sang The Merchant’s Son on Bring in the Spirit’s 2024 anthology Bring in the Spirit. He noted:

I got this version in the mid-seventies from the fantastic singing of Norman Kennedy—never recorded it till now so it’s probably changed beyond all recognition.

Fiona Hunter sang The Merchant’s Son on her 2024 album Atween the Salt Sea and the Sand.

Lyrics

Norman Kennedy sings Oh, Hae Ye Heard o’ the Merchant’s Son

A merchant’s son, he lived in wrong
Untae the beggin’ he has gone;
He mounted on a noble steed
And awa wi pleasure he did ride.

Chorus (repeated after each verse):
Fal al the dooral i do
Fal al the day

A beggar wench he chanced tae meet,
A beggar wench of low degree.
He took pity on her distress
An’ says: “My lass, you’ve got a bonny face.”

They both inclined noo tae have a drink;
Into a public house they both went.
They both drunk ale and brandy too
Till the both o’ them got rollin’ fu’.

They both inclined noo tae go tae bed
Soon under cover they were laid;
Strong ale and brandy went tae their heid
And both now slept as they were deid.

Later on this wench she rose
And put on noo the merchant’s clothes;
With his hat so high and his sword sae clear
For she’s awa wi the merchant’s gear.

Early next morning the merchant rose
And looking round for tae find his clothes.
There’s nothing left into the room
But a ragged petticoat and a linsey goun.

The merchant being a stranger to the toon
He put on the old coat and goun;
And down the street he soundly swore,
He would never lie with a beggar no more.

June Tabor sings The Merchant’s Son

A merchant’s son, he lived in wrong
And to the beggin’ he has gone;
He mounted on his noble steed
And awa wi pleasure he did ride.

Chorus (repeated after each verse):
Fal al the dooral i do
Fal al the day

A beggar wench he chanced to meet,
A beggar wench of low degree.
He took pity on her distress
An’ says: “My lass, you’ve got a pretty face.”

They both inclined now to have a drink;
Into a public house they went.
They ordered ale and brandy too
Till the both of them got rollin’ fu’.

They both inclin-ed to go to bed
And under cover soon were laid;
Strong ale and brandy went to their heads
And both now slept as they were dead.

Later on the wench she rose
And put on now the merchant’s clothes;
With his hat so high and his sword so clear
And she’s awa wi the merchant’s gear.

Early next morning the merchant rose
And looking round for to find his clothes.
There’s nothing left into the room
But a ragged petticoat and a linsey gown.

The merchant being a stranger to the town
He put on the old coat and gown;
And down the street he loudly swore,
He would never lie with a beggar no more.

Jim Malcolm sings The Merchant’s Son

Hae ye heard o’ the merchant’s son?
It’s tae the beggin’ he has gane;
Mounted on his noble steed
And awa’ for pleasure he did ride.

Chorus (after each verse):
For a’ the little I know, for a‘ the day.

A beggar wench he’s chanced tae meet,
A beggar wench of low degree.
He’s ta’en pity on her distress,
Sayin’: “Faith lassie, you’ve a bonny face.”

They’re baith inclined tae take a drink,
Into a public house they’ve gane;
They baith drank whisky aye and brandy too
Till baith o’ them they got roarin’ fu’.

They’re baith inclined tae gang tae bed
Soon under cover they’re baith lain;
Drinkin’ brandy gaed tae their heid
Until baith o them lay like they were deid.

Early next morning the beggar rose
And she’s put on the young merchant’s claes
With his hat so high and his sword so clear
Aye and she’s awa’ wi’ a’ the merchant’s gear.

A bitty later the merchant rose
And looking round for tae find his claes
There’s nothing left there intae the room,
But a ragged petticoat, aye, and a winsey goun.

He being a stranger intae the toon
He’s put on the old cotton goun;
Doon the street he did loudly swear
That he’d never lie with a beggar nae mair.

Rod Paterson sings Merchant’s Son

Ae merchant’s son, he’s lived in wrang
Untae the beggin’ he has gane;
He’s louped up upon his steed
Far awa wi pleasure he did ride.

Noo a beggin wench, he’s chanced tae meet,
A beggar wench of low degree.
Noo he’s ta’en pity on her distress,
Sayin’: “Lassie, but you hae a bonny face.”

Noo they’ve inclined tae take a dram
Untae a public hoose they’ve cam;
They’ve drank strong ale ay and whisky too
Till the pair o them got rantin’ roarin’ fu’.

Noo they’ve inclined tae go tae bed
And neath the covers they soon were lain;
But the whisky’s gane straight tae their heids;
Till the pair o them jist lay like they were deid.

Noo in the momin’ this lassie rose
An’ she’s put on the merchant’s clothes.
Wi his hat sae high, Wi his sword sae clear
An’ she’s awa wi the gadgie’s gear.

Noo a wee bit later this merchant rose
And lookin’ roon for tae find his clothes
There’s nothing left intae the room.
But a tom petticoat and a wincey goon.

Tae being a stranger untae the toon
This merchant’s pit on the coat an’ goon.
An’ doon the street he strode an’ swore
That he never would lie wi a beggar no more.