> A.L. Lloyd > Songs > Jackie Munro
> Steeleye Span > Songs > There Was a Wealthy Merchant

Jackie Munro / The Wars of Germany / There Was a Wealthy Merchant

[ Roud 268 ; Laws N7 ; G/D 1:171, 1:172 ; Ballad Index LN07 ; DT JCKSAIL2 ; Mudcat 40638 ; trad.]

A.L. Lloyd sang Jackie Munro in 1956 on his Riverside LP English Street Songs. He was accompanied by Alf Edwards on concertina. All tracks from this album were included in 2008 on his Fellside compilation Ten Thousand Miles Away. He noted:

The figure of the Maiden Warrior, the girl who dresses herself in soldier’s or sailor’s clothes, and follows her lover to the wars, was a constant favourite with street balladeers. Scholars have traced the line of such heroines from the days of Hercules and Hippolyte to Mary Ambree and beyond. Jackie Munro, one of the completest treatments of the theme, has become a rarity in England and Scotland, though versions of the ballad are not uncommon in America. In spite of its Scottish title name and one or two north country expressions, this version is regarded as being unmistakenly English in text and tune.

Roy Harris sang Jackie Munro in 1985 on his Fellside album Utter Simplicity. He noted:

A veritable folk opera! Lovers from opposite ends of society, a haughty parent, the Press Gang, the maiden disguised as a man, going through danger to gain the wounded soldier and a wedding against all odds. What could be better? I sing this as my tribute to the man who gave it to me, the late A.L. Lloyd. Bert Lloyd was a mirthful and joyous singer, an outrageous storyteller, a scholar and a man of the people, a guiding light in the folk festival, and a treasured friend. He is the man who, after my Father, I miss most now that he is gone.

John Roberts and Tony Barrand learned Jackie Munro from the singing of A.L. Lloyd and recorded it in 1992 for their CD A Present From the Gentlemen.

Sandra and Nancy Kerr sang Jackie Munroe in 1996 on their Fellside CD Neat and Complete. They noted:

The source for this was the late A.L. Lloyd. The song is more widely known in Scotland and it’s always been assumed that Bert collated and adapted to create this version. We like the fact that the maiden warrior gets promoted and can then keep her lover in the style to which he’s been unaccustomed.

Moira Craig sang Jackie Munroe on her 2000 album On ae Bonny Day. She noted:

There are versions of this in the Greig Duncan collection but this particular one was given to me by Roy Harris. It was recorded by A.L. Lloyd on English Street Songs. and can be found in [Dan Milner and Paul Kaplan’s] Songs of England, Ireland and Scotland: A Bonny Bunch of Roses, printed in 1983. It’s another of these songs where he’s pressed to the wars, she joins up and goes after him and they both live happily ever after. I really enjoy the humour in this version.

Gay Woods and Tim Harries sang There Was a Wealthy Merchant in 2000 on Steeleye Span’s CD Bedlam Born.

Dianne Dugaw sang Doralee-My-Laddie and Polly and Jack, which are both versions of Jack Monroe, on her 2001 album of fighting and sailing women in song, Dangerous Examples.

Janet Russell sang Pretty Polly in 2008 on her Harbourtown CD Love Songs and Fighting Talk. She noted:

Found this Jackie Munroe song in the Greig Duncan collection, “Female Warrior” section.

Danny Spooner sang Jackie Munro on his 2013 CD Gorgeous, Game Girls. He noted:

One of the many broadside ballads about female warriors, I learnt this from A.L. Lloyd when he visited Melbourne for the third anti-war moratorium in 1971. Bert probably contributed to the re-creation process of this version. There is plenty of evidence of women who dressed as men and went to sea or joined the army and served as a man. Hannah Snell and Anne Bonney are two of the best known.

Claire Hastings sang Jack the Sailor on her 2019 CD Those Who Roam.

Polly Paulusma sang Jack Munro on her 2021 album of folk songs that influenced Angela Carter, Invisible Music.

Lyrics

A.L. Lloyd sings Jackie Munro

Down into this country
There lived a wealthy squire
Who had an only daughter,
Was charming young and fair.

Chorus (after each verse):
To me tirran dooway, dooway-o,
Tirran dooway dooway

She had sweethearts a-plenty
To marriage were inclined
And none but John the soldier
Could gain this lady’s mind.

And when her father came to know
So angry there he swore,
“I’ll give The Gang ten guineas
To press young John to the war!”

But she robbed her wicked old father,
Got money at her command,
And she went to list in the army
All dressed up like a man.

“Your waist is long and slender,
Your fingers fine and small,
Your cheeks too red and rosy
For to face the cannon ball.”

“It’s true my waist is slender,
And my fingers they are small,
But it wouldn’t change my countenance
To see ten thousand fall.”

“Before you join our regiment
Your name I wish to know.”
She smiled all over her face, she did,
“They call me Jackie Munro.”

So she sailed all over the ocean,
over the deep blue sea
Till she got safely landed
In the wars of Germany.

Well all upon the battlefield
She fought it up and down,
Till among the dead and wounded
Her darling John she found.

“They have promoted me,” she said,
“They have promoted me
Unto a Colonel’s commission
So married we can be.”

And up then spoke the general,
“Such things there cannot be!
It’s again the laws of our country
Two men to married be.”

And up then spoke the chaplain,
“Such things I’ll not allow!”
She drew her broadsword from her side,
“I’ll make this do for you!”

So now the two got married
As you may plainly know,
And John the wounded soldier
Got his little Jackie Munro.

Sandra and Nancy Kerr sing Jackie Munroe

Down into this country
There lived a wealthy squire
And he’d an only daughter
Who was charming young and fair.

Chorus (after each verse):
Sing tirra dooway, dooway-o,
Tirra dooway dooway

She had sweethearts plenty
To marriage was inclined
And none but John the soldier
Could gain this lady’s mind.

And when her father came to know
So angry then he swore,
“I’ll give The Gang ten guineas
To press young John to the war!”

But she robbed her wicked father,
Got money at her command,
And she went to list in the army
Dressed up like a man.

“Your waist it is too slender,
Your fingers fine and small,
Your cheeks too red and too rosy
To face the cannon ball.”

“It’s true my waist is slender,
My fingers they are small,
But it wouldn’t change my countenance
To see ten thousand fall.”

“Before you join our regiment
Your name I wish to know.”
She smiled all over her face, she did,
“They call me Jackie Munro.”

So she sailed all over the ocean
And over the deep blue sea
Till she got safely landed
In the wars of Germany.

Well upon the battlefield
She fought it up and down,
Till among the dead and the wounded
Her darling John she found.

“They have promoted me,” she said,
“They have promoted me
Unto a Colonel’s commission
So married we can be.”

Then up and spoke the general
And this is what he said,
“It’s against the laws of the country
For two men to be wed.”

Then up and spoke the chaplain,
“Such things we can’t allow!”
She took her broadsword from her side,
“I’ll make this do for you!”

So now the two are married
As you may plainly know,
And John the wounded soldier
Got his little Jackie Munro.

Steeleye Span sing There Was a Wealthy Merchant

There was a wealthy merchant, in London he did dwell.
He had a beautiful daughter, the truth to you I’ll tell.

She had sweethearts a-plenty and men of high degree
But none but Jack the sailor her true love ere could be.

Jack he’s gone a-sailing with trouble on his mind
He’s left his king and his country and his darling girl behind.

She went down to a tailor’s shop and dressed in men’s array
She’s signed a bill of passage to convey herself away.

Before you get on board, Sir, your name we’d like to know.
She smiled all in her countenance, they call me Jack-A-Roe.

I see your waist is slender, your fingers they are small.
Cheeks too red and rosy to face the cannonball.

I know my waist is slender, my fingers they are small,
But it would not make me tremble to see ten thousands fall.

The war soon being over she went and looked around,
Among the dead and wounded her darling boy she found.

She picked him up all in her arms and carried him to the town,
She sent for a physician who quickly healed his wounds.

This couple they got married, so well they did agree;
This couple they got married so why not you and me?

Janet Russell sings Pretty Polly

It’s of a rich merchant in London town did dwell.
He had an only daughter, her tale to you I’ll tell.

Chorus (after each verse):
And sing oh. and sing oh, I’m left alone,
And sing oh. and sing oh, I’m left alone.

Pretty Polly being at liberty and money at her command,
She has formed a resolution to view some foreign land.

She’s went into a tailor’s shop and dressed in men’s array
And enlisted with a captain to carry her away.

Your fingers are too slender, your waist is far too small
And your cheeks too red and rosy to face a cannon ball.

My fingers are none too slender, my waist is none too small
And it never will harm my countenance to face a cannon ball.

Before I go on board with you your name I’d like to know,
She said with a smile upon her face, my name is Jack Munroe.

The drums they did beat and the pipes they did play
And into the field of battle Pretty Polly marched away.

This battle being over she’s took a circle round,
And among the dead and wounded her darling boy she found.

She’s ta’en him in her arms and carried him to town
And with some careful physickin’ she’s quickly healed his wound.

This couple they got married, so well’s they do agree.
This couple they got married, so why can’t you and me?