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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
; Bodleian
Roud 268
; DT JACKSAIL
, JCKSAIL2
; Mudcat 40638
; trad.]
Dan Milner and Paul Kaplan: Songs of England, Ireland and Scotland: A Bonny Bunch of Roses
Mrs Victoria Morris of Mt. Fair, Virginia sang Jack He Went A-Sailing to Maud Karpeles in September 1950. This recording was included in 2017 on the Musical Traditions anthology of historic recordings of Appalachian singers and musicians 1927-1955, When Cecil Left the Mountains. Mike Yates noted:
A song which appears mainly in Scotland and North America, with only a couple of sightings in England. The Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould found it in Devon in 1893 as The Maid of Chatham, while Ralph Vaughan Williams found an Essex set, titled Jacky Robinson. It belongs to a large group of songs where the young girl dresses in man’s clothing in order to follow her truelove, either onto a ship, or else, onto the field of battle, as happens here. When I was recording the Appalachian singer Dan Tate in 1979, Dan said that he would like to sing me a song which must originally have come from England, because “She sent for a London Doctor”. This was, of course, a version of Jack He Went A-Sailing. Mrs Morris’s tune is similar to one which Florence Reece used for her song Which Side Are You On? (Roud 15159).
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.
Steve Benbow sang Jack Went A-Sailing in 1960 on the HMV album of British sea songs old and new, A Pinch of Salt. It was recorded by Peter Kennedy at Cecil Sharp House. Kennedy noted:
The British ballad of Jackie Fraser or Jack Munroe (here sung as ‘Jackaro’) is the name given on enlistment by a ‘Maiden Warrior” as she is called in a seventeenth century broadside. Her lover is wounded, she gets a doctor to cure him, reveals her sex, and marries him.
Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl sang Jackaro in 1961 on their Folkways album of American, Scots and English folksongs, Two-Way Trip. They noted:
This ballad is of English origin and is still found in the British Isles where it is commonly known as Jack Munro. A broadside version was published by Such and two versions with music were printed by the Rymour Club in 1911. It would, however, seem to have been more popular in the United States than in the country of its origin.
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.
The Gaugers sang Pretty Polly in 1990 on their City of Aberdeen Libraries / Springthyme cassette The Fighting Scot.
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.
Andy Irvine recorded Jack Mulroe in Ballysooragh, Co. Fermanagh in 2008. This was included in 2020 on his anthology Old Dog Long Road Vol. 2. He noted:
Learned from another great singer, Tom Moran from Mohill in Co. Leitrim. He was recorded by Séamus Ennis for the BBC back in the 50s. He had an extraordinary and unusual repertoire of songs and Seamus told me his opinion was that an English soldier, who had come over with Cromwell in the 17th century, had settled in that part of Leitrim and that’s where a lot of Tom’s songs had come from.
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.
Nick Dow sang Jackie Munroe in 2011 on his album My Love You’ve Won to Keep. He noted:
From the singing of Bert Lloyd (One of the few academics I do like). This is the English version of the well known Jackeroe made famous by old Burl Ives, God Bless him!
Jeff Davies sang Jack Went A-Sailing in 2013 on his and Brian Peters’ Pugwash album of traditional songs and music from the collection made by Cecil Sharp in the Appalachian Mountains between 1916 and 1918, Sharp’s Appalachian Harvest. Jeff Davies noted:
Sung by Frances Richards, Callaway, Virginia, 10 August 1918.
Almost all the instances of this song found in Britain were Scottish, with names like Jack Munro. Versions were recorded by Bob Dylan and The Grateful Dead; another supplied the tune for Florence Reece’s Which Side Are You On?. Sharp’s singer, Frances Richards, illustrated the divide between the opinions of the missionaries who provided Sharp’s access to the singers, and his own instincts. Despite a wildly low opinion expressed by a churchwoman, Sharp found Mrs. Richards to be a “first-rate singer” who sang him twenty-two songs. They each made an impression on the other: years later, another collector stopped at the house and a daughter went running off to the fields to tell her mother. Karpeles wrote that, when Mrs. Richards saw this other collector, her face fell and, almost weeping, she exclaimed, “But it’s not Mr. Sharp!” repeating over and over: “But he said he would come back!”.
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.
Queer Folk members Sophie Crawford and George Sansome sang Jack Went A-Sailing in September 2021 during their Alan James Creative Bursary Residency at Cecil Sharp House in London:
Polly Paulusma sang Jack Munro on her 2021 album of folk songs that influenced Angela Carter, Invisible Music.
Lyrics
Mrs Victoria Morris sings Jack He Went A-Sailing
Jack he went a-sailing
With a weak and troubled mind
To leave his native country
And his darling girl behind
Chorus (after each verse):
Row my lily o
My darling you don’t know
(O) row my lily o
My darling you don’t know
She dressed herself in a man’s array
And apparel she put on
And to the field of battle
She marched the men along
“Your cheeks are red and rosy
Your fingers neat and small
Your waist too slim and slender
To face the cannon ball”
“My cheeks are red and rosy
My fingers neat and small
But I would not change my countenance
To see ten thousand fall”
The battle being ended
She rode the circle round
And through the dead and dying
Her darling boy she found
She picked him up all in her arms
She carried him down to town
She sent for a London doctor
To heal his bleeding wound
This couple they got married
So well they did agree
This couple they got married
And why not you and me?
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.
Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl sing Jackaro
There was a wealthy merchant
In London he did dwell,
He had an only daughter
And the truth to you I’ll tell,
O, the truth to you I’ll tell.
Her suitors they were plentiful,
She courted day and night
Till all on Jackie Frazier
She placed her heart’s delight.
I’ll lock you in my dungeon
Your body I’ll confine,
None but Jackie Frazier
Will ever please your mind.
You may lock me in your dungeon
My heart you can’t confine,
And none but Jackie Frazier
Will ever please my mind.
When her parents saw him coming
They flew in angry way,
She give him forty shillings
For to bear him far away.
Now Jackie, he’s gone sailing
Across the deep blue sea,
Till safely he was landed
In the wars of Germany.
She went down to a tailor shop
And dressed in men’s array,
Then labored to a captain
For to bear her far away.
Your waist it is too slender
Your fingers are too small,
Your face it is too tender
For to face the cannon ball.
I know my waist is slender,
My fingers long and small,
I would not change my countenance
To see ten thousand fall.
Before you go on board, sir,
Your name I’d like to know.
She smiled all in her countenance,
They call me ‘Jackaro’.
Now she’s gone sailing
Across the deep blue sea.
Till safely she has landed
In the wars of Germany.
She went out on the battlefield,
She viewed it up and down,
Among the dead and wounded men,
Her darling boy she found.
She picked him up all in her arms
And carried him to the town
And called in a physician
For to heal up all his wounds.
This couple now are married, love,
And well they do agree.
This couple now are married, love,
And why not you and me?
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?