> Martin Carthy > Songs > (Man of) Newlyn Town
The Highway Man / The Rambling Blade / Newlyn Town / Newry Town
[
Roud 490
; Master title: The Highway Man
; Laws L12
; G/D 2:260
; Ballad Index LL12
, CrMa161
; Wiltshire
782
; DT NEWRYHWY
; Mudcat 91823
; trad.]
Nick Dow: Southern Songster Ralph Dunstan: Cornish Dialect & Folk Songs Inglis Gundry: Canow Kernow Katie Howson: Blyth Voices John Morrish: The Folk Handbook Colm O Lochlainn: More Irish Street Ballads Roy Palmer: Folk Songs Collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams Frank Purslow: The Constant Lovers James Reeves: The Idiom of the People James Reeves: The Everlasting Circle Steve Roud, Julia Bishop: The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs Cecil J. Sharp: One Hundred English Folksongs
Jack Elliott and Derroll Adams sang Rich and Rambling Boys in 1958 as the title track of their Topic album The Rambling Boys. This track was also reissued in 1964 on their album Roll On Buddy and in 1995 on Elliott’s CD Ramblin’ Jack.
O.J. Abbott from Hull, Quebec, sang The Bold and Undaunted Youth in a field recording made by Edith Fowke that was included in 1961 on his Folkways album Irish and British Songs From the Ottawa Valley. Edith Fowke noted:
This tale about the wild lad who became a highwayman has turned up in a great many forms under varying titles in Britain and the United States. In Somerset it was known as The Robber; in Sussex as In Newry Town, and in the States it is usually The Rambling Boy. Most English versions give London as the locale and mention St. James’s Square. Mr. Abbott’s version is pure Irish—St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin is the fashionable park where ladies and gentlemen liked to walk to see and be seen.
Mr. Abbott learned this in the lumbercamps from an old man called Frank Cyr, from Eastview, Ontario.
Bob Scarce of Blaxhall, Suffolk sang Newlyn Town on the anthology Fair Game and Foul (The Folk Songs of Britain Volume 7; Caedmon 1961; Topic 1970).
Harry Cox sang Newlyn Town in a recording made by Peter Kennedy on his eponymous 1965 EFDSS album, Harry Cox.
Dave and Toni Arthur recorded A Rich and Rambling Boy in 1965 as The Strollers. This track was included in 2009 as a bonus track of the CD reissue of their album Morning Stands on Tiptoe.
Martin Carthy sang Newlyn Town in 1966 on his Second Album. A live recording with Dave Swarbrick at the Folkus Folk Club in 1966 was released on Both Ears and the Tail and on the anthology The Carthy Chronicles. Martin Carthy commented in the original album’s sleeve notes:
The ballad-mongers at public executions in the 18th century used to do a roaring trade in songs purporting to be the “Criminal’s Last Goodnight”, often in the form of a confession or apologia. This was a great period for the villain-hero, especially for highwaymen. The Beggar’s Opera talks of the “the youth in the car hath the air of a Lord”, and we say “there dies an Adonis”. The whole attitude is summed up in Clever Tom Clinch Going to Be Hanged by Jonathan Swift.
Hedy West sang Rake and Rambling Boy in 1966 on her Topic album Pretty Saro and Other Appalachian Ballads. This album was reissued in 2011 as part of her Fellside anthology Ballads and Songs From the Appalachians. She noted:
The origin of Rake and Rambling Boy is an 18This century broadside. I heard it from [grand-uncle] Gus’s youngest son Horace, who, like all of his brothers, still lives within three miles of his birthplace in Jasper, Georgia. Horace learnt this song in 1925, from his cousin Coy who sang the song with special affection, because it suited his state of mind just before he ran away from home to become a rambler. I don’t know if Coy had heard one of the several country music arrangements of Rake and Rambling Boy.
Bob Johnson sang Newlyn Town in 1972 on Roger Nicholson’s Trailer album Nonesuch for Dulcimer. They noted:
A broadside ballad concerning an unrepentant highwayman who, it seems, was bom in Cornwall, lived and ‘worked’ in London and finally hanged in Dublin. The tune in the dorian mode is associated with the song Sovay, Sovay.
Walter Pardon sang The Rambling Blade in his cottage in Knapton, Norfolk, on 11 May 1974 in a recording made by Bill Leader. It was published in the following year on his Leader album A Proper Sort. An alternative take was included in 2000 on his Topic anthology A World Without Horses. A further recording was included in 2007 on the accompanying CD of The Folk Handbook.
Jumbo Brightwell sang this song as Newry Town in 1975 on his Topic LP of traditional songs and ballads from Suffolk, Songs From the Eel’s Foot; this recording was later included on the anthology O’er His Grave the Grass Grew Green (The Voice of the People Series Volume 3; Topic 1998).
Gordon Hall sang In Horsham Town in a recording made by John Howson in 1987. It was published in 1987 as the title track of the Veteran cassette of songs from a Sussex singing family, In Horsham Town, and it was included in 1993 on the Veteran CD of traditional folk music, songs and dances from England, Stepping It Out.
Claire Mann sang The Newry Highwayman on Tabache’s 1999 album Waves of Rush. They noted:
This song like other highwayman songs is a plea from a condemned man to be remembered as a courageous and honourable highwayman who robbed the rich to give to the poor. This one happened to come from Newry, in the North of Ireland.
Brian Peters sang The Rambling Blade in 2001 on his CD Lines.
Pete Morton sang a version with modernised lyrics, Damn the Day, in 2001 on Ashley Hutchings’ CD collection of dark traditional songs re-set in the present day, Street Cries.
Dr Faustus sang Newry Town, “from the singing of Jumbo Brightwell of Sussex”, in 2003 on their Fellside CD The First Cut.
Lynch the Box sang Newry Highwayman in 2003 on their CD Summer’s Gone.
Eliza Carthy sang Newry Town in 2004 on Waterson:Carthy’s fifth album, Fishes & Fine Yellow Sand. The album notes commented:
The songs here, with one exception, are about people who, whether or not they were born under a Bad Sign, certainly come—one way or another—under the Bad heading. Therefore it’s almost a given that the songs about them are far more interesting if only because I don’t believe anybody ever managed to write a song convincing anyone that the Stepford life was the life to live. Well not someone who lived out their life this side of imbecilic. Therefore welcome to the land where baddies rule. And to the story of the tragic Good Time Boy from Newry Town who just robbed a few people who had far too much of everything. Did them a favour really. Less for them to worry their pretty little heads about. And one does what one has to for one’s girl friend who so likes shopping. Sooo likes it. The song is featured on the Voice of the People series of CDs coming from the repertoire of the great Suffolk singer Jumbo Brightwell and is to be found under a wealth of titles from Adieu Adieu (or Willow Day), to The Flash Lad, to the title here. These songs of terminal regret were literally two a penny in the 17th to 19th centuries. The ballad writers of the time would sell the songs under the gallows just as the unfortunate crime was getting his or her deserts—just or otherwise—right there and right then. Here in its cradle is the modern music industry. And let us not imagine that this infant would need any lessons in ruthlessness from its modern descendants/offspring, for then, as now, another day was another dollar.
And Ed Pellow noted:
The novelist Henry Fielding (perhaps best known for his book Tom Jones) was appointed Justice of the Peace for Middlesex and Westminster in 1748. In 1749, along with his blind half-brother John, Fielding established the “Bow Street Runners” who also became known as the “gang”. Fielding worked hard on reducing crime and his “gang” were both a forerunner of, and model for Robert Peel’s police force of 1829.
The reference to “Cupid’s Garden” in the song is a corruption of “Cuper’s Garden”. Cuper’s Garden was a park on the south side of the Thames opposite Somerset House. It was closed in 1753 “in consequence of the dissoluteness of its visitors.”
For whatever reason the song spread widely, with numerous versions having been reported in England, Ireland and the United States. A.L. Lloyd (1967) comments that “Nearly every surviving traditional singer in England with anything like a decent repertory knows a version of The Flash Lad.” This version was collected by Cecil Sharp in Somerset.
Mike Bosworth sang this song as Highway Man in 2005 on his album of songs from the Baring-Gould Collection, By Chance It Was, accompanied by John Kirkpatrick on accordion.
Malinky sang The Newry Highwayman live at CelticFolk, Winborne, on 17 February 2005, which was the penultimate gig of their 3 Ravens lineup. This recording was included in 2019 on the bonus CD of their 20th anniversary album Handsel. They noted:
An up-tempo version of the song that we performed live for a short period, but which was dropped from the set by the time we recorded The Unseen Hours.
Lisa Knapp sang this song as Wild and Undaunted in 2007 as the title track of her CD Wild and Undaunted. Her source is mainly Wild and Wicked Youth as sung by Robert Hurr of Southwold, Suffolk, to Ralph Vaughan Williams on 24 November 1910; which was printed in Roy Palmer’s 1983 book Folk Songs Collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams. I don’t know the source of her fourth verse.
Jack Crawford sang The Rambling Blade in 2008 on his WildGoose CD Pride of the Season. He noted:
Learned from the singing of Walter Pardon as recorded by Bill Leader at Walter’s home in Knapton, Norfolk, in May 1974. There are many broadside variants of this song, often referring to Newry or Newlyn Town, or Stephen’s Green, and all agree that our hero was a “wild and wicked youth”. Walter once told Peter Bellamy that this was his favourite song, the best folksong ever written. It was probably learned from his uncle Billy Gee who was the source of many of Walter’s songs.
In memory of Sid Long (1953-2005), who had his own version but liked to hear me sing Walter’s.
Sara Grey sang Rake and Rambling Boy in 2009 on her Fellside CD Sandy Boys.
John Jones sang Newlyn Town in 2009 on his Westpark album Rising Road. He noted:
Newlyn Town—Newry Town, whether Irish or English, is a case of live fast, die young and hope that you have such a beautiful, dignified tune as you go to the gallows.
Nick Wyke & Becki Driscoll found The Robber in the Cecil Sharp Collection and sang it on their 2009 CD Beneath the Black Tree.
Gordon Jackson sang Newlyn Town on his 2011 album It’s Cold by the Door. He noted:
This song, under a range of different titles, is known in England, Ireland, USA and elsewhere. This is an English version. It’s an example of what is ironically known as a criminal’s goodnight.
Andy Turner learned The Rambling Blade from the singing of Walter Pardon and sang it as the 13 October 2012 entry of his project A Folk Song a Week.
The Foxglove Trio sang Newry Town in 2013 on their EP Like Diamond Glances. They commented:
A story about a highway man who robs the upper classes of their riches in order to keep his wife in jewellery. It serves as a warning against the dangers of turning to crime to make ends meet. The words are traditional and we’ve put them to a new melody.
Lucy Farrell and Alasdair Roberts of The Furrow Collective sang Wild and Wicked Youth on their 2014 album At Our Next Meeting. She commented in their sleeve notes:
A ‘goodnight’ ballad from the gallows of Tyburn, which were near Mable Arch in London. I first heard Chris Coe perform this song on a singing weekend in Stroud. I remember thinking the tune was brilliant—it stuck in my head for ages. Later I found this version in Vaughan Williams’ Bushes and Briars collection, sung by a Robert Hurr.
Hurr’s version was also printed in the EFDSS’s Singing Histories: London, which explained:
Robert Hurr’s Wild and Wicked Youth is another example of the popular ‘goodnight ballads’. It mentions ‘Fielding’s Gang’, which was London’s first police force (also known as the Bow Street Runners). Set up in 1749 by the author Henry Fielding, who was also a magistrate at Bow Magistrates Court, it was London’s first formalised law enforcement agency. It was financed centrally through the courts, unlike the more common ‘thief-takers’, who solved petty crime on a freelance basis.
Sung to Vaughan Williams on 24 November 1910 in Southwold, Suffolk, this song can be found in Blyth Voices, Folk Songs Collected in Southwold by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1910, published by EATMT (2003).
Kate Locksley sang Newry Town in 2016 on Night Fall’s eponymous EP Night Fall. They noted on their website:
Also known as The Newry Highwayman and Newlyn Town (Roud 490), this song is sometimes referred to as a ‘goodnight ballad’, and tells of the capture and demise of an otherwise rather cheerful highway robber. This was one of those songs that just happens out of nowhere. We’d all heard it before, and as were messing about during a rehearsal the chord pattern emerged, then so did the words. After a few verses, Rusty Galley appeared. We liked it all, so we kept it.
Kim Lowings & the Greenwood sang The Newry Highwayman in 2017 on their CD Wild & Wicked Youth.
Stick in the Wheel sang Roving Blade on their 2018 CD Follow Them True.
Granny’s Attic sang The Highwayman on their 2019 CD Wheels of the World. They noted:
“The English folk-singer has […] his heroes, […] but the outlaw and the freebooter appeal to his imagination with greater force than the successful military or naval commander.” So said Cecil Sharp in English Folk Song, Some Conclusions. This is certainly true of this song, one of the most commonly collected English folk songs. It is found in various forms under numerous titles, but in all cases celebrates the life of the rogue highwayman. This particular variant of the song was found in Frank Kidson’s A Garland of English Folk-Songs.
Landless sang The Newry Highwayman on their 2024 album Lúireach. They noted:
We first learned this song from Colm O Lochlainn’s collection, More Irish Street Ballads (1965).
Lyrics
O.J. Abbott sings The Bold and Undaunted Youth
I am a bold and undaunted youth,
I love fair maidens to tell the truth.
I love them all so very well,
I love them better than tongue can tell.
In Stephen’s Green where I was born,
In Stephen’s Green where I died in scorn,
I served my time to the saddlers’ trade,
And was a wild and roving blade.
At seventeen I married a wife,
I loved her better than I loved my life,
And to maintain her a lady gay
I started robbing on the highway.
I robbed Lord Gordon, I do declare,
And Lady Elgin of Woolburn Square;
I locked the chest and bade them goodnight;
I took their gold to my heart’s delight.
In Stephen’s Green where I did stray
With my fair lady to see the play,
I’d scarce been there an hour or two
When taken I was by Lord Gordon’s crew.
My mother cried, “Oh my darling son,”
My father cried, “Oh he is undone,”
My darling lady she tore her hair
Just like a woman in deep despair.
When I am dead and going to my grave,
A decent funeral pray let me have.
Six highway robbers to bury me,
Give them broadswords and their liberty.
Six Dublin ladies to bear my pall,
Give them white gloves and pink ribbons all;
When I am buried you may tell the truth,
That I was a wild and a roving youth.
Harry Cox sings Newlyn Town
In Newlyn Town I was bred and born,
At Stephen’s Green where I died of scorn.
I served my time as a saddler trade
And I always was a roving blade.
At seventeen I took a wife
And I loved her dearly as I loved my life.
All for to keep her both fine and gay
A-robbing I went on the king’s highway.
I robbed Lord Golden, I do declare,
And Lady Mansfield on Grosvenor Square.
I robbed them of their gold so bright
And I took it home to my heart’s delight.
To Covent Garden we went straightway,
Me and my wife, we went to the play.
Ned Fielding’s gang there did me pursue,
Taken was I by that curs-ed crew.
My father cried, “I am undone!”
My mother cried for her darling son.
My pretty damsel, she tore her hair,
Saying, “What shall I do, for I am in despair?”
Now when I’m dead and go to my grave,
A decent funeral let me have.
Six highwayman for to carry me,
Give them broadswords and sweet liberty.
Six highwaymen for to bear my pall,
Give them white gloves and sweet ribbons all.
And when I’m gone, they will tell the truth:
“Here lays a wild and wicked youth.”
Martin Carthy sings Newlyn Town
In Newlyn Town I was bred and born
At Stephan’s Green there I die in scorn
I served me time at the saddling trade
𝄆 And I was always 𝄇 a roving blade
At seventeen I took a wife
And I loved her dear as I loved me life
To keep her happy both night and day
𝄆 I went a robbing 𝄇 on the broad highway
I robbed Lord Golding I do declare
And Lady Mansfield in Grosvenor Square
I shut the shutters and bid them good night
𝄆 And home I took my loot 𝄇 to my heart’s delight
To Covent Garden we went straightway
To Covent Garden to see a play
Ned Fielding’s gang there did me pursue
𝄆 And I was taken 𝄇 by that cursed crew
And when I’m dead and go to my grave
A fine and flashy funeral let me have
With six bold highwaymen to carry me
𝄆 give them broadswords 𝄇 and sweet liberty
Oh six pretty doxies to carry my pall
Give them white ribbons and gloves and all
That when I’m gone they will tell me true
𝄆 There goes a wild young man 𝄇 and a wicked youth
Hedy West sings Rake and Rambling Boy
I’m a rake and a rambling boy
There’s many a city I’ve rambled through
There’s many a city I’ve bummed my way
And I’ve spent my money at the balls and play
In Greenville City I married me a wife
And I loved her better than I did my life
I dressed her up so neat and gay
Till she caused me to rob on the old highway
In Charleston City I bought me a ticket
And on the train I did sit down
The whistle did blow and the train did go
In about five days I landed home
I landed home and began to die
There’s many a girl for me will cry
All those tears they’ve shed for me
Won’t save me from these gallows tree
Oh Love oh Love come and keep these lines
They may be the last you’ll read of mine
And when I’m dead come and sing for joy
Sing for the last of the ramblin’ boy
The Watersons sing Adieu, Adieu (Roud 30101)
Adieu, adieu, hard was my fate,
I was brought up in a tender state.
Bad company did me entice,
I left off work and took bad advice.
Chorus (repeated after each verse):
Which makes me now to lament and say,
Pity the fate of young felons all
Well-a-day, Well-a-day
I robbed Lord Goldwyn, I do declare,
And Lady Masefield of Grosvenor Square.
I shut the shutters and bid them goodnight
And away I went to my heart’s delight.
Before Judge Holden I was took,
Before Judge Holden I was tried.
Then Harry Jones said, “This will not do,
My iron chest you have broken through.”
And when I’m dead and going to me grave
No costly tombstone will I crave.
Six bonny lasses to carry my pall
Give them broadswords, gloves, and ribbons all.
Brass Monkey sing The Flash Lad (Roud 30101)
When I was eighteen I took a wife.
I loved her dearly as I loved my life.
And to maintain her both fine and gay
𝄆 I went a-robbing 𝄇 on the King’s highway.
I never robbed any woman yet
And I was never in a tradesman’s debt.
But I robbed the lords and the ladies gay
𝄆 To carry home the gold 𝄇 to my love straightway
To Cupid’s Garden I did away,
To Cupid’s Garden to see the play.
Lord Fielding’s gang there did me pursue
𝄆 And I was taken 𝄇 by that cursed crew
My father cried, “Oh my darling son,”
My wife she wept and cried, “I am undone.”
My mother tore her white locks and cried
𝄆 “Oh in his cradle 𝄇 he should have died.”
And when I’m dead and go to my grave
A flashy funeral oh let me have.
Let hundred bold robbers follow me,
𝄆 Give them good broadswords 𝄇 and liberty.
Let six pretty maidens bear up my pall
And let them have my cloaks and ribbons all.
That they may say when they speak the truth,
“There goes a wild youth,
There goes a wild and a wicked youth.”
Lisa Knapp sings Wild and Undaunted
In London Town I was bred and born;
On Thebas Ground I died of scorn.
For I served my time to the saddler’s trade,
And I was always counted but a roving blade.
And at seventeen I took a wife,
I loved her dearly as I loved life.
For to maintain her both fine and gay
I took to robbing on the King’s Highway.
I robbed Lord Dukes as I do declare,
And the lovely Nancy with the golden hair.
We shuttered the shutters, bid them goodnight
And carried the gold to our heart’s delight.
I robbed Lord Gordon of Leicester Square,
And the Lady Mansfield with him there.
We never robbed any poor man yet
And never was in any trademan’s debt.
Through Covent Garden I took my way
With my pretty blowen to see the play.
Till the Fielding’s gang did me pursue,
Taken was I by the cursed crew.
But when I am dead and carried to my grave
A pleasant funeral let me have:
Six highwaymen for to carry me
Give them broadswords and sweet liberty.
Six blooming girls to bear up my pall,
Give them white gloves and pink ribbons all.
When I am dead they may tell the truth:
There goes a wild and undaunted youth.
Waterson:Carthy sing Newry Town
In Newry Town I was bred and born,
In Stevenstown I died for scorn.
I signed myself to a saddler’s trade
And they always called me a roving blade.
At seventeen I took a wife,
I loved her dear as I loved my life.
And to maintain her both fine and gay
A-robbing I went upon the King’s highway.
I robbed Lord Golden, I do declare,
I robbed Lady Mannon; it was in Grosvenor Square.
Putting the shutters up, I wished them good night,
Then I carried the gold home to my heart’s delight.
To Covenant Garden I then did go,
All for my bride and to see the grand show.
But Fielding’s gang they did me pursue,
And taken I was taken by that accursed crew.
My father cried for his only son,
My wife, she cried, “Oh, I am undone.”
And my mother, she tore her grey locks and she cried,
“Oh, I wish in his cradle that he had died.”
Six blooming maidens to carry my pall,
Give them white gloves and it’s ribbons all.
And six highway men for to carry me
Give them broadswords and sweet liberty.
And when I’m dead and I’m going to my grave
A decent funeral please let me have.
When I’m in my grave they will speak the truth,
“There goes a wild and a wicked youth.”
The Furrow Collective sing Wild and Wicked Youth
In London town I was bred and born;
In the Tyburn’s Ground there I died of scorn.
I served my time to a saddler’s trade
I was always counted but a roving blade.
For at seventeen I took a wife,
I loved her dearly as I loved my life.
All for to maintain her both fine and gay
I took up a-robbing on the King’s Highway.
I robbed Lord Dukes, I do declare,
And lovely Nancy with the golden hair.
We shuttered up the shutters and bid them goodnight
Then we carried the gold to our heart’s delight.
Through Covent Garden I made my way,
With my pretty blowen to see the play.
Till Fielding’s gang did me pursue
Taken was I by the cursed crew.
When I am dead and carried to my grave
A pleasant funeral let me have:
Six highwaymen to carry me,
Give them broadswords and sweet liberty.
Six blooming girls to bear up my pall,
Give them white gloves and pink ribbons all.
And when I’m dead they may tell the truth:
There goes a wild and a wicked youth.
Acknowledgements
Garry Gillard transcribed The Flash Lad, and PHJim on Mudcat transcribed Rake and Rambling Boy.