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RUFFORD PARK POACHERS developed by Patrick O'Shaughnessy MORE See also Digitrad |
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Version A A buck or doe believe it so A pheasant or a hare Were set on earth for everyone Quite equally to share CHORUS: So poacher bold, as I unfold Keep up your gallant heart And think about those poachers bold That night in Rufford Park They say that forty gallant poachers They were in distress They'd often been attacked when Their number it was less : CHORUS Among the gorse, to settle scores Those forty gathered stones To make a fight for poor men's rights And break the keepers' bones : CHORUS The keepers went with flails against The poachers and their cause So no man there again would dare Defy the rich man's laws : CHORUS The keepers they began the fray With stones and with their flails When the poachers started o'er They quickly turned their tails : CHORUS Upon the ground with mortal wound Head keeper Roberts lay He never will rise up until The final judgement day : CHORUS Of all that band who made a stand To set a net or snare The four men brought before the court Were tried for murder there : CHORUS The Judge he said "For Robert's death Transported you must be To serve a term of forty years In convict slavery" : CHORUS Version B They say that forty gallant poachers They was in a mess They had often been attacked When the number it was less Chorus [after every verse]: So poacher bold as I unfold Keep up your gallant heart And think about the poachers bold That night in Rufford Park A buck or doe believe it so A pheasant or a hare Was put on earth for everyone Quite equal for to share All among the gorse to settle scores These forty gathered stones To make a fight for poor men's rights And break those keeper's bones The keepers come with flails Against poachers and their cause But no man there would dare To break the rich man's laws The keepers they began the fight With stones and with their flails When the poachers started why They quickly turned their tales All on the ground with a mortal wound Head keeper Roberts lay He never will rise up again Till the final judgement day Of all the band that made their stand That set a little snare Just four were brought before the court And tried for murder there The judge said for Roberts' death Transported you must be To serve a term of fourteen years In convict slavery A buck or doe believe it so A pheasant or a hare Was put on earth for everyone Quite equal for to share Version C A buck or doe, believe it so, a pheasant or a hare Were sent on earth for every man quite equally to share. Chorus: So poacher bold, as I unfold, keep up your gallant heart, And think about those poachers bold, that night in Rufford Park. They say that forty gallant poachers, they were in distress, They'd often been attacked when their number it was less. Among the gorse, to settle scores, these forty gathered stones, To make a fight for poor men's rights, and break the keepers1 bones. The keepers went with flails against the poachers and their cause, To see that none again would dare defy the rich man1s laws. The keepers, they began the fray with stones and with their flails, But when the poachers started, oh, they quickly turned their tails. Upon the ground, with mortal wound, head-keeper Roberts lay, He never will rise up until the final Judgment Day. Of all that band that made their stand to set a net or snare The four men brought before the court were tried for murder there. The judge he said, For Roberts1 death transported you must be, To serve a term of fourteen years in convict slavery. Final Chorus: So poacher bold, my tale is told, keep up your gallant heart, And think about those poachers bold, that night in Rufford Park. Version D They say that forty gallant poachers they was in a mess; They'd often been attack-ed when the number it was less. So poacher bold, as I unfold, keep up your gallant heart, And think about those poachers bold that night in Rufford Park. A buck or doe, believe it so, a pheasant or an (h)are Was sent on earth for everyone quite equal for to share So poacher bold, as I unfold, keep up your gallant heart, And think about those poachers bold that night in Rufford Park.
The keepers they begun the fight, with stones and with the flails, MORE ...... Version A transcribed from Coope, Boyes & Simpson on "Falling Slowly."(I think) The Nic Jones version is very close to this. Version B transcribed from Martin Carthy on "Out of the Cut"(I think) Version C transcribed from John Roberts & Tony Barrand on "Heartoutbursts: English Folksongs collected in Lincolnshire by Percy Grainger." Version D recorded (on cylinder) by Percy Grainger from Joseph Taylor of Brigg, Lincolnshire, in 1906 and 1908, is the only authentically traditional set. The texts A B and C are all arrangements of the expanded version of the song, which was written around the 1960s by Patrick O'Shaughnessy of Lincolnshire, using material from contemporary accounts of the incident. |