Unique manuscript collection Scottish & US Ballads (one saucy) 1821 and later. for Sale

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Unique manuscript collection Scottish & US Ballads (one saucy) 1821 and later. For Sale

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Unique manuscript collection Scottish & US Ballads (one saucy) 1821 and later.:
$250.00

Alexander GREEN 2nd (West Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland, 16March 1803 – Waldens Ridge, Hamilton,Tennessee, 16 May 1853).

‘Alexdr. Green his Copy Greenock December 22 1821’ - a76-page copy book including 9 songs or ballads, the ‘Dementions [i.e.Dimensions] of the Flamingos Spars’ as well as the more usual examples ofweights and measures, and mathematics.[Greenock, Scotland and Camden, Maine, USA:] 1821 and later [some leaveswatermarked ‘Henry Salmon/1820’]. Folio (12 7/8 x 8 1/8 inches), 76 pages, wovepaper. (Some leaves excised, some tears light soiling to first and last fewleaves). Stitched.

Provenance: Alexander Green 2nd(inscription and loosely inserted hand-colored lithographed ‘Died, when andwhere’ card ‘died May 26th 1853 Tenn.’, by descent); Mary Greene (b.1827, Camden, Maine, various inscriptions, including [possibly] the text to thetwo last songs/ ballads).

TheScottish immigrant experience personified: Alexander Green, born Greenock, madehis way to the US [possibly aboard the Flamingo?], married Rebecca MalcolmAnnis Green (1805 – 1870) in Camden Maine. Settled down? Either necessity or anadventurous spirit [or both] saw him make his way to Tennessee where he died inWaldens Ridge, Hamilton county, on 16 May 1853, ‘Aged 50 yrs. 2 months’.

Green was 18 when he started this copybook. The content ofsome of the songs, allied with the presence of the schooner Flamingo’smeasurements suggest that he may have signed up as a crew member - his education continued but with amore ‘adult’ nature than is usual for copybooks of this kind: rare thus.

The songs/ballads I could track down do all seem to showsome variation to other recorded examples – might some of them be otherwiseunrecorded? The spelling is idiosyncratic. The nine compositions cover 13pages. The subjects are a mixture of the slightly bawdy and the patriotic. “TheParsons Wadder” is fun – a small boy outwits the minister and his family get toeat the rev.’s sheep.

1.The Selling of the Yearn [i.e. Yarn]. 8 verses(see below for transcription.]

2.The Water Balloon [‘I am cozie and plump at theage of sixteen / I am rigged out and fashion[ed] like a nice little queen..]. 5verses.

3.The Parsons Wadder [i.e. Wether, ‘Christmastimes is now come on / And [?] times is drawing near… ‘]. 14 verses.

4.The Emegrants Farewell to his Native Country[Farewell the Scenes which once enjoying / Farewell Clyde My hope destroying…’]. 9 verses.

5.The Braes of Bewhether [‘Boney lassie will youwedd will you wedd and be a lover /Boney lassie will you wedd will you wedd and leave your Mother…’]. 6 verses.

6.My Native Caledonia [‘Sair sair was My heartwhen I parted from my Jean / An sair sair I sighed while the tears stood myeen…’]. 4 verses.

7.The Farmer’s Ingle [i.e. fireplace, ‘Let turkstriumph in tyrants ways And poets sing the tyrants prais …’]. 4 verses

8.The Bewailing Florist [i.e. The HorticulturalWife or The Broken Hearted Gardener, ‘She’s my Snowdrop my ranunculus / Myhyacinth my gilly flower my Polyanthus..’]

Slavery

9.Farewell, My Lilly Dear [apparently by StephenCollins Foster [1826-1864], Oh Lilly it grives me the tale I have to tell / Oldmassa Sent me roaming so Lilly fare you well…’]. With date at foot: 28 Feb 1858– possibly written out by Alexander’s daughter Mary ?

The page listing the ‘Dementions of the Flamingos Spars’ probably refers to the 84-ton schooner‘Flamingo’ which was built in 1822 for ‘Robert Sinclair and others’ by Scott& Sons of Greenock. She launched on 24 August 1822.

Full transcription:

The Selling of the Yearn

The Lassie she went out and her earrand was nae great / Downin yon Meadow a young Man She Meat / he said Come Sit you down by me Love hereupon the plain / If that you are willing for a New tune to Learne

She said I near wase Acward at the Lairning of a tune / butI am going to Livingstone thinking of no harm / but I am going to Livingstownthinking of no harm / for to Sell for My Mamey too three Slapkins of yearn

Ohere is the Money Your Mother Love to pay / here is theMoney and diney goe a way / here is the Money your Mother Love to pay / Andwell keep the Yarn Lassie to the next Market day

Now hes playing her a tune thats Most Gallant & fine /hes playing her a tune to her own heartand Mind / Hes playing her a tune to her own hearts Content / Saying If I hadLands Laddie ye wood draw the rent

Now Sinse You have got Your will of Me Love here upon theplane / Oh tell Me your Name Sir or the place from whence you Came / [?] andSlye as he answered this fare dame / Oh My Name it is willee and my dwelling isat hame

The evening being Come and it now been very late / the Oldwoman went her own Daughter for to Meet / She said Ive Leaved at Livingstosinse ever I wase borne / but I near got Sick a Market for the Selling of MyYearn

Oh boe the auld wife am Glad to here the News / Spin fastthe next week and yell get a pair of shoes / the Lassie took her Supper andthan she went to bead / Ay and all the whole Night Willie ran in her head

Oh Billie oh Billie oh Billie Love she Cryed / Oh what wouldI give to be Billie’s bried / Orgine ear I would Meet you Love Coming ore theplaine / For I long to get the new tune played over a gain.