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THE JOLLY BEGGAR
    THE JOLLY BEGGAR

    It's of a jolly beggarman came tripping o'er the plain
    He came unto a farmer's door a lodging for to gain
    The farmer's daughter she came down and viewed him cheek and chin
    She says, He is a handsome man. I pray you take him in

         Chorus:
          We'll go no more a roving, a roving in the night
          We'll go no more a roving, let the moon shine so bright
          We'll go no more a roving

    He would not lie within the barn nor yet within the byre
    But he would in the corner lie down by the kitchen fire
    o then the beggar's bed was made of good clean sheets and hay
    And down beside the kitchen fire the jolly beggar lay

    The farmer's daughter she got up to bolt the kitchen door
    And there she saw the beggar standing naked on the floor
    He took the daughter in his arms and to the bed he ran
    Kind sir, she says, be easy now, you'll waken our goodman

    Now you are no beggar, you are some gentleman
    For you have stolen my maidenhead and I am quite undone
    I am no lord, I am no squire, of beggars I be one
    And beggars they be robbers all, so you re quite undone

    _______
    Child #279
    One of the Scottish kings (James V) was reputed to wander his
    kingdom in disguise seducing girls.
    from Sedley, Seeds of Love
    text from 1730
    @beg @Scots @love