The songs of Joseph Mather

A farmer in Derbyshire had a wild son,
That would go a courting let what would be done;
Away he set out without any regard,
What honest man's daughter he injured or marr'd.
His friends and relations were fill'd with disgust,
When he threw the reigns on the neck of his lust;
Each one was offended, though ever so meek,
For many miles round the D---l's house in the Peak.

Just like some wild jackass, o'er the mountains he stray'd
In search of a female he gallop'd and bray'd.
At length a young damsel he utterly spoiled,
For by his seduction he got her with c---ld.
Her father then promised how liberal he'd be,
If they two to marry would jointly agree:
The knot being tied, the farmer in full,
Produced the girl's fortune—a lousy young bull.

The calf was removed to his father's own farm,
Where there was no want of good hay in a storm;
If ever he bellowed, old Bagshaw would say,
“Hark, yon's thy wife's fortune, go drive him away.”
One day he went out in a wonderful air,
And with his ash-plant drove the brute to Hope fair:
The cause of offence to remove as I'm told,
And there he converted his bull into gold.

This done he returns to his parents in peace,
In hope animosities ever might cease.
I cannot but pity his singular case,
His father still throws the bull-calf in his face.
If ever he puts the old man in a pet,
No matter what company there may be met,
He blacks him and calls him a shackle-brain'd elf,
And right in his teeth throws the lousy bull-calf.

CHORUS.

So take my advice, ye young men of Foolow,
Of Castleton, Bradwell, and Small-Dale, also:
You'd better live single, than marry by half,
For Bagshaw's wife's fortune—a lousy bull-calf.

University of Virginia Library

Song XVIII. THE DERBYSHIRE FARMER.

CHORUS.