Collection of ballads, songsheets. 2 vols. London: J. Pitts, 18051840? University of Minnesota Libraries. WILSON Rare Books Quarto 820.1 Z. Vol. 1.

Half sheet.

The Barrow Girl.

Printed at J. Pitt's Wholesale Toy Warehouse 6 Great <S>t. Andrew <S>treet 7 <D>ials,

Ye fair maids of London, who lead a single life

I'd sooner be a barrow girl than a rich merchant's wife,

For so early in the morning you hear me to cry,

Artichokes and cauliflowers<,> pretty maids will you buy<.>

There's a girl sits at Billingsgate I'll not mention her name<.>
She's tall, and she<'>s sprightly, and she's fitting for the game,
And she waits for her jolly waterman to row her back again.

My husband's a quiet man, and a quiet man is he,
All for to wear the horns, my boys contented he must be,
I can find him at my leisure do the very best he can,
While I go and take my pleasure with my jolly waterman<.>

A waterman's trade, a trade that seldom fail<s>,
Let it hail, rain, or sunshine, our boats are in full sail,
Here's to your love and my love, and all true hearted souls,
Likewise to my jolly waterman with a full flowing bowl.

Transcription and glosssary by Eric Welle.

barrow girl woman selling produce from a wheel-barrow

Billingsgate one of the gates of London, and a fish market near it, frequented by mariners; renowned for its unrestrained and vulgar atmosphere

waterman a seaman, a mariner

to wear the horns to be cuckolded

full flowing bowl a brimming mug--implying that this song was meant to be sung in a pub

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Michael Hancher Department of English, University of Minnesota URL: <http://mh.cla.umn.edu/barrow.html> Comments to: mh@umn.edu Created 29 June 1997