Our Goodman

The Text is from Herd's MSS., as given by Professor Child to form a regular sequence. The ballad also exists in an English broadside form.


The Story of the ballad has a close counterpart in Flemish Belgium, and in southern France. The German variants, however, have a curious history. The English broadside ballad was translated into German by F. W. Meyer in 1789, and in this form gained such popularity that it was circulated not only as a broadside, but actually in oral tradition,--with the usual result of alteration. Its vogue was not confined to Germany, but spread to Hungary and Scandinavia, a Swedish broadside appearing within ten years of Meyer's translation.


OUR GOODMAN

    1.
    Hame came our goodman,
        And hame came he,
    And then he saw a saddle-horse,
        Where nae horse should be.

    2.
    'What's this now, goodwife?
        What's this I see?
    How came this horse here,
        Without the leave o' me?'
    Recitative.
                'A horse?' quo' she.
                'Ay, a horse,' quo' he.

    3.
    'Shame fa' your cuckold face,
        Ill mat ye see!
    'Tis naething but a broad sow,
        My minnie sent to me.'
                'A broad sow?' quo' he.
                'Ay, a sow,' quo' shee.

    4.
    'Far hae I ridden,
        And farer hae I gane,
    But a saddle on a sow's back
        I never saw nane.'

    5.
    Hame came our goodman,
        And hame came he;
    He spy'd a pair of jack-boots,
        Where nae boots should be.

    6.
    'What's this now, goodwife?
        What's this I see?
    How came these boots here,
        Without the leave o' me?'
                'Boots?' quo' she.
                'Ay, boots,' quo' he.

    7.
    'Shame fa' your cuckold face,
        And ill mat ye see!
    It's but a pair of water-stoups,
        My minnie sent to me.'
                'Water-stoups?' quo' he.
                'Ay, water-stoups,' quo' she.

    8.
    'Far hae I ridden,
        And farer hae I gane,
    But siller spurs on water-stoups
        I saw never nane.'

    9.
    Hame came our goodman,
        And hame came he,
    And he saw a sword,
        Whare a sword should na be.

    10.
    'What's this now, goodwife?
        What's this I see?
    How came this sword here,
        Without the leave o' me?'
                'A sword?' quo' she.
                'Ay, a sword,' quo' he.

    11.
    'Shame fa' your cuckold face,
        Ill mat ye see!
    It's but a porridge-spurtle,
        My minnie sent to me.'
                'A spurtle?' quo' he.
                'Ay, a spurtle,' quo' she.

    12.
    'Far hae I ridden,
        And farer hae I gane,
    But siller-handed spurtles
        I saw never nane.'

    13.
    Hame came our goodman,
        And hame came he;
    There he spy'd a powder'd wig,
        Where nae wig shoud be.

    14.
    'What's this now, goodwife?
        What's this I see?
    How came this wig here,
        Without the leave o' me?'
                'A wig?' quo' she.
                'Ay, a wig,' quo' he.

    15.
    'Shame fa' your cuckold face,
        And ill mat you see!
    'Tis naething but a clocken-hen,
        My minnie sent to me.'
                'Clocken hen?' quo' he.
                'Ay, clocken hen,' quo' she.

    16.
    'Far hae I ridden,
        And farer hae I gane,
    But powder on a clocken-hen
        I saw never nane.'

    17.
    Hame came our goodman,
        And hame came he,
    And there he saw a muckle coat,
        Where nae coat shoud be.

    18.
    'What's this now, goodwife?
        What's this I see?
    How came this coat here,
        Without the leave o' me?'
                'A coat?' quo' she.
                'Ay, a coat,' quo' he.

    19.
    'Shame fa' your cuckold face,
        Ill mat ye see!
    It's but a pair o' blankets,
        My minnie sent to me.'
                'Blankets?' quo' he.
                'Ay, blankets,' quo' she.

    20.
    'Far hae I ridden,
        And farer hae I gane,
    But buttons upon blankets
        I saw never nane.'

    21.
    Ben went our goodman,
        And ben went he,
    And there he spy'd a sturdy man,
        Where nae man shoud be.

    22.
    'What's this now, goodwife?
        What's this I see?
    How came this man here,
        Without the leave o' me?'
                'A man?' quo' she.
                'Ay, a man,' quo' he.

    23.
    'Poor blind body,
        And blinder mat ye be!
    It's a new milking-maid,
        My mither sent to me.'
                'A maid?' quo' he.
                'Ay, a maid,' quo' she.

    24.
    'Far hae I ridden,
        And farer hae I gane,
    But lang-bearded maidens
        I saw never nane.'

Frank Sidgwick

Frank Sidgwick was an English writer, publisher, and scholarly editor. He was instrumental in popularizing ballad and folklore studies in the early 20th century. Sidgwick co-founded the publishing company Sidgwick & Jackson, which became known for its contributions to literature and scholarship. Though not primarily known as a poet, his editorial and publishing efforts significantly impacted the literary culture of his time, emphasizing the academic study of traditional songs and verses.

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Willie's Lady
The Text is from the lost Fraser-Tytler-Brown MS., this ballad luckily having been transcribed before the MS. disappeared. Mrs. Brown recited another and a fuller version to Jamieson.

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'A famous harper passing by
The sweet pale face he chanced to spy ...

The strings he framed of her yellow hair,
Whose notes made sad the listening air.'

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