Three Brothers in Fair Warwickshire
Three Brothers in Fair Warwickshire
All for three brothers in fair Warwickshire,
Three daring fellows you all shall hear;
To rob and plunder was their intent,
To go robbing along the highway they went. As sung by Danny Brazil, 6 May 1966 (Springthyme 66.5.1). Also part recited by Lemmy Brazil, Walham Tump, Gloucester 28 December 1966 (Springthyme 66.9.2). In: Shepheard, Peter. Folk Songs and Ballads of the Brazil Family of Gloucester (1967).
| 1. All for three brothers in fair Warwickshire, Three daring fellows you all shall hear; To rob and plunder was their intent, To go robbing along the highway they went. 2. The first they met was Lord Granuaille, With his coach and four there they did rebay; [rebay: beat back. Fr: rebattre The heavy blow struck him on the head, And they left him on the highway for dead. 3. They took his watch and his money too, So soon they provèd his sad overthrow; They run away, its with all the speed, And they left him on the highway to bleed. 4. Now as they were taken all for the same, They were put in prison to the trial come; They were put in prison bound in iron strong, Unto the assizes it did come on. 5. Now at the bar these three young men ’peared, They was pleading guilty you all shall hear; The judge and jurymen all did say, “For its they are cast and condemned to die.” 6. The age, the age of you young men three, Your age, your age you come tell to me; “One eighteen, nineteen and the other twenty, Isn’t it a shock and a sight to see, Three clever young men on the gallows tree?” 7. [not sung by Danny 8. At the bar their poor mother ’peared, She was wringing her tender hands, tearing out her hair; Saying, “Judge and jurymen spare their lives, For they are my sons and my heart’s delight.” 9. “It’s go you home dearest woman dear, We have just told them of their shocking fate; For tomorrow morning at the hour of three, You can claim their bodies from the gallers tree.” 10. “It’s go you home dearest mother dear, You have come too late for our time is near; Tomorrow morning, that is the day, From all our friends we must die away.” 11. Come all you people that is standing by, That have come here for to see us die; You shun bad company take to good ways, That’s the way to live and see happy days.” |
1. All for three brothers in fair Warwickshire, Three daring fellers you all shall hear; To rob and plunder was their intent, To go robbing on the highway they went. 2. ditto (agreed) 3. ditto (agreed) 4. ditto (agreed) 5. ditto (agreed) 6. The age, the age of you young men three, The age, the age, you come tell to me; “One eighteen, nineteen and the other twenty, Isn’t it a shock and a sight to see, Three daring young fellers on the gallows tree?” 7. The names, the names of you young men three, Your names, your names you come tell to me; “My name is Will Atkin from once I came.” “Yes, and many a time I’ve heard your name.” 8. At the bar their poor mother ’peared, She was wringing her hands, tearing her hair; Saying, “Judge and jurymen spare their lives, For they are my sons and my heart’s delight.” 9. “Oh no dear woman you have come too late, We have just told them of their shocking fate; For tomorrow morning at the dawn of day, From all their friends they must die away.” 10. “It’s go you home dearest mother dear, You have come too late for our time is near; Tomorrow morning at the hour of three, You may claim our bodies from the gallows tree.” 11. ditto (agreed) |
| 1: It was interesting to note that the 5 line verse 6 was sung that way by both Danny and Lemmie. 2: The verse 7 was not sung by Danny initially but was agreed by Danny in December 1966 after Lemmie had given the verse. 3. Lemmie has verses 9 and 10 in a better state than Danny - who, I would be pretty sure and suggest, has the couplets paired together wrongly probably brought about by starting verse 9 with the first line of verse 10. 4: When I put together the song text for the book Folk Songs and Ballads of the Brazil Family of Gloucester for presenting to the family at Christmas 1967, I selected verses 9 and 10 from Lemmie. 5: When Mike Yates recorded the song from Danny in 1978 he included the vere 7 naming one of the robbers Will Atkin - but placed it before the irregular 5 line verse 6. He also omitted his verse 9 but sang his verse 10. The Mike Yates text is in Traveller’s Joy EFDSS (2006) pps 111-113.. 6: The song as sung by Danny Brazil is on the Musical Traditions CD The Brazil Family: Down by an Old Riverside MTCD 345-7. |
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