If you would like to use our texts and translations, please click here for more information.
Text
‘Twas within a furlong of Edinboro’ Town
English source:
Thomas d'Urfey
'Twas within a furlong of Edinborough Town,
In the rosy time of year when the grass was down;
Bonny Jocky blithe and gay,
Said to Jenny making hay,
Let's sit a little (dear) and prattle, 'tis a sultry day.
He long had courted the black-brown maid,
But Jocky was a wag and would ne'er consent to wed,
Which made her Pish and Pooh,
And cry out it will not do,
I canot, cannot, wonnot, wonnot buckle to.
He told her marriage was grown a mere joke,
And that no one wedded now but the scoundrel folk,
Yet my dear thou should'st prevail,
But I know not what I ail,
I shall dream of clogs and silly dogs
With bottles at their tail;
But I'll give thee gloves and a bongrace to wear,
And a pretty filly-foal to ride out and take the air,
If thou ne'er wil't Pish and Pooh,
And cry it ne'er will do,
I cannot, cannot, wonnot, wonnot buckle to.
That you'll give me trinkets, cried she, I believe,
But ah! what in return must your poor Jenny give;
When my maiden treasure's gone,
I must gang to London-Town,
And roar and rant, and patch and paint,
And kiss for half-a-crown;
Each drunken bully oblige for pay,
And earn a hated living in an odious fulsome way,
No, no, no, it ne'er shall do,
For a wife I'll be to you,
Or I cannot, cannot, wonnot, wonnot buckle to.
In the rosy time of year when the grass was down;
Bonny Jocky blithe and gay,
Said to Jenny making hay,
Let's sit a little (dear) and prattle, 'tis a sultry day.
He long had courted the black-brown maid,
But Jocky was a wag and would ne'er consent to wed,
Which made her Pish and Pooh,
And cry out it will not do,
I canot, cannot, wonnot, wonnot buckle to.
He told her marriage was grown a mere joke,
And that no one wedded now but the scoundrel folk,
Yet my dear thou should'st prevail,
But I know not what I ail,
I shall dream of clogs and silly dogs
With bottles at their tail;
But I'll give thee gloves and a bongrace to wear,
And a pretty filly-foal to ride out and take the air,
If thou ne'er wil't Pish and Pooh,
And cry it ne'er will do,
I cannot, cannot, wonnot, wonnot buckle to.
That you'll give me trinkets, cried she, I believe,
But ah! what in return must your poor Jenny give;
When my maiden treasure's gone,
I must gang to London-Town,
And roar and rant, and patch and paint,
And kiss for half-a-crown;
Each drunken bully oblige for pay,
And earn a hated living in an odious fulsome way,
No, no, no, it ne'er shall do,
For a wife I'll be to you,
Or I cannot, cannot, wonnot, wonnot buckle to.
Composer
Henry Purcell
Henry Purcell (c. 10 September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer. It is said that he began composing at nine years old. As an adult, he became organist at Westminster Abbey, and later the Chapel Royal. Information from Wikipedia. For…