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(Man of) Newlyn Town

[ Roud 490 ; Laws L12 ; Ballad Index LL12 ; trad.]

Martin Carthy sang Newlyn Town in 1966 on his Second Album. A live recording with Dave Swarbrick at the Folkus Folk Club in 1966 was released on Both Ears and the Tail and on the anthology The Carthy Chronicles. Martin Carthy commented in the original album's sleeve notes:

The ballad-mongers at public executions in the 18th century used to do a roaring trade in songs purporting to be the "Criminal's Last Goodnight", often in the form of a confession or apologia. This was a great period for the villain-hero, especially for highwaymen. The Beggar's Opera talks of the "the youth in the car hath the air of a Lord", and we say "there dies an Adonis". The whole attitude is summed up in Clever Tom Clinch Going to Be Hanged by Jonathan Swift.

Roger Nicholson sang Newlyn Town in 1972 on his Trailer album Nonesuch for Dulcimer.

Lyrics

Martin Carthy sings Newlyn Town

In Newlyn Town I was bred and born
At Stephen's Green there I die in scorn
I served me time at the saddling trade
And I was always
And I was always a roving blade

At seventeen I took a wife
And I loved her dear as I loved me life
To keep her happy both night and day
I went a robbing
I went a robbing on the broad highway

I robbed Lord Golding I do declare
And Lady Mansfield in Grosvenor Square
I shut the shutters and bid them good night
And home I took my loot
And home I took my loot to my heart's delight

To Covent Garden we went straightway
To Covent Garden to see a play
Ned Fielding's gang there did me pursue
And I was taken
And I was taken by that cursed crew

And when I'm dead and go to my grave
A fine and flashy funeral let me have
With six bold highwaymen to carry me
Give them broadswords
Oh give them broadswords and sweet liberty

Oh six pretty doxies to carry my pall
Give them white ribbons and gloves and all
That when I'm gone they will tell me true
There goes a wild young man
There goes a wild young man and a wicked youth

Acknowledgements

Transcribed by Garry Gillard.