The Recruited Collier

I haven't done anything on the 18th century for a while and what better than this song and this painting - both from the same era - the song is the sort of thing that would be great to sing around the fire at a reenactment - the art - the '2nd Hogarth' John Collet - The Recruiting Sergeant From Bridgeman Art

The Recruited Collier from Anne Briggs The Iron Muse; A Panorama of Industrial Folk Song

Oh, what's the matter with you, me lass,
And where's your dashing Jimmy?
The soldier boys have picked him up
And sent him far, far from me.
Last pay day he went off to town,
And them red coated fellows
Enticed him in and made him drunk,
And he'd be better gone to the gallows.
The very sight of his cockade,
It sets us all a-crying,
And me I nearly fainted twice,
I thought that I was dying.
My father would have paid the smart
And he'd run for the golden guinea.
But the sergeant swore he'd kissed the book,
So now they've got young Jimmy.
When Jimmy talks about the wars
It's worse than death to hear him.
I must go out and hide my tears
Because I cannot bear him.
A brigadeer or grenadier
He says they're sure to make him.
But aye, he jibes and cracks his jokes
And begs me not forsake him.
As I walked o'er the stubble field,
Below it runs the seam,
I thought o' Jimmy hewing there,
But it was all a dream.
He hewed the very coals we burn,
And when the fire I's leeting.
To think the lumps was in his hands,
It sets my heart a-beating.
[For seven long years he courted me,
Now I can't live without him.
There's nothing left for me to do
But sit and think about him.]
So break my heart and then it's o'er,
So break my heart, my dearie.
For I'll lie in the cold green ground
For of single life I'm weary.