THE Unfortunate WELCH-MAN; OR The Untimely Death of Scotch JOCKEY

THE Unfortunate WELCH-MAN; OR The Untimely Death of Scotch JOCKEY

If her will Fight, her cause to right, as daring to presume To Kill and Slay, then well her may take this to be her Doom. To the Tune of, The Country-Farmer. This may be Printed, R. P.

Switches from male to female pronoun: not sure if this is about a man or woman. Shonny-ap-Morgan rides to London to see his nephew cousin Taffie, and befriends a Scot in a tavern, Jockey, who leaves him to cover the bill. Enraged, he kills him and is condemned to die. A gentleman robber asks not to be executed near him, further enraging Shonny.

Magdalene College - Pepys Library, Pepys Ballads 2.173; EBBA 20790

STout Shonny-ap-morgan to London would ride,
To seek Cousen Taffie what ever betide,
Her own Sisters Son, whom her loved so dear,
Her had not beheld him this many long year:
Betimes in the morning stout Shonny arose,
And then on the journey with courage her goes,
A Cossit of gray was the best of her cloaths,
Her Boots they were out at the heels and toes.

A Sword by her side, and with Bob the gray Mare,
Her rid on the road like a Champion so rare,
At last how it happen'd to her hard lot,
To meet with young Jockey, a bonny brisk Scot:
Then Jockey was jolly, and thus he did say,
Let's gang to the Tavern, drink wine by my fay,
Then Shonny consented, and made no delay,
But Jockey left Shonny the reckoning to pay.

While Morgan was merry, and thinking no ill,
The Scotch-man he used the best of his skill,
Considering how he might scamper away,
For why Sir, he never intended to pay,
But like a false Loon he slipt out of doors,
And never intended to come there no more,
Poor Shonny-a-Morgan was left for the score,
[Cut-zo] her was never so served before.

Her paying the Shot, then away her went,
The Welch Blood was up, and her mind was bent.
For speedy persuing he then did prepare,
Then Morgan did mount upon Bob the Gray-Mare,
Then Whip and Spur stout Shonny did ride,
And overtook Jockey near to a Wood-side,
And pull'd out her Sword in the height of her Pride
And wounded poor Jockey who suddenly dy'd.

Then Shonney was taken and hurry'd to Jayl,
Where her till the Sessions did week and bewail,
And then at the last, by the Laws of the Land,
Was brought to the Bar to hold up her hand:
O good her Lord Shudge, poor Shonny did cry,
Now whip her and send her to Wales her Country,
Or cut off a Leg, or an arm, or an Eye,
For her is undone if Condemned to dye.

But this would not do, poor Shonny was cast,
And likewise received her Sentence at last,
A Gentleman Robber just at the same time,
Received just Sentence then due for his crime:
Then Shonny-a-morgan her shed many tears,
Her heart was possessed with sorrow and fears,
The Gentleman-Thief likewise hung down his ears
For then he expected his ancient arrears.

The day being come they must both bid adieu,
Forsaking the world and the rest of their crew,
The Spark was attir'd so gallant and gay,
But Shonny was poor and in ragged array:
Then when they came both to the Gibbet-Tree,
The Gentleman gave to the Hangman a fee,
And said let this Welch-Man hang farther from me
So vile and so ragged a Rascal is he.

The Welch-man he heard him, and was in a rage,
That nothing almost could his passion asswage;
But fretting and chaffing he thus did begin,
Her will make her know that her came of good kin,
Besides, her will tell her his hearty belief,
That her is no more then a Gentleman thief,
That rob'd on the Roads, and the plain, & the heath,
Her now will Hang by her in spight of her teeth.

hanging

murder, highway robbery

Printed for J. Deacon, at the Angel in Guiltspur-street:

The Country Farmer, is also known as, King James's Jig