User:Kit-Kat-Vision/Brisk Young Butcher

The Brisk Young Butcher is a traditional folk song (Roud #167). It tells of a butcher who comes into town and convinces a chambermaid to sleep with him for a sovereign, a gold coin. The next morning he tells the innkeeper he left his room's rent with the chambermaid, who is called down and forced to hand over the sovereign as his rent. The butcher leaves and he returns a year later. The chambermaid presents the man with the child they made that night as "the change" of the gold sovereign.

Lyrics

It's of a brisk young butcher as I have heard them say

He started out of London town all on a certain day

Says he "A frolic I will have, my fortune for to try

I will go into Leicestershire some cattle for to buy"

When he arrived at Leicester town he came into an inn

He called for an hostler and boldly he stepped in

He called for liquor of the best, he being a roving blade

And quickly fixed his eyes upon the lovely chambermaid

When she took up a candle to light him up to bed

And when she came into the room, these words to her he said:

"One sovereign I will give to you all to enjoy your charms"

And this fair maid all night to sleep all in the butcher's arms

'Twas early the next morning he prepared to go away

The landlord said "Your reckoning, sir, you have forgot to pay"

"Oh no", the butcher did reply "pray do not think it strange

A sovereign I gave your maid and I haven't got the change"

They straight way called the chambermaid and charged her with the same

The golden sovereign she laid down, prepared she'd get the blame

The butcher then went home, well pleased with what was passed

And soon this pretty chambermaid grew thick about the waist

'Twas in a twelve months after he came to town again

And then as he had done before he stopped at that same inn

'Twas then the buxom chambermaid she chanced him for to see

She brought a babe just three months old and placed him on his knee

The butcher sat like one amazed and at the child did stare

But when the joke he did find out, how he did stamp and swear

She said "Kind sir, it is your own, pray do not think it strange

One sovereign you gave to me and here I've brought your change"

So come all you brisk and lively blades I pray be ruled by me

Look well into your bargains before your money pay

Or soon perhaps your folly will give you cause to range

If ever you sport with pretty girls be sure to get your change.

Performances

This song has been performed by Steeleye Span and Kitty Donohoe.