Botany Bay (OT2003-3012-016)

Botany Bay (OT2003-3012-016)

Song excerpted from audio recording OT2003-3012, part of VFC2003-0007 Margaret MacArthur Collection.

Margaret MacArthur Collection -- VFC2003-0007. Vermont Folklife Center Archive, Vermont Folklife Center, Middlebury, Vermont, United States of America.

1964-07-15

en

VFC2003-0007 OT2003-3012-016

Vermont Folklife Center

Botany Bay

Botany Bay

Folk Music Index (http://www.ibiblio.org/folkindex)

[Boston Burglar starts at 0:12]

Oh I was born in Boston a city you all know well
Brought up by honest parents to you the truth to you I'll tell
Brought up by honest parents and raised most tenderly
Until I became a sporting man at the age of twenty-three

My character was taken and I was sent to jail
My friends found that it was in vain for to get me out on bail
The jury found me guilty the clerk done wrote it down
The judge then passed my sentence I was sent to Charlestown

I was put on board an eastern train that cold December day
And at every station that I passed I could hear the people say
There goes the Boston Burglar in strong chains he be bound
For some crime or another he is off to Charlestown

There stood aged father, saw me went to the bar
Likewise my aged mother, a-tearing of her hair
A-tearing of her old gray locks, for the tears came rolling down
Saying, son dear son what have you done, that you're off to Chralestown?

There is a girl in Boston a girl that I love well
And ever I gain my liberty alone with her I'll dwell
If ever I get my liberty bad company I'd shun
Likewise like [rucking?] gambling and also drinking rum

All you who have your liberty pray keep it if you can
And don't go round the streets at night to break the laws of man
For if you do you'll surely rue and find yourself like me
Who is serving out you twenty-one years in the penitentiary

[Discussion about the origin of the songs, Fred talks about his grandfather John A. Atwood, who came from New York State.]
[Botany Bay, the "English version" of Boston Burglar, starts at 5:40]

Brought up I was in Lincolnshire
A place I know it well
Brought up by honest parents
To you the truth I'll tell
I became a wicked lad
[unintelligible]

Taken I was committed to jail
On me they did prevail
The jury found me guilty
The judge to me did say
The jury's found you guilty my boy
And you're going into Botany Bay

As we sailed down the river
the twenty-ninth of May
But every ship that we passed by
I could hear the people say
There goes a low but clever lad
They're going botany bay

There stood my aged father dear
So me went to the bar
Likewise my aged mother
A-tearing of her hair
A-tearing of her old grey locks
Whhat she to me did say
Oh son dear son what have you done
That you're going into Botany Bay

[Atwood has difficulty recalling lyrics]
There is a girl in Lincolnshire
A girl I love well
And if ever I get my liberty
Alone with her I'll dwell
I'd shun all evil company
Bid adieu to [unintelligible]

[Atwood cannot recall final lines]

References:

• "Boston Burglar." Mudcat Cafe. http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=100659.
• "Botany Bay." Mudcat Café . http://mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=866.
• E. David Gregory. The Late Victorian Folksong Revival. Scarecrow Press (2010). Google Books link.
• Laws index number L9 (The Boston Burglar). Laws, G. Malcolm. Native American Balladry. University of Texas Press (1964).

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