Thresherman, The

The Thresherman

Roud 19

Collected by Francis Collinson from Harry Barling of South Willesborough, Ashford, Kent 3/12/1942.

1. It’s of a noble gentleman who lived down in Kent
   Close by where lived a thresher whose family was great
   Whose family was great though most of them were small
   And he’d nothing but hard labour to maintain them all
   
   
2. At times when he comes home from work as tired as could be
   He takes his youngest child and dances on his knee
   While others they come round with their sweet flattering toys
   And that’s the very comfort that a poor man enjoys
   
   
3. The noble gentleman he met the thresherman one day
   And boldly stepped up to him and these words then did say
   You have in all large family, we know it to be true
   And how is it you maintain they so well as you do?
   
   
4. Well I can reap and mow, and it’s I can plough and sow
   And sometimes it’s hedging and to ditching I do go
   There’s nothing comes amiss to me, the harrow or the plough
   And so I do maintain them by the sweat of my brow
   
   
5. My wife she is willing to join in the yoke
   We live just like two turtle doves, each other don’t provoke
   The times are very hard and we are very poor
   And can scarce keep the wolf and bear from the door
   
   
6. Well done, you noble thresherman, you speak well of your wife
   I will make you live happy all the rest of your life
   There forty-five good acres of land I’ll give to thee
   To maintain you and your wife and your sweet family
   
   
7. God bless that nobleman, he’s dead and he is gone
   I hope his soul’s in heaven to gain the better end
   The best one gone before us, and we’re left here to mend
   So we must follow after them as well as we can