Gilderoy

Now Gilderoy was a bonny boy and he would not the ribbons wear;
he pulled off his scarlet coat, he gartered below his knee.
He was beloved by the ladies so fair, he was such a rakish boy;
he was my sovereign, my heart's delight, my charming young Gilderoy.

Young Gilderoy and I were born all in one town together,
and at the age of sixteen years we courted one another.
Our dads and mothers both did agree and crowned with mirth and joy,
to think upon our wedding day, with me and my Gilderoy.

Now Gilderoy and I walked out all in the fields together,
he took me round the waist so small, and down we went together;
and after he done all a man could do he rose and kissed his joy,
he was my sovereign, my heart's delight, my charming young Gilderoy.

What a pity it is that a man should be hanged for stealing women,
where he neither robbed house or land, he stole neither horse nor mare.
He was beloved by the old and young, he was such a rakish boy,
he was my sovereign, my heart's delight, my charming young Gilderoy.

Now Gilderoy for some time has been dead and a funeral we must have,
with a brace of pistols by his side to guard him to the grave;
for he was beloved by the old and the young, he was such a rakish boy,
he was my sovereign, my heart's delight, my charming young Gilderoy.

from the notes: "freebooters such as Gilderoy were heartily disliked
by the common people because of their ruthlessness and rapacity...in
July, 1636, he was executed in Edinburgh...some similarities between
'Gilderoy' and ['Geordie'] will be seen." RP
(Source: R. Palmer, ed., Book of English Country Songs, 1979)

WH
oct97