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Annotation:Widow (The)
X:1 T:Widow, The M:6/8 L:1/8 R:Air B:Thomson - Orpheus Caledonius vol. 2 (1733, No. 5, p. 17) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:G G|B A B G/A/B G|A D c TA3G|B A B G A G |B A B g2g| f e d B/c/d e|d B g A2G| g f e d e G|B3 d2|| d|g a b a b g |a d b a2 g|g a b a b g|f>e d g2g| f>e d e d e |g d B Aa f|g2 e/f/ g d e G |B3 d2||
WIDOW, THE. AKA and see "Wappat the Widow my Lady," "Widdow Lady (The)." Scottish, Air (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. London dancing master Thomas Wilson included the tune in his Companion to the Ball Room (1816), noting that it was a "very old" tune. The melody proceeded him in print by more than century in Henry Playford's Original Scotch Tunes (1700) as "annotation:Wappat the Widow my Lady", a title (or variations of it) that is usually attached to the melody. Words to "The Widow" were printed in William Thomson's Orpheus Caledonius, vol. 2 (1733) and go:
The Widow can bake, the widow can brew,
The widow can shape and the widow can sew;
And mony braw things the widow can doe,
Then wap at the widow my Ladie.
With Courage attack her baith early and late,
To Kiss her and clap her ye mauna be blate;
Speak well and doe better for that is the Gate,
To win a young widow my Ladie.
The Widow she’s youthfu’, and never a Hair,
The war of the Wearing, and has a good Skair;
Of every thing lovely; she’s witty and fair,
And has a rich Jointure, my Laddie.
What cou’d ye with better your Pleasure to crown,
Than a Widow, the bonniest Toast in the Town,
With naithing, but draw your Stoll and sit down,
And sport with the Widow, my Laddie?
Then till’er and kill’er with Courtesie dead,
Tho’ stark Love and Kindness be all ye can plead;
Be heartsome and airy, and hope to succeed,
With a bonny gay Widow, my Laddie.
Strike Iron while ‘tis her, if ye’d have it to wald,
For Fortune ay favours the active and bauld;
But ruins the Woer that’s thouless and cauld,
Unfit for the Widow, my Laddie.
