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Four Drunken Maidens (2) 
Four Drunken Maidens (2) 
There was four drunken maidens came from the Isle of white They drank from munday morning till saturday at night before they would give out and the four drunken maidens shall have the other bout 
T]hen in came peggy sanders She was as brisk as bloom C]ome sit about four and mecke for me some room ill be worthy of my seat before I will give out and the four drunken maidens shall have the other bout 
There was Peacok and Kapon there was Rabits an hare and all sorts of Dainties no] sarcities was there There was fourty pints of malaga they freely drank it out
 The four drunken maiden Shall have the other bout 
There came four farmers of courage stout and strong and giving to each maiden a p---k nine inches long a p---k nine inches long
 beside the very snout and the four drunken maidens will have the other bout 
They called for the Drawer the reconning for to pay there's eight and fourty pound
 and make it no delay This was twelve pound the piece before the(y) would give out 
and the four drunken maidens will have the other bout 
As peggy was a going home she met her mother gay Where have you been dear daughter this leeve long summers day I have been Fering(?) a sick wife that's freely tuml'd out and the four drunken maidens shall have another bout 
Where are your fine clothen you had the other day and likewise your fine ferbeloes that was so fine and gay They were neither fine nor gay mother so make no more adoe for the ranting roerring maidens shall have the other bout
 The above is an unpublished text from a MS copy, c 1740-50, in the National Library of Scotland, NLS MS 6299. Although somewhat defective, I couldn't resist the striking fourth verse of this version, and this illustrates how later versions were revised.
 A. L. Lloyd sang a version of this song on a recording 'English Drinking Songs' Riverside RLP 12- 618, about 1960. From his notes it would appear that he got it pub singers, possibly collated with a chapbook of about 1760, <<Charming Phyllis's Garland>>. He does not say were he got his tune, which is vaguely similar to the one here. Lloyd's version has many minor verbal differences, but his last verse is significantly different and I append it following the main text.
 The tune has recently been published from the Northumberland Vickers' manuscript of c 1770-5, by Matt Seattle in <<The Great Northern Tune Book>>, #527, 1987, but I use another copy which differs slightly in timing in the last half of the two middle measures of each strain. It is the last tune in a manuscript collection of song and dance tunes, Folger Shakespeare Library MS 
V.b. 410, which is, in my estimation, of about 1760-2. The two latest tunes in it are dated c 1760 in BUCEM, Arne's "Jessy" from <<The Merchant of Venice>>, and James Oswald's "The maid that's made for love and me." The earliest copy of the tune, one I have not seen, is in Book 4 of Walsh's <<Caledonian Country Dances>>, c 1744. 
Logan's text in <<The Pedlar's Pack>> 
The Four Drunken Maidens 
Four drunken Maidens came from the Isle of Wight, Drunk from Monday morning till Saturday night; When Saturday night came they would not go out, And the four drunken Maidens they pushed the jug about. 
In came Bouncing Sally and her cheeks like any bloom, "Sit about dear sister and give me some room, I will be worthy of my room before I do go out" And the four drunken Maidens they pushed the jug about. 
There wa wood-cock and pheasants, partridges and hare,' And all sorts of dainties; no scarcity was there; There was forty quarts of Malaga, they fairly drank it out And the four drunken Maidens they pushed the jug about. 
Down came the landlady to see what was to pay, This is a forty pound bill to be drawn on this day; There is ten pounds apiece and they would not go out, And the four drunken Maidens they pushed the jug about. 
Sally was a walking along the highway, And she meet with her mother and unto her did say; "Where is the head dress you had the other day? And where is your mantle so gallant and so gay," "So galant and so gay we had no more to do, We left them in the alehouse; we had a randan row" 
A. L. Lloyd's last verse 
O! where are your feathered hats, your mantles rich and fine? They've all been swallowed up in tankards of good wine. And where are your maidenheads, you maidens brisk and gay? We've left them in the alehouse, we've drunk them all away. 
WBO Apr98