The Lincolnshire poacher
Language: English
When I was bound apprentice in famous Lincolnshire, Full well I served my master for more than seven year Till I took up to poaching as you will quickily hear; O 'tis my delight on a shining night, in the season of the year. As me and my companions were setting of a snare, 'Twas there we spied the game-keeper, for him we did not care, For we can wrestle and fight, my boys, and jump o'er anywhere; O 'tis my delight on a shining night, in the season of the year. As me and my companions were setting four or five, And taking on 'em up again, we caught a hare alive, We took the hare alive, my boys, and thro' the woods did steer, O 'tis my delight on a shining night, in the season of the year. I threw him on my shouldier, and then we trudgèd home, We took him to a neighbour's house, and sold him for a crown, We sold him for a crown, my boys, but I did not tell you where, O 'tis my delight on a shining night, in the season of the year. Success to every gentleman that lives in Lincolnshire, Success to every poacher that wants to sell a hare, Bad luck to every game-keeper that will not sell his deer, O 'tis my delight on a shining night, in the season of the year.
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "The Lincolnshire poacher" [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Ted Perry
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 236