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Title
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Downhill of life
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Singer
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Couling, Lot
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Notes
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Note 1
Alfred Williams - 'Song popular at Kempsford and Poulton.'
Note 2
The printed version is:
With a porch at my door, both for shelter and shade too,
Or sunshine or rain may prevail
A small plot of ground for the use of my spade too,
And a barn for the use of my flail;
A cow for my dairy, a dog for my game
A purse when a friend wants to borrow
I'll not envy a Nabob his riches or fame
Or what honours may wait him tomorrow
Tomorrow, tomorrow,
Or what honours may wait him tomorrow
The manuscript has an asterisk after the title followed by [missing verse]. In pencil in another hand is 'doubtful inclusion'. Gl 122 also contains an asterisk between the second and third verses and this is how the song is printed as a four verse song.
However, a comparison of the published version of the song with this shows that an amended version was used as verse 3 in copy ascribed to George Herbert. This may be one of the few examples where it is possible to identify how Williams linked his collected versions together.
Transcribed and edited by Chris Wildridge, 2007.
