The Pretty Ploughboy

[Hester]

Well, today is Plough Monday, the first Monday after Epiphany (January 6th), when the Xmas holidays officially ended, and farm workers had to go back to their usual labour, such as ploughing the fields.

Of course, heading back to work after a holiday is never much fun, so the plough boys would ham it up a bit with some extended misrule that involved sword dancing, etc.:

http://www.halikeld.f9.co.uk/traditions/st...tots/stots2.htm

Now, while ploughing the fields may have been an onerous chore, it was still preferable to being impressed into the Navy!

Here's a broadside ballad that dates back to 1797, in which a handsome plough boy is abducted by the Press Gang at the instigation of his young love's parents. His true love follows him aboard the ship and rescues him from this form of slavery on the high seas:

http://www.contemplator.com/england/ploughboy.html

Cheers, Hester

[CapnJake]

Hester, thank you for sharing this fascinating piece.

[Tenter]

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