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Thornaby Woods

from "Rule of Thumb" by Sean Smith

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This is a poaching song from Nottinghamshire, also known as “Thornymoor Woods,” I first heard sung by Roy Bailey. I originally played it in 6/8 using a plectrum, but eventually I found this unsatisfying, so I switched to thumb-picking and mucked about with the time signature.

lyrics

In Thornaby Woods in Nottinghamshire
Right fa-la-la, right fal day
In Thornaby Woods in Nottinghamshire
Right fal-the-lar-a-lay
Three keepers houses they stood three square
About a mile from each other they were
Their orders was to look out for the deer
Right fal-the-lar-a-lay

Well me and me dogs we went out one night
The moon and stars all shining bright
Over hedges, ditches, fields and stiles
With my three dogs all at my heels
To catch a buck in the Thornaby fields

That very first night we had bad luck
For one of me very best dogs got shot
He come to me so bloody and lame
How sorry was I for to see the same
Him not being able to follow the game

Looked at his wounds and I found them slight
Done by some keeper out of spite
I'll take my pike staff in my hand
And I'll search the woods 'til I find that man
Tan his old hide right well I can

Then I went home and I went to bed
And Limping Jack went in me stead
He searched the woods all round and round
Till he found a buck lying on the ground
My little dog gave the death wound

We found a butcher to skin the game
Likewise another to sell the same
The very first joint that we made for sale
It was to some woman who sold bad ale
She had us off to the Nottingham Gaol

Now Nottingham assizes are drawing nigh
And us three chaps have got to be tried
Oh the gentlemen laughed them all to scorn
That such an old bugger should be foresworn
All into small pieces she should've been torn

Now Nottingham assizes are over and past
And us three chaps we got free at last
Now the bucks and does shall ne'er go free
For a-poaching is the life for me
And a poacher I will always be

credits

from "Rule of Thumb", released November 6, 2017

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Sean T. Smith Boston, Massachusetts

Sean Smith has been playing folk music since his teens, with a focus on the traditions of Ireland, Scotland and England in particular. He's been active in the Greater Boston music scene since the early '80s, and been part of numerous collaborations. He also writes about music for BostonIrish.com, helps organize an annual Celtic music festival, and has been known to drink Ballantine Ale. ... more

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