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Posted by IONA England folk correspondent, 1st Mar 2006
Hard to imagine that the posh suburb of Islington with its connections with senior figures in the British Labour Party would be a place of folk inspiration but back in the mid 18th century when this song was penned Islington was on the edge of the capital and surrounded by rural Middlesex. This is a "round" where the final two sentences in each verse are meant to be sung by another person other than the main singer.
There was a fair maid of Islington
As I heard many tell
And she was going to London town
Her pears and apples to sell.
As she was going along the road
A vintner did her espy
" And what shall I give, fair maid, says he
One night with you to lie ?"
2. If you would lie with me one night
You must give me five pounds
A match, a match, the vintner said
And so let this go round.
When he had lain with her all night
Her money she did crave.
"O no, O no, the vintner said
The devil a penny you'll have."
3. This maid she made no more ado
But to the justice went;
This vintner hired a cellar of me
And will not pay the rent.
Then straight the justice for him sent
And asked the reason why
"That he would pay this maid no rent
To which he did reply."
4. Although I hired a cellar of her
And the possession was mine
I ne'er put anything into it
But one small pipe of wine.
This fair maid being ripe of wit
She straight replied again
"There lay two butts at the cellar door
Why didn't you roll them in ?"
5. The justice told the vintner plain
If he a tenant be
He must expect to pay the price
For he could not sit rent-free.
And when the maid her money got
She put it in her purse
"And clapped her hand o'er the cellar door
And swore it was never the worse. "
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