Three Travelers

Words:
Tune:
Source: Coeur d'Ennui Letchers Guild Songbook Edited by William Coeur du Boeuf;
Thomas D'Urfey's Songs of Wit and Mirth, or Pills to purge Melancholy
Note from Letchers Guild Songbook:
This has to be the ultimate letcher's dream. In the PTPM penny is "stiver;" there are verses I have left out as they seem to slow down the main action of the song.

There were three travelers, travelers three,
(Hey down, ho down, lack a down derry!)
And they would go travel the north country
Without ever a penny of money!

At length, by good fortune, they came to an inn,
And they were as merry as ere they had been,
Without ever a penny of money!

A jolly young widow did smiling appear,
Who gave them a banquet of delicate cheer,
Without ever a penny of money!

They drank to their hostess a merry full bowl,
She pledged them in love, like a generous soul,
Without ever a penny of money!

The hostess, her maid and cousin, all three,
They kissed and made merry, as merry could be,
Without ever a penny of money!

When they had been merry good part of the day,
They called their hostess to know what to pay,
Without ever a penny of money!

"There's thirty good shillings and sixpence," she cried;
They told her that she should be soon satisfied,
Without ever a penny of money!

The handsomest man of the three, up he got,
Laid her on her back and he paid her the shot,
Without ever a penny of money!

The middlemost man to her cousin he went,
She being handsome, he gave her content,
Without ever a penny of money!

The last man of all, he took up with the maid,
And thus the whole shot, it was lovingly paid,
Without ever a penny of money!

The hostess, the cousin and servant, we find,
Made curtsies and thanked them for being so kind,
Without ever a penny of money!

Then, taking their leaves, they went merrily out.
They're gone for to travel the nation about
Without ever a penny of money!

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