The Flash Lad

At seventeen I took a wife,
I loved her dearly as I loved my life;
And to maintain her both fine and gay,
I went a-robbing 
I went a-robbing on the King's highway. 

I never robbed any poor man yet,
Nor any tradesman did I beset;
I robbed both lords and the ladies bright,
And brought their gold
And brought their gold to my heart's delight. 

To Cuper's Garden I took my way,
With my dear wife for to see the play;
Lord Fielding's gang they did me pursue,
And I was taken 
And I was taken by the cursed crew. 

My father cried, "O, my darling son."
My wife she wept and sighed. "I am undone."
My mother tore her white locks and cried;
O, in his cradle 
O, in his cradle he should have died. 

And when I'm dead and in my grave
A flashy funeral pray let me have;
With six bold highwaymen to carry me.
Give them good broadswords
Give them good broadswords and liberty. 

Six pretty maidens to bear my pall,
Give them white garlands and ribbons all.
That they may say when they speak the truth
There goes a wild youth
There goes a wild and a wicked youth
 







The Ned Fielding who shows up in the 'The Flash Lad' is the same man who, as Henry Fielding, was, and is, loved for his novels. But, as much as he was loved by readers, so was he hated by those who came in contact with what became known as his Gang, who were organised by him as an early police force in London - and a brutal bunch they were. [Martin Carthy's note from the CD insert.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Note provided by Ed Pellow.
The novelist Henry Fielding (perhaps best known for his book Tom Jones) was appointed Justice of the Peace for Middlesex and Westminster in 1748. In 1749, along with his blind half-brother John, Fielding established the 'Bow Street Runners' who also became known as the 'gang'. Fielding worked hard on reducing crime and his 'gang' were both a forerunner of, and model for Robert Peel's police force of 1829.

The reference to 'Cupid's Garden' in the song is a corruption of 'Cuper's Garden'. 'Cuper's Garden was a park on the south side of the Thames opposite Somerset House. It was closed in 1753 'in consequence of the dissoluteness of its visitors'.

For whatever reason the song spread widely, with numerous versions having been reported in England, Ireland and the United States. A.L. Lloyd (1967) comments that 'Nearly every surviving traditional singer in England with anything like a decent repertory knows a version of 'The flash lad'. This version was collected by Cecil Sharp in Somerset.