ABSTRACT
Although common soldiers were notoriously poor and could be regarded with contempt by civilians, the army could occasionally offer poor recruits an opportunity for social advancement. Hard-working sober soldiers who gained the respect of their officers had the chance to gain an education and promotion. The bright hue of the uniform and the good posture and bearing of the soldier had long been recognised to attract the weaker sex, and some of the most handsome soldiers could find their prospects improved through the patronage of a doting lady. This particular ballad—which can be dated fairly precisely to the first three years of the nineteenth century—depicted a soldier who attracted the eye of a wealthy young woman. She vowed to marry him (even paying for the marriage licence), buy him a Captain’s commission, and travel with him, which would have vastly improved his future prospects. The only known copy is in the Bodleian collection and its condition has made the last two lines partially illegible. The theme of a soldier benefiting from a strategic marriage provided fodder for other ballads such as Paddy Carey, below.
