Also known as "The Broomfield Wager", this ballad has been collected in many versions and was published several times as a broadside, perhaps the earliest being printed in London between 1711 and 1732 with the title "The Merry Broomfield: or, The West Country Wager". It is known in America as "The May Blooming Field" or "The Hardhearted Young Man," possibly brought to Utah by Mormon immigrants.

Broom is known to be a soporific, which explains why the squire went to sleep and the lady managed to preserve her virginity, and thus win the bet.

The song has been recorded by several folksingers including Ewan MacColl, Cyril Poacher, Bob Fox, Tim Hart and Maddy Prior and June Tabor.

This song was requested by JimBell1984.

You can watch a playlist of my renditions of the Child ballads here:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=B2D0D5657EA394E4

For lyrics and chords of my songs, please go to my website: http://www.raymondcrooke.com