^- :w- • ■•■- **5 ■.■»» ;■■"■* it. , -.-V ^v ■ • • \- V- ■ '^Tv-'i*-'!':';'.' ;,'^^'-; /^// n ■3^ L- A Little Book of Songs and Ballads. \ A/ •J-}^^=H-?- Printed by Arliss and Tuckeh,. 15, Frith Street, Snho. 'H^#^4^- A 9i Eittle iSoofe of g^ongs anti BallaDfi, gatljereti from Ancient JMustcft Bnofts. " , '^ ilE^. anti Prtntctr. 3 J > J » J A^ By E. F. RIMBAULT, LL.B. 8fc. Antique Ballads, sung to crowds of old, Now cheaply bought for thrice their weight in gold." London : Printed for JOHN EUSSELL SMITH, 4, Old Compton Street, Soho Square. ft M. DCCC. LI. jf^ TO THE PRESIDENT AND EELLOWS OF EJ)« Societg of Sntiquarits of ScotlantJ THIS TRIFLE IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, AS A SMALL ACKNOTVLEDGMENT OF THE HONOUR CONFERRED UPON THE EDITOR BY ELECTING HIM A CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THEIR LEARNED BODY. PS 42044: THE CONTENTS. ■^¥i'^^^- ^ Introduction I TAGS 1 I. Song in Praise of Arthur, Prince of Wales, a.d. 1501 21 II. This gentm Day dawes, MTitten in compUment to Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV . . . 24 III. Ballad on the Marriage of Margaret Tudor . . 27 IV. Margaret Meke 29 V. Satirical Song on the Flemings . . . . 31 VI. King Henry Ylllth's Expedition to France . . 33 VII. Satirical Song on Friar Gastkyn .... 35 VIII. The Kynges BaUade 37 IX. Song from the Interlude of the iiij Elements . 39 X. Jhoone is sike and ill at ease 40 XI. I had both Monie and a Frende .... 42 Vlll THE CONTENTS. ^ XII. A Caveat against Idle Rumours XIII . The Complaynte of a Lover XIV. Kytt hath lost hur Key XV. Another Version of the same XVI. By a Banke as I lay XVII. Another Version of the same XVIII. The lytyll prety Nyghtyngale ( XIX. I have been a Foster long XX. I cannot come every day to woo • XXI. A "Wooing Song of a Yeoman of Kent's Son XXII. Death, rocke me asleepe . XXIII. The Hunt is up XXIV. Come over the Biu*ne, Bessy, to me XXV. Ancient Lullaby Song .... XXVI. A Christmas Caroll XXVII. ^\Tio hveth so merry in all this Land PAGE 44 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 60 62 65 67 71 I 77 79 83 I I XXVIII. We be Souldiers three ) I XXIX. The Marriage of the Frogge and the Mouse 86 87 THE CONTENTS. IX I I XXX. The Frog's Wedding ^^89 > ; ) XXXI. There was a Froggie 92 ^ ■) XXXII. The ^Yedding of the Five 95 ^ ; XXXIII. Like Hermit poor 98 ^ XXXIV. With my Flockes as walked I . . . . 101 > > XXXV. The Rose of England 103 ' XXXVI. SirEglamore 106 XXXVII. Trole the Cannikin 109 > I XXXVIII. The Cuckoo's Song ^ ! XXXIX. The Hunter's Ballade 112 j XL. Martin said to his Man 115 i XLI. The Ballad of the Fox 118 S XLII. Sing, Gentle Butler, Balla Moy . . . .120 XLIII. A West-Country Ballad 122 XLIV. The Fayries' Daunce 125 <^ XLV. The Satyres' Daunce ..... 126 J < > I XLVI. The Urchms' Daunce 127 ? > XL VII. Tosse the Pot 128 i THE CONTENTS. PAGE XLVIII. Methinkes one Tooth is drj- 130 XLIX. The Morris Dancers 132 L. The Manner of the World now a days . . .134 LI. The Ape, the Monkey, and Baboone . . 135 > LII. Kemp's Journey into France . . . . 136 ^ LIII. Love will find out the Way . . . . 137 LIV. A May-Day BaUad 144 LV. The Rural Daunce about the May-pole . . 146 LVI. The North-Countrj-man's Song on his View of Lon- don Sights 151 ^ c < LVII. A Song for Autolycus 156 < LVm. BaUad on S^^non Wadloe 158 ( LIX. The Humours of Bartholomew Fair . . . 160 ^ LX. The New Humours of Bartholomew Fau* . . 162 ^ LXL A Song on Bartholomew Fah' . . . . 163 LXII. The CountrjTuan's Ramble through Bartholomew Fair 166 LXIII. Tobacco is an Indian Weed . . . . 170 ^ > THE CONTENTS. XI i LXIV. The Praise of Trinidado LXV. Tobacco's a Musician LXVI. Ale and Tobacco LXVII. The Triumph of Tobacco . LXVIII. Old England tum'd Ne\\ LXIX. The Lamentation of a Bad Market PAGE : 173 \ > 175 178 179 183 187 LXX. London's Ordinary; or, Every Man in his Humour 193 LXXI. A Tom-a-Bedlam Song LXXIL The Plain-Deahng Man 200 206 LXXIII. The Plain-Deahng Woman; or, Come Shepherds, Deck your Heads LXXIV. The Praise of Christmas L'Envoy Additional Notes and Illustrations 212 215 221 223 fc^ MS%^ >^' -C^ )^ ^ 'X 1 > 1 ' ^\ ' J > > » » • »?• ,» > » » > > » 9[ iltttle Boolfe of ^ongs INTRODUCTION. I HE Little Book of Songs AND Ballads, now oflPered to the public, is a gathering from various sources, and may be Hkened unto the \ wallet of one of those minstrels of the olden time, who " Walken fer and wyde, Here, and ther, in every syde, In many a diverse londe." It does not indeed contain the "lay of chi- valry,'' or the "romance of price;" but in it may be found rhymes adapted to the old tavern-min- / 2 INTRODUCTION. t ' * } ' • » » » » ' • • .' • : :^: a] rstrclsy used by harpers, who gave " a fit of mirth (, for a groat ;" " Carols for Christmas ;" " Poems i for Bride Ales/' as Puttenham, the arch-critic of < Elizabeth's reign, has it ; and " diverse small rimes," " Sum of love, and sum of wo, Sum of joie, and mirtlie also," The productions of the minstrels were of various kinds. The romance of chivahy seems principally to have been composed for the gratification of knights and nobles. Thus \ they frequently commence with an invitation to the " Lords," to listen and attend ; whilst, I on the other hand, it is probable that those \ < in the lower class of life were amused mth \ I lays of a nature more readily addressed to their \ feelings and occupations, and which were oc- '< casionally satirical, and generally ludicrous. ^ < i ~ ^ ^ See the Introduction to Utterson's Select Pieces of Early Popular Poetry. \ Of these the quaint and merry Skelton thus sings : — " Thougli my rime be ragged, Tattered and jagged, Eudely rain-beaten, Kusty, moth-eaten, If ye take well therewith, It hath in it some pith." Concerning this wandering class of men, the minstrels, much has been written ; but perhaps after all Bishop Percy was not far wrong when he designated them as " an order of men in the middle ages, who united the arts of poetry and music, and sung verses to the harp, of their own \ comjposing!' ^ \ The monastic education of the minstrels, and \ their intimate connection with the musical ser- > \ vice of the chmxh, has not, we think, been pro- \ perly investigated, or the qualifications which 4i INTRODUCTION. " I the learned bishop has awarded them would hardly have been disputed.^ "In all countries and in all ages the first and principal application of music has been uniformly to the purposes of religious worship ; and in order to provide a competent succession of per- sons capable of singing the different portions in the church service, and to guard it from corrup- tions, in consequence of the ignorance of those by whom it was sung, it was found necessary that music should form a part of the clerical education. It was therefore taught in the schools belonging to the monasteries, to such of i the children of the neighbourhood as were sent thither for education ; the system of instruction in which appears to have consisted of learning the psalms, probably by heart, and acquiring the > 3 Pqj. an impartial re\iew of the well-known dispute between Bishop > Percy and " Mister " Ritson, see the Introductoiy Essay prefixed > to the last edition of Sir Walter Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish ] Border. ■> ^ principles of music, singing, arithmetic, and grammar. By this method, boys were, from time to time, procured for the service of the choir, and a succession of singers secured to fill I up such vacancies as might be occasioned by ! deaths ; for some of these boys, when their voices I broke, perhaps betook themselves to the church I as their profession, embraced the monastic habit I and rule, and became ecclesiastical members of the foundation where they had been educated, i Others, on the contrary, disliking the monastic i restraint, and availing themselves of their musical J education, applied to music as their profession, I and were occasionally employed in the monas- I teries, to assist in the choir on Saints' days and I hio;h festivals, wlien a more solemn service was \ I performed, and a greater number of performers required. " In the intermediate space, these laymen sub- sisted by travelling about from the court or palace 5 \ 6 INTRODUCTION. > of one prince or nobleman to that of another, to \ entertain the lord and his guests in the character < of a minstrel, by singing legends of the saints in I verse, historical ballads, romances in verse, and other vocal compositions, loritten and set to music ] by themselves, and which they also smig, accom- panying themselves at the same time on some musical instrument. " Between the common ' violar ' and the cha- racter of the minstrel there existed this wide difference, that, while the former might be justly \ ranked with the lowest order of the people, the \ latter had the benefit of such a regular education, as would have qualified him for a profession of comparative learning and elegance.'^ In the \ schools of the monasteries, the minstrel had \ learnt something of the theoretical principles of I •* We read in the old romance of Launfel, \ " They had menstralles of moche honour, Fydelers, S5i;ol}TS, and trompeters." Thus clearly showing the cUstinction between the educated minstrel and ilhterate perfonners upon instruments. INTRODUCTION. music, the practical part of singing, and the elements of grammar; including also, perhaps as much knowledge of poetry as was sufficient for the composition of a song or ballad. Persons akeady acquainted with the principles of music, could find little difficulty in acquiring sufficient skill to play on the viol, or some such instrument, a simple melody ; and the whole of this together formed a sufficient body of theoretical science and practical skill, to enable them to compose and play a variety of simple tunes. Like the ecclesiastics, these men must have been disgusted \ with the monotony of the plain chant ; and that disposition to hilarity and merriment which they appear to have possessed, would natm^ally lead them to the composition of gay and hvely melo- dies. These they no doubt produced by making c variations on the church melodies ; a method \ knowTi to those skilled in church music, by the \ name of Descant. Extending their skill still \ 8 INTRODUCTION. further, they at length formed melodies of more originality, and became in time tlte sole authors of the music, as toell as of the loords, of the com- positions tvhich they sung and played. "Thus qualified by their education to teach what, it must be confessed, none were likely better to understand, it is no matter of surprise, that the minstrels and monks should have been, for some centuries, the only teachers of music in Europe. Travelling from place to place, and from the court of one prince to that of another, as the minstrels particularly did, they had oppor- tunities of disseminating the principles of musical erudition ; and in proportion to the degree of elegance and politeness to which their auditors had arrived, would be the disposition of those who heard their performances, to cultivate and practise the arts of music and poetry." ^ ^ An Essay on Minstrelsy, by John Sidney Hawkins, Esq., F. S. A. (MS. penes the Editor.) \ The minstrels at one period were of " moche honour," and of " great admittance " in the houses of the nobility. We have a curious picture of this in the romance of Orjoheo, who, when he is questioned by the king of the fairies how he had the audacity to enter his palace, replies, — " Syre, I trow wele I ame bot a pore mynstrelle, And 3 it it ys the maner off us For to seke to gret lordes hous ; And tlioff we not welcome be, Zit we beliovj^etli to prefere om* gle." The minstrels were frequently rewarded with gold chains or cups ; but robes and garments were the more usual presents. In the curious poem entitled TJie Vision of Piers Ploughman, (a. d. 1362) a minstrel thus describes himseK: — "I am a mynstrall, My name is Adiva-vita ; Al ydelnesse ich. liatie, Tor of actif is my name ; A wafrer, wol ye Avite, And seiTe manye lordes, And fewe robes I fonge, Or fiirrede gowTies. Coiitlie I lye to do men laughe, Tlianne lacelien I sliolde Outlier mantel or monie Amonges lordes or mynstrals." In the romance of Sir Isumhras it is said that — " He luffede glewmene wele in haulle, He gafe tlieme robis rielie of palle, Bothe o;olde and also fee." o In the romance of Sir Begrevant we read that — " MynstraUus hade in halle Grete gyftys witlialle, Rycli robus of palle, "With garnementus hale." And in another part of the same we are told that — " And c. pound and a stede He send the mynstralus to mede, Off gyffte was he never gnede, ffor wele nor for wo !" \ < INTUODUCTION. 11 < "In later times/' as Mr. T3i:ler justly observes,^ " the clergy were the bitter enemies of the min- strels, whom they considered as satirical rivals or intruders, who carried off from the church the money which might have been devoted to more pious and worthy uses. They talk of them as profligate, low-bred buffoons, who blow up their cheeks, and contort their persons, and play on horns, harps, trumpets, pipes, and moorish flutes, for the pleasure of their lords, and who, moreover, flatter them by songs and tales, and adulatory ballads, for which their masters are not \ ashamed to repay these ministers of the prince \ of darkness mth large sums of gold and silver, \ and with rich embroidered robes." I At the period of the Reformation, when the production of songs and baflads were passing from the hands of the then neglected minstrels, I a class of composition arose which received the ^ History of Scotland, vol. ii, p. 373. i appellation of " King Henry's Mirth," or " Free- men's Songs/' a feAv of the most curious of which Ave have included in the following pages. Henry the Eighth, whose principal object throughout his reign seems from his conduct to have been pleasure, and the gratification of his ovra pro- pensities, had a particular taste for music. Hall tells us that during his progresses he exercised himself daily in singing, playing on the recor- ders, flute, and \drginals ; and also in " settyng of songes, and makyng of ballettes."^ And from the same authority we learn that " he did set ij goodly masses, every of them fyve partes, which were song oftentimes in hys chapel, and after- wardes in diverse other places."^ Erasmus also > ' Chronicle, An. 2, Henry VIII. ^ Playford, in his Introduction to the Skill of Musick, ed. 1670, says, " King Henry the Eighth did much advance musick in the first part of his reign, when his mind was more intent upon arts and sciences, at which time he invited the best masters out of Italy and other countries, whereby he grew to great knowledge therein, of which he gave testi- mony in composing, with his o\\ti hand, two entire services, of five and six parts, which were often sung in his chappel." \ tells us that he composed offices for the chui'ch, and Bishop Burnet has vouched his authority for asserting the same. Henry was undoubtedly skilled in the art of practical composition ; an evidence of which exists in the motet " Quam pulchra es et quam decora," contained in a MS. collection of anthems, motets, &c., copied by John Baldwine of the choir of Windsor, a.d. 1591. It is a composition for three voices, with these words — " Henricus Octavus " at the be- ginning, and these, " Quod Rex Henricus Octa- vus," at the end of the cantus, or upper part. ^ In the life of Sir Peter Carew, collected by John Vowell, a.d. 1575,^^ we are told, that "on his (Sir Peter's) introduction at the court of King Henry the Eighth, he continued, for the ^ Printed in Sir John Hawkins's History of Mustek, vol. ii. p. 534. ^^ Printed in the Archceologia, vol. xx\-iii, pp. 96-151, from the ori- ginal MS. in the possession of Sir Thomas PhiUipps, Bart. The passage in the text was kindly pointed out to me, some years since, by the late Mr. Nicholas Carlisle. most part, spending his time in all com^tly exer- cises, to his great praise and commendation, and, especially, to the good liking of the king, who \ had a great pleasure in him, as well for his sundry noble qualities, as also for his singinge. For the king himself being much delighted to \ sing, and Sir Peter Carew having a pleasant voice, I the king would very often use him to sing wath < him certain songs, which they called ' Freemen's \ Songs,' as, namely, ' By tlie bancke as I lay ;' and ' As I walked tlie woods so wj'lde. >5J ^ From the " Black Sanctus," concerning which i < an account is ffiven in a letter of Sir John Har- > \ rington to the Lord Treasurer Burleigh, printed \ i in the "Nugse Antiquae,"^^ and from ''the Kyngs Balade," beginning " Passe tyme witli good cumpanye," " Vol. ii, p. 82. The passage is as follows: — " In an old booke of my father's I read a merrie verse, which, for lack of my owne, I send by I INTRODUCTION. 15 printed in the following pages, it is plain that the \ king's disposition led him to music, as the means I of promoting nmth. From about the time of Edward the Third, \ downwards, the monks and secular clergy, as well as the minstrels, had occasionally produced jocular songs and compositions of merriment ; but the encouragement given by Henry the Eighth to such productions, revived the practice with great vigour. This circumstance induced others to compose songs of the same kind, which, in reference to thek origin, they termed Xin^ > Mr. Bellot, to divert your lordshippe, when, as you say, weighty pain > and "weightier matters will yield to quips and merriment. This verse is called * The Blacke Sauntus, or Monkes Hymne to Saunte Satane, made when Kynge Henrie had spoylede their Synginge.* My father was wont to say that Kynge Henrie was used, in pleasaimte moode, to singe this verse ; and my father, who had his good countenaunce, and a goodlie office in his courte, and also his goodlie Esther (a natural daughter of the kyng's) to wife, did sometyme receive the honour of hearing his own songe, for he made the tune, which my man Combe > hath sent heremth ; having been much skilled in musicke, which was pleasing to the kynge, and which he learnt in the fellowship of good Maister TaUis, when a young man." 16 INTRODUCTION. Henry s Mirth ; and in allusion to their lively and cheerful tendency, they denominated Free- mens So7iys}'^ The meaning of this last appel- lation has been a subject of inquiry with some, \ but has never been sufficiently explained. It ^ appears, according to J. S. Hawkins, that these \ compositions were the invention of this country, \ and evidently for the reason before mentioned ; \ that they were unknown in Italy, and that Thomas Lord Cromwell, Earl of Essex, who went from Antwerp to Rome in 1510, was the first Avho introduced them into that country. These circumstances are evidenced by the two following stanzas in Michael Drayton's Legend of Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, which was first printed ^ The propriety of this term will want no justification, when it is known, as is the fact, that in the Anglo-Saxon language, Freols dcey signifies an holiday or festival ; Freols geer, the year of jubilee or freedom ; Freolsian, to keep or observe a festival or holiday, to rejoice, to shout / for joy ; Freolstid, a festival time, or tide ; Freolice, festive, lively, quick, "^ merry, frohc ; and Freols, a feast, festival, or hoUday, mirth, pleasant- ness, joUity. — See Somner's Saxon Glossary. ^ in quarto, in 1609, and afterwards inserted in Higgins's Mirrour of Magistrates : " The good successe th' affaires of England found. Much, prais'd the choice of me that had been made ; For where most men the depth durst hardly sound, I held it nothing boldly through to wade My selfe, and through the straitest waies I woond ; I So could I act, so well I could perswade, ] As meerely joviall, me to mirth applie, Compos'd of freedome and alacritie. Not long it was ere Eome of me did ring, (Hardly shall Eome so fidl dales see again) Of Freemen's Catches to the Pope I sing, T^luch wan much licence to my countiToien. Thither the which I was the fii'st did bring, That were unknowne to Italy till then. Light humom's them when judgment doth direct. Even of the wise mn plausible respect." > The reign of the maiden Queen gave the death- I blow to the long sinking race of English min- | strels, and an edict went forth, pronouncing \ them all, of whatever class, " rogues, vagabonds, I and sturdy beggars." \ " They are accounted vagrant roges By act of parliament, Wliat reason wliy they should not then, Like roges, to jaile be sent * * * Except they doo belong to men TMiich are of high degree, As in that act by woords set downe Exj)ressly we may see. To such, I think, but few of these Yam pipers doo pei-tain : To men so gi'ave a shame it were Fond fidlers to maintain. A great disgTace it were to them Their cloth abrode to send, Upon the backs of them which doo Theii- life so lewdly spend." ^^ Still, iu spite of the degradation of the min- strels, that species of entertainment which had been handed down from the ancient bards, was not wholly excluded from more genteel assem- 13 A Dialogue betivene Cuatome and Veritie, conceminge the Use and Abuse of Dauncinge and Mynstralsye. Imprinted by John Allde [1581]. The author of this excessively rare and amusing book was Thomas LoveU. — See Bibliotheca Heberiana, part iv ; and Mr. J. P. CoUier's Extracts from the Registers of the Stationers' Company, vol. ii. INTRODUCTION. 19 blies. The author of the Arte of English Poesie, speaking in relation to the society in which he moved, and he was one of Queen Ehzabeth's gentleman-pensioners, at a time when the whole band consisted of men distinguished by birth and fortune, he says, "We ourselves have written for pleasm'e, a little brief romance, or historical ditty, in the English tongue, in short and long metre, and by breaches or divisions (^. e. fits), to be more commodiously sung to the harp, in places of assembly, where the company shall be desirous to hear of old adventures and valiances \ of noble knights in times past, as those of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Sir Be vis of Southampton, and others like." As we have before said, our little Garland singeth not of the " deeds of noble knights," nor of the loves and pains of " gentle dames." 'Tis but a collection of "diverse" scraps, gleaned from a variety of ancient Music Books both manu- script and printed; and although some pieces have been edited before, sometimes from the same original, it more frequently happens that our versions have been taken from new and in- dependent sources. We need scarcely make any apology or excuse for what we have done, as om' labom's tend neither "to good nor harm/' Accept then, gentle reader, what we offer unto thee in kindness. It is but the amusement of a passing hour ; and, in the words of old Fabyan, the citizen chronicler of London, " WIloso ^n'm lyketli these verses to rede. With favor I pray he'll them spell ; Let not the rudeness of them him lede To disprove this rhyme doggerell." < E. F. R. I 3, Augustus Square, ^ Regenfs Park. ^ SONGS AND BALLADS. I. Song in praise of 3[rtf)ur, prince of aEales. A.D. 1501. The following Song is given from an ancient parcliment book, consisting of early English songs in parts, in the pos- session of the editor. It was wiitten and composed by "Maister Edmond Tnrges,"^ and the MS. from which it is taken is in all probability the original. Another copy may be seen in the Eayrfax MS. (Add. MS. Brit. Mus. No. 5465 .) Prince Ai*thm*, the eldest son of Henry YII, died April 2d, 1502. Henry, his brother, "was created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester in Parliament, by the girding on a sword, the putting a cap on his head, a gold ring on his finger, and a golden rod in his hand, 18th Eeb. 1503. An. 1. 9 Hemy YII." (See Sandford's Genealog. Hist.) A distinguishing mark of honour peculiar to the Prince of Wales consists of a plume of thi'ee ostrich feathers, with an ^ Tills person was probably a near relation to a minstrel of the same name. In the Act of Resumption, 28th Henry VI, there is a proviso in favour of John Turges, harpour with the Queen, for the reversion of an annuity of ten marks, after the death of Will. Langton, minstrel. 22 SONGS AND BALLADS. ancient coronet, under wliicli in a scroll is the well-known motto, " Eci^ 33im," — "I serve ; " a device assumed by Edward tlie Black Prince after the famous battle of Cressy, in wMcli be slew with bis own band Jobn, king of Bohemia, the stipendiary of the king of France, in whose wars he was then serving; and it was from the head of the Bohemian monarch that Edward, then Prince of Wales, took such a plume and motto, and which have ever since, in remembrance of that event, been borne by his successors. From stormy wyndes and grevous wether, Good Lord preserve the ostrige fether. O blessed Lord of hevyn celestial!, Which formyd hast of thy most speciall grace, Arthur, om*e prynce, to us here terestriall, In honor to rayne ! Lord graunt hym tyme and place. Which of alyaunce, Oure prynce of pleasaunce. Be in erytaunce, Of Ynglond and Fraunce, Ry3t eyre for to be ; Wherefore now syng we. From stormy wyndes, &c. \ Wherefore good Lord sytli of thy creacion Is this noble prince of ryall linage ; In every case be his preservacion. With joy to rejose his dewe enerytaunce. His ryst to optayne, In honor to rayne, This eyre of brytayne, Of Castill, and Spayne, Ily3t eyre for to be ; Wherefore now syng we, From stormy wyndes, &c. Now good lady among the saynts all, Praye to the Sone, the second in Trinitie, For this yong prince, which is and daily shal be Thy servaunt, with all his hart to fre. O celestiall Moder maternall. Emprise iufernall. Now we cry and call. His save gard to be ; Wlierefore now syng we, From stormy wyndes, &c. II. E{)is gcnttll Jias tiabjes!. This iiicle, but once liigUy popular song, was evidently written about tbe year 1500, out of compliment to EHzabeth, daughter of Edward IV, and consort of Henry A^IL EHza- betb was herself called t/ie WJdte Rose, because she repre- sented the house of York, whose cognizance it was, and might be said metaphorically to have added that flower to the Eed Rose of the house of Lancaster, borne by her hus- band. It is given from the Fairfax MSS., a curious collection of English Songs, with the music, written about the year 1500, now in the British Museum. (Add. MS., 5465.) It is thus mentioned in Gawin Douglas's 13tli Prologue to his translation of Virgil (1513) : " Thareto thir birdis singis in thare scha"uis, As menstralis playis ' TJie joly day now dawes.'' " Dunbar, about thirty years after Douglas, mentions it, and another tune besides, in a satirical Addi-ess " To the Mer- chantis of Edinbui'gh : " " Your common menstrales hes no tune, But ' Now the day daws," and ' Into June.' " The " profane song" of this title was converted to one of " the gude and godlie ballatis," about the time of the Eefor- mation. The first verse runs thus : " Hay ! now the day daUis, Now Christ on us calHs, SONGS AND BALLADS. 25 Now weltli on om* wallis Appeiiis anone : Now the word of God rings, lYhilk is King of all kings ; Now Christis flock sings, The night is neere gone." {DalzelVs Scottish Poems of the 16M Century, vol. ii, p. 180.) Alexander Montgomer}' has a set of verses on the same theme, commencing — " Hay ! now the day da wis, The jolie cok crams." Thus, also, in TJie Muses' ThrenocUe, a local poem, written at Perth in the reign of James YI, " Hey, the day now dawnes," is quoted as the name of a celebrated old Song ; and in " The Life and Death of the Piper of Kilbarchan, or the Epitaph of Habbie Simpson," published in Watson's Collection of Scots Foem^, 1706, the following line occurs : " Now, who shall play, ' The day it dates ?^ " These notices are extremely valuable, as proving that, at the commencement of the sixteenth century, there were songs common to the literate classes of both nations. Mr. Chambers {Introduction to Scottish Songs, p. 18) suggests that the tune ^ of this Song was probably the Reveillee, commonly played by the pipers or town-minstrels throughout Scotland, to rouse the inhabitants to their daily labour. This day now dawes, This gentill day dawes, And I must home gone. In a glorious garden grene, Saw I syttyng a comly quene ; Among the flowres that fresh byn, I She gadered a floure and set betwene ; t The lyly-white rose me thought I sawe. I And ever she sang, j This day now dawes, ^ This gentill day daAves, And I must home gone. In that garden be floures of hew, The gelofir gent, that she well knew. The floure dc luce she did on rewe, And said that whyte rose is most trewe. The garden to rule by ryght wis lawe, The lyly-white rose me thought I sawe. And ever she sang, This day now dawes, This gentill day dawes. And I must home gone. <^ The following not inelegant stanzas seem to have been oc- casioned by tbe marriage of Margaret, the daughter of Henry VII, to James IV, king of Scotland, in 1503, of whom it is related, that ha\dng taken arms against his own father, he imposed on himself the voluntary'" penance of continually wearing an iron chain about his waist. It is taken from a smaU oblong volume of English and other songs, temp. Hemy VIII, in the King's Library, British Museum (Append, to Eoyal MSS. No. 58). The ceremonies which accompanied this marriage are too weU known to need a comment here. Dunbar of Salton celebrated the nuptials in an allegory entitled " The Thistle and the Eose," which is still admired as one of the happiest efforts of Scottish poetiy. O fayre, fayrest of every fayre, Princes most pleasaunt and preclare, The lustiest on lyve that bene, Welcum of Scotland to be quene. ^ JSallati on tlje JHarriage of fHargaret SCutror. i Yong tender plant of pulclnitude, Descenditli of imperial blood ; Fresli fragrant flower of fayreliode shene, Welcum of Scotland to be quene. Sweet lustie imp of bewtie clere, Moste mighty kings dowgliter dere ; Borne of princes most serene, Welcum of Scotland to be quene. Welcum the rose both red and whyte, Welcum the flower of our delyte ; Om^ spirit rejoicing from the splene, Welcum of Scotland to be quene. r IV. JHargaret JHefo. From a parchment book, temp. Hemy VIII, in the pos- ^^ session of the editor. The music is in three parts by a com- \ poser who signs himself " Browne." Another copy of both > words and music is contained in the Fayrfax MS. in the i British Museum (Add. MSS. No. 5465, fol. 103 b). On J the margin of the editor's MS. is written in a contemporary i hand — " In prayse of y*" kyngs sister." Margaret Meke, Whom I now seke, Ther is none lyke I dare well say ; So manerly, So curtesly, So prately, ? She delits all way. l That goodly las, \ Wlien she me pas, Alas ! I wote not where I go or stonde ; I thynke me bonde, In se in lond, To comfort her. 3§ > Her lusty chere, Her eyes most dere, I know no fere In her beaute : Both Gate and Bes, Mawde and Anes, Sys is -^itnes Of her fetysnesse. My Margaret I cannot mete In feeld ne strete, Wof uU am I ; Leve love this chaunce, Yom' chere avaunce, And let us daunce Herh my Lady? 2 Proloably the name of some ancient dance-tune, now forgotten. V. Satirical Song on tlje JFlemings. The foUo\\dng piece of satire is preserved in tte Fairfax MS., whicli once belonged to Ralph Thoresby, and is now among tlie additional MSS. in tbe Britisli Museum (5465, fol. 114). Sir Jolm Hawkins, wbo lias printed it witb the music, tells us that it "is supposed to be a satire on those diimken Flemings who came into England with the princess Anne of Cleves, upon her mamage with Henry VIII." {History of Music, vol. iii, p. 2.) But the song probably relates to " nitterkyns " of a much earlier period. It is not unlikely to be the composition of Skelton. In the Interlude of Magnyfycence, Courtly Abusyon ex- claims — " Eutty buUy, joly rutterkyn, heyda ! " \ Dyce's Skelton, vol. i, p. 249. " Butter," says the Eev. A. Dyce, " which properly means ^ a rider, a trooper (Germ, reiter, renter), came to be employed, I like its diminutive rutterkin, as a cant term, and with various \ significations. (See Hormanni Vulgaria, sig. q. iii, ed. 1530; \ Drant's Horace his Arte of Poetrie, &c., sig. D ii, ed. 1567.)" HoYDA, joly rutterkyn, hoyda, Lyke a rutterkyn hoyda. Rutterkyn is com vnto oure towne, In a cloke without cote or gowne, Save a raggid hode to kover his crowne, Like a rutter hoy da. Rutterkyn can speke no engHssh, His tonge rennyth all on buttyrd fyssh, Besmerde with grece abowte his disshe, Like a rutter hoy da. Rutterkyn shall bryng you all good luk, A stoup of bere up at a pluk, Till his brayne be as wyse as a duk, Like a rutter hoy da. When rutterkyn from borde will ryse, } He will piss a galon pott full at twdse, \ And the ouerplus undir the table of the newe < gyse, i Like a rutter hoyda. VI. Sins ISntrs FEEE'S Expetittton to France. The Song here printed relates to the war with Prance, when Henry, joining the confederacy, interfered with the quarrel between Louis the Twelfth of Prance and Pope Julius the Second. The red rose was King Henry's badge of cog- nizance; the Emperor Maximilian wore it at the siege of Terouenne, as his volunteer. From the volume in the Editor's library, mentioned on p. 29. Another copy, but without the music, is in Cotton. MS., Domit. A, xviii.^ The Rosse wolle in to Fraimce spryng, Almyghty God liym thyder bryng, And save this flour whyclie ys our kyng : This Rosse, this Rosse, this ryall Rosse, Whych ys callyd a nobyll thyng, The flowr of Englond, and souldier kyng. Thys Apryll showrys, wyche ar ful swet, Hath bownd thys Rosse, not yet ful blowne ; In Praunce he will hys levys schote, Hys ryzth to conquer, hys enemy s to knowne. Thys Rosse, that ys of color rede, Wyll seke hys enmys botlie far and wyde, And wyuii his f^.nemys he woll Fraunce Ught. Sent Gorge protector be hys good gyd. God send this flowyr wer he wolde be, To sprede hys flowrs to hys rejoysing, In Prance to have the vyctory ; All Englond for hym schal pray and syng. Jhesu and Mary, full of myght, God be hys gyde in all hys ryzth ; Swet Sent Gorge our Ladye's knyte Save Kyng Hary both be day and nyght. I i \ VII. Satirical Song on Jriar ©astftgn. From one of Heniy the EigMli's ovra. MSS. (Append, to ] royal MSS. No. 58) preserved in the British Museum. \ Another curious Satirical Song, in alternate rhjTnes of English ^ and Latin, against friars in general, is preserved in Trinity \ College, Cambridge (IMS. 0. Q. 40.) I The present Song is subscribed at the end " Quod Raff Drake." Frer Gastkyn wo thou be, qui manes hie in p atria, For all that her supportyth the, thou makyst the way ad Tartara \ Tartary ys a place trewly, pro te et consimilihus. For hym that lyvyth in apostacy, absentyd a elaiistralihus ; 36 SONGS AND BALLADS. A fysche to lyve all ways in iond, qiiod vere mirahilius, A frer sertayn that so doth stond amend, et mane tuis fratribiis ; Lest the devyll for the do send, to present the Bemonibiis. Et fac cum consilio. For he that made these reimes, Avould all such were in pelago. In a bote full of holys, ut ihi cum doloribus, Ther myzth he ster and blowe the colys, tyll he were sub fuminibus. Show thys, I care not to whome, Priori vel 'E])isco2)o, For all such frers schold byde at home, non vagans Jiic in seculo. The following Song is preseiTed, witli tlie music in three i parts, in a MS. once the property of Joseph Eitson the anti- quary", and now in the British Museum (Add. MSS. 5665.) It is without doubt the production, both words and music, of the royal t^'rant, Hemy VIII, of whose skOI in " making bal- lades " we have given some proofs in the Introduction to the present volume. Wedderburn, or whoever was the author of that curious work The Complaint of Scotland, 1548, mentions "Pastance wdth gude companye," as among the popular songs of Scot- land, in the early part of the sixteenth centuiy. Passetyme with good companye I love, and shall untyll I dye ; Grugge who wyll, but none deny, So God be plecyd, this lyfe wyll I : For my pastamice, Hunt, syng, and daunce, My hart ys sett ; All godely sport, To mv cumfort, Who shall me lett ? Youth wyll have nedes dalyaunce, Of good or yll some pastaunce, Companye me thynketh them best, All thoiits and fautasyes to dygest. For ydleness, Ys chef mastres, Of vices all : Than who can say, But passe the day Ys best of all. Company with, honeste, Ys vertu and vyce to flee ; Company ys gode or yll, But ev'ry man hath hys frewylle The best I sew. The worst eschew, My mynd shall be : Vertue to use, Vyce to refuse, I shall use me. IX. Sons from tlje Enterlutre of tfje iiii lElemente. An imitation of "The Kynges Balade," from a singular i Interlude, entitled The Nature of the Four Elemeiits, written about 1517, and printed by John Eastall, probably in 1519. The Song is accompanied by the music in score, and affords the earliest instance of a printed partition in this kingdom. It has entirely escaped the notice of our musical historians. Tyme to pas with goodly sport, Our spryts to revyve and comfort ; To pype, to synge, To daunce, to spryng, With pleasure and delyte, Following sensual appetyte. 40 SONGS AND BALLADS. X. Sljoonc fe stjkc antf ill at case* From an ancient volume once the property of Heniy YIII. I It is a collection of part songs nsed by tlie royal t\Tant and his companions. It afterwards came into the hands of old John Hej^wood, the dramatist and epigi'ammatist, whose autograph it bears. A copy of the same may also be found in the Tap-fax MSS. (Add. MSS. Brit. Mus., Xo. 5465.) Jhoone is sike and ill at ease, I am full sory for Jlioon's disease ; Alak, good Jhooue, what may you please ? I slial bere tlie cost be s^yete sent Denys ! She is so prety in every degre, Good lord who may a goodlyer be, In favom'e and in facion lo mil ye se, But it were an angell of the Trinitie. Alak, good Jhoone, what may you please ? I shal bere the cost be swete sent Denys ! Her countynaunce with her lynyacion, To hym that wolde of such recreacion, That God hath ordent m his first formacion, Myght wel be calld a conjuracion. Alak, good Jhoone, &c. 3 i. e. treat me with contempt. ^ i. e. by ourselves. She is my lytell prety one. What shiilde I say ? my mynde is gone, Yff she and I were togethir alone, I wis she will not gyve me a bone. Alas, good Jhone, shal all my mone Be lost so sone ? ^ I am a fole, Leve this array, \ Another day We shall both play, When we are sole. * I "^^o^*^ \ 4 § E Ijatr &otI) JHoute anti a j?rent(e. The following subtle caution, " never to lend money to a friend," is from the old music-book before mentioned, with the autograph of John Heywood. It has been printed by Sir John Hawkins ("sdde History of Music, vol. in, p. 88), but fi'om a different copy. I HAD both moiiie and a frende, Of neither though no store ; I lent my monie to my frende, And tooke his bonde therfore. I asked my monie of my frende, But nawght save words I gott ; I lost my monie to keepe my frende, For sewe hym would I not. But then if monie come, And frende againe weare founde, I woulde lend no monie to my frende, Upon no kynde of bonde. But, after this, for monie cometh, A frencle wdth pawne to paye, But when the monie should be had, My frende used such delay. That neede of monie did me force, My frende his pawne to sell. And so I got my monie, but My frende then from me fell. Sith bonde for monie lent my frende. Nor pawne assurance is. But that my monie or my frende, Therbye I ever misse. If God send monie and a frende. As I have had before, I will keepe my monie and save my frende. And playe the foole no more. XII. ^ Cabeat acjainst Itile Eumours. From an old music-book, temp. Henry VIII, whicli tlie Editor purchased at the sale of J. Stafford Smith's library. The music was composed by Kobert Pend, a gentleinan of Henry the Eighth's royal chapel. He may also have been the author of the words. Considering this world, and th' increase of wee. Stricken into dump, right much I mused, That no manner of man, be he ever so wyse. From all sorts thereof can be excused. And one vyce there is, the more it is used. Mo inconveniens shall grow day by day. And that is this, let it be refused, Geve no sm^e credens to every heresay. Lyght women's thoughts wyll runne at large. Whether the tayle be false or just ; Tydyngs of alehouse or Gravesend barge, Bere-bay tings, or barber's shopes, is not to trust. ^••,^^^^^\j^,\ SONGS AND BALLADS. 45 ^ An enemies tayle is sone distrust, He shall perceve it parshall alway, To all the foresayd refrayn we must, To geve sure credens to every heresay. Though heresay be trew, as perchaunce may fall, Yet syr not thy credens is high, And though the teller seem right substantial, And tell but heresay, why may he not lye ? Then betwyxt light credens and a tonge hasty, Surely the gyltles is cast away, Condemnyng the absent that is unworthy, So passed a lyfe from heresay to heresay. Good Lord ! how some wyll wyth a loud voice \ Tell a tale after the best sorte, ■i And some herers how they wyll rejoyce. To here of theyr neybom^s ill report ! As though it were a matter of comfort. Herein our charitie doth dekay. And some maketh it but game and sport. To tell a lye after the heresay. < Tell a good tale of God or some saynt, i Or of some mirakles lately done ; Some wyll beleve it hard and stent, And take it after full lyglit facyon. We here say Christ suffrid passion, And man shall revert to earth and clay, The rychest or strongest know not how soone, Beleve well now this, for true is that heresay. < < Srije Complagnte of a Hober. From an ancient MS. temp. Henry YIII, in the library of tlie editor. The mnsic by which it is accompanied is the production of a composer named Thomas Eardyng, who appears to have been a gentleman of the Royal Chapel in the year 1511. The MS. fonnerly belonged to Sii* John Hawkins, who has printed the following Song in the third volume of ? his History of Mtisic. As I lay slepynge, In ciremes fletynge, Ever my swetyng Is in my mynd ; She is so goodly, With locks so lovely, Such one can fynd. Her bewty so pure, It doth under lure My pore hart full siu'e, In governaunce ; Therfor now wyll I X Unto hyr apply, And ever will cry I Por remembraunce. \ For I wyll hyr pray, Whiles I leve a day, Me to take for ave, For liyr owne man. Her fayer eye persyng, My pore hart bledyng, And I abydyng In hope of neede : But thus have I long Entwyned this songe, With paynes full stronge, And cannot spede. Alas, wyll not she Kow shew hyr pytye, \ But thus wyll take me In suche dysdayne ; \ Methynketh I vp^'^, \ Unkvnde that she is, \ That b^aideth me thus \ ^ In such hard payne. \ \ Thouo:h she me bvnde, \ \ Yet shall she not fMide \ \ " \ \ My pore hart unkynd, \ \ Do what she can ; \ XIV. 3S^2tt Ijatfje lost J)ur iteg. The following Ballad possesses a tinge of humour rarely found in the productions of the early part of the sixteenth i centmy. It is preseiTed among the King's MSS. in the British Museum. {Append, to Royal MSS. No. 58.) In 1561-2 John Tysdale had a license for printing a Ballad, entitled " Kytt hath loste hyr Keye," which may possibly be the one now^ given. Kytt hathe lost hur keye, hur key, Goode Kytt hath lost hur key, She is so sorry for the cause, She wotts not what to say ; She wotts not what to say, goode Kytt, She wotts not what to say, Goode Kitt's so sorry for the cause, She wotts not what to say. Goode Kytt she wept, I ask'd why so That she made all this mone ? She sayde, alas ! I am so woo. My key is lost and gone. Kytt hathe lost, &c. Kytt, why did ye losse your key, Fore sothe ye were to blame, Now ev'y man to you will say, Kytt Losse Key is your name. Kytt bathe lost, &:c. Goode Kytt she wept and cry'd, alas 1 Hur key she cowde not fynde ; In fay the I trow in bo\^TS she was, With sum that were not kinde. Kytt bathe lost, &c. Now, farewell, Kytt, 1 can no more, I wott not what to say. But I shall pray to Gode therfore That you may fynde your key. Kytt bathe lost, &c. ^ Wiitt Ijatl) lost fjer Iteg. (another version.) We have here an answer or continuation of the preceding Ballad. It is taken from Mr. Collier's Extracts from the Registers of the Stationers' Company^ vol. i, p. 55. The learned Editor gives it from a MS. Kit hath lost her key, But I have one will fytt Her locke, if she will try, And doe not me denie : I hope she hath more wytte. My key is bright, not rusty. It is soe oft applied To lockes that are not dusty, Of maydens that are lusty, And not full fillde with pride. Then, Kitt, be not too prowde. But try my readie key. That still hath bene allowde By ladyes faire a crowde, The best that ere they see. You can but try, and than. If it fitts not, good bye : Go to some other man. And see if anie can Doe better, Kitt, then I. But neere come backe to mee. When you are gone away, For I shall keepe my key Eor others, not for thee : Soe, either goe or stay. ^\y\^\^\j'\^\ XVI. 33g a Banjfte as E lag. -H^sg=^H- This is one of those Ballads stated by Laneham to have been in the possession of Captain Cox. (See his Letter from \ Kenihoorth, 1575.) It is, however, without any other merit > than antiquity, judging from the following version, taken > from a MS. temp. Henry YIII, preseiTed in the British \ Museum. (Append, to Casley's Cat. of Koyal MSS., No. 58.) \ This BaUad is also noticed, in conjimction Tv-ith many others, \ in Wager's curious Interlude, The longer tliou livest, tlie more \ Toole thou art, printed, without date, in 1569 or 1570. (See > CoUier's Extracts from the Registers of the Stationers' Com- \ pany, vol. ii, p. 192.) By a bancke as I lay musinge my selfe alone — Hey how ! A byrd's voyce dyd me rejoyce, Syngyng before the day, And methouglit in her lay she sayd wynter was past — Hey how ! Dan dyry, cum dan^ dan, &c. I J The master of musyke, the lusty nyghtyngale — Hey how ! Pull meryly and secretly She syngyth m the thycke, And under her brest a prycke, to kepe her fro slepe — Hey how ! Dan dyry, cum dan, dan, &c. Awake, therefore, young men, all ye that lovers be — Hey how ! This monyth of May, soo fresh, soo gay, \ So fayre be seld on few ) Hath floryshe ylke adew ; I grete joy yt ys to see — Hey how ! \ Ban dyry, cum dan, dan, &c. XVII. 332 a Bancfte as E lag. (another version.) The foUowing version of tlie preceding Ballad is taken fi'om a rare musical miscellany, entitled Deiiteromelia, or the Second Fart of Musick's Melodie, or Melodius Musicke of Pleasant Roundelaies^ &c., 1609. Tlie couplet given in Wager's Interlude is as follows : " By a banke as I lay, I lay, Musinge on things past, hey how !" which, it wtU be observed, agi'ces better with the more modem \ than the ancient copy. At the end of the only copy known to exist of a Collection of Secular Songs, printed in 1530, a Song is inserted in MS. beginning with the same words, but containing a laboured panegj'ric upon Hemy the Eighth. The Editor has not seen this copy, or it would have been included in the present little volume. By a bancke as I lay, musing on a thing that was past and gone ; Hey ho ! In the merry month of May, O some what before the day, Me thought I heard it the last. \ I O the gentle Nightingale ! the lady and mistres of all musicke ; She sits downe ever in the dale, singing mth her notes small, Quavering them wonderfull thicke. O for joy my spmts were quicke to heare the sweet bird how merrily she could sing, And said, good Lord defend England, with thy most holy hand, And save noble James our king ! ^ XYIII. This pretty little Song, from a favoured lover, in praise of Ms mistress, is preserved in a volume of Songs and Music iq tlie British Museum {Append, to Royal MSS., No. 58). It is one of those mentioned by Moros in the Interlude of The longer thou livest the more Foole thou art : " I can sing a song of robin redbreast. And my litle pretie nightingale." And farther on, in the same play, he sings the first couplet. The lytyll prety nyghtyngale^ Among the levys grene, I wolde I were wyth hyr all nyght, But yet ye wote not whome I mene. The nyghtyngale sat on a brere, Among the thornys sharpe and keyn, And comfort me wyth mery cher', But yet ye wot not whome I mene. She dyd aper' all on hur' keynd, A lady ryght well be seyne, With wordys of love tolde me hur mynde, But yet ye wot not whome I mene. Hyt dyd me goode upon hur to loke, Hur corse was closyd all in grene, Away frome hur hert she toke, But ye wot not whome I mene. Lady, I cryed wyth rufuU mone, Have mynd of me that true hath bene, Tor I love none but you alone. But yet ye wot not whome I mene. r-^'--.^'^ SONGS AND BALLADS. 59 XIX. E {jabe ittn a Joster^ long. MoROS, the Vice, Fool, or Jester, of the ancient interlude, The longer thou livest the more Toole thou art, printed in 1569 or 1570, enmnerates among his scraps of Songs, " There dwelleth a joUy foster here by west." The following, taken fi-om a MS., temp. Henry VIII., (Add. MS. 5665, fol. 50, b. Brit. Miis) may perhaps be a fragment of the ballad quoted. Y have been a foster long and meney day, My locks ben bore ; I shall hange up my borne by the grene wode | spray, Foster will y be no more. Alle the whiles that y may my bowe bende, Shall y wedde no T^^fFe ; I shall bygge me a boure atte the wodes ende, There to lede my lyffe. 60 SONGS AND BALLADS. XX. I cannot come circrg JBag to tooo. The following little piece, of the time of Henry tlie Eighth, is preserved on a loose sheet (perhaps torn from a book) in the possession of the Editor. It is printed in the late Mr. J. Stafford Smith's valuable work Miisica Antiqua, 1812, but very imperfectly. We are inchned to hazard a conjecture that this " Wooing Song " is the parent stem of two or three Scottish BaUads. One preserved in David Herd's Collection beguis as follows : " I hae layen three herring a' sa't ; Bonnie lass, gin ze'U tak me, tell me now ; And I hae brew'n three pickles o' ma't, And I cannae cum ilka day to woo." Another, perhaps a fi'agment of the same, is given by Lord Hailes, in the notes to his Selections from the Bannatyne MS. " I ha a wie lairdschip down in the Merse, Lass an ye loe me, teU me now. The nynetenth pau't of a gusse's gerse, And I wo' na cum eveiy day to woo." Ga\vin Douglas in tlie 12tli prologue of his translation of Virgil (1513) has the following passage : — " — our avdii native bird, gentil dow, Singand on her kjnd, / come hither to wow^^ which may possibly aUude to the foUomng. JoAN, quoth Jolin, when wyll this be ? Tell me when wilt thou marrie me, My come and eke my calfe and rents, My lands, and all my tenements ? Sale Joan, quoth John, what wilt thou doe ? I cannot come every dale to woo. .oJa\ I 62 SONGS AND BALLADS, < XXI. ^ EEooittg Soncj of a ^toman of Scnt's cSon. ^ The following, upon the same subject as the preceding, is \ taken from the rare musical collection entitled, Melismata, Musicall Phansies, fitting the Court, Citie, and Country Humours. Lond., printed by WiUiam Stansby, 1611, 4to. ■^H'^^-^- I have house and land in Kent, And if you'l love me, love me now ; Two-pence halfe-peny is my rent, — I cannot come every day to woo. Chorus. — Two-pence halfe-peny is his rent, And he cannot come every day to woo. Ich am my vatlier's eldest zonne, My mother eke doth love me well ; For ich can bravely clout my shoone. And ich full well can ring a bell. \ Ch. — For he can bravelv clout his shoone, \ And he full vrell can ring a bell. \ My vatlier he gave me a hogge, My moutlier she gave me a zow ; \ I have a God-vather dwels there by, And he on me bestowed a plow. ^ C/i. — He has a god-vather dwels there by, And he on Inm bestowed a plow. One time I gave thee a paper of pms, Anoder time a taudry lace ; And if thou wilt not grant me love, In truth ich die bevore thy vace. C/i. — And if thou wilt not grant his love, In truth hee'le die bevore thv vace. Ich have beene twise om- Whitson lord, Ich have had ladies many vare ; And eke thou hast my heart in hold. And in my minde zeemes passing rare. Ck.—And eke thou hast his hart in hold, I And in his mind seemes passing rare. 64 SONGS AND BALLADS. Icli will put on my best white sloppe, And icli will weare my yellow hose. And on my head a good gray hat, And in 'ticli sticke a lovely rose. Ch. — And on his head a good gray hat, And in 't heele sticke a lovely rose. Wherefore cease off, make no delay. And if you'le love me, love me now ; Or els ich zeeke zome other oder where — For I cannot come every day to woo. Ch. — Or els heele zeek zome oder where. For he cannot come every day to woo. SONGS AND BALLADS. 65 XXII. © IBeatf), rocfo me asleepe. | From a MS. temp. Henry YIII, in tlie possession of the \ Editor. It has been imperfectly printed, fi-om a different \ I MS., by Sii- John Hawkins and Eitson : the former ascribed I I it to Anne BolejTi, and the latter to her brother, Lord Eoch- '^ I ford. There is no good evidence on either side. (See Black- i I wood's Magazine for Oct. 1838, p. 466.) \ \ Eichard Edwards was the author of a ditty entitled " The \ ] Soul's Knell," which, we believe, is not known to exist. The \ I title would lead us to expect something like the following. 5 c Death, rocke me asleepe, \ Bringe me to quiet reste, Let pass my wearv giiiltles ghost Out of my carefull brest : Toll on the passmge bell, X Rmg out my clolefull knell, ^ \ Let thy sound e my death tell : \ Death doth drawe ny, \ There is no remedie. My paynes, who can expres ? Alas ! they are so stronge : My dolor wiU not suffer strength My lyfe for to prolonge ; 6§ Toll on tlie passinge bell, Ring out my dolefull knell, Let thy sounde my detlie tell : Death doth drawe ny, There is no remedie. Alone in prison stronge, I wayte my destenye ; Wo worth this cruel hap that 1 Should taste this miserie. Toll on the passinge bell, Ring out my dolefull knell, Let thy sounde my dethe tell : Death doth draw ny, There is no remedie. I Farewell my pleasures past, Welcum my present payne, I fele my torments so increse. That lyfe cannot remayne. Cease now the passinge bell, Rong is my dolefull knell, For the sound my dethe doth tell : Death doth di'awe ny, There is no remedie. ^ XXIII. 2C{)e l^unt is up. PuTTENHAM, in Ms Ai'te of EiigllsJi Poetri/, 1589, speak- > ing of one Gray, says, "what good estimation did lie gi'ow \ into with King Henry [the Eighth] and afterwards wdth the > Duke of Somerset, protectour, for making certaine meiTy \ Ballads, whereof one chiefly was The Hunte is up, the Hunte is I up." The following Song which is undoubtedly the one > referred to, was \mtten by William Gray, whose name is < written, in an old hand, (upon the margin of the leaf con- \ taiuing it) in a copy of Eavenscroft's rare tract, entitled, I A Brief e Discourse of the true hut neglected use of charactering \ the degrees [in Music] hy their perfection, imperfection, ^c. <, 1614. I j The same William Gray was the author of a poem, entitled, > T/ie Fantasies of Idolatrie, inseiied at length in the first \ edition of Foxe's Acts and Monuments; and of several broadsides, preserved among Dyson's Collections, in the Libraiy of the Antiquarian Society. In the Sloane MS. 1206, there is a poem and an epitaph, connected with the subject of the present notice. A Song of " The Hunt is up" was known as early as 28 Henry VIII, when infonnation was sent to the council against one John Hogon who, " with a crowd or a fyddyll " sung a song to the tune, which it appears had a political allusion. 68 SONGS AND BALLADS. i (See Mr. Collier's Yaluable edition of Ska/ce-sjjeare, vol. i, Add. Notes cclxxx-^Tii). Anotlier Ballad of " The Hunt is up " was licensed to W. Griffith in 1570, which possibly may be the spii-ited old Song given in Mr. Collier's Extracts from tlie Registers of the Stationers' Company^ vol. i, p. 129. \ Eeference is frequently made, in old authors, to the tunes \ of " The New Hunt's up," and " The Queene's Hunt's up." > And in the Bodleian Libraiy (MS. Eawl. Poet 120) is pre- \ ser\'ed a baUad beorinnino; as follows : — " The hunte is up, the hmite is up. Begins to seeme an old state dyttie ; The hunte is downe, the hunte is downe, Were far more new, and much more prettie. But old and new jo^Ti'd both together, Would make a pretty catch or rounde ; The hmite is up, the himte is downe. Hey ho, the hunt's up and downe." A religious parody of this popidar ditty has been pointed out in the Compendious Booke of Godly Sonys : but there is another, by John Thorne of York, in a curious volume of old Songs wliich was formerly in Mr. Heywood Blight's Collec- tion (Add. MS. 15, 233), wliich has not been noticed. It ^ < . < begins : — ■ j " The hunt ys up, the hunt is up, ^ > Loe ! it is aUmost daye ; I For CliiTst our Kyng, is cum a huntyng, .^ And browght his deare to staye." '< I SONGS AND BALLADS. 69 \ > < A " Hunt's up," it may be as well to mention, was a sort of general term for Hunting Songs, or rather an early song to rouse the party for the chase, something equivalent to the French Reveillee. It was afterwards generally used for any description of Morning Song. (See Cotgrave's Dictionary ^ in V. Resveil.) TThe hunt is up, tlie hunt is up, ( Sing merrily wee, the hunt is up ; The birds they sing, The deare they fling, Hey, nony, nony — no : The hounds they crye. The hunters they flye. Hey, troHlo, trolohlo."^ The hunt is up, ut supra. I 7 Hey troly loly lo, is a chorus or burden of great antiquity. It is ), mentioned in Piers Plowman (a.d. 1362) ; and in the curious Poem in I the Bannat^^ne M.S., Cokelbie Sow, written about 1430. A Song, in I which this burden occurs after every hne, temp. Edward IV, is preserved \ in the Sloane MS., No. 1584. (See also Ritson's Anc. Songs, vol. ii, > p. 8, ed. 1829.) This ^burden is also mentioned in The Complaynt of \ Scotland, 1548; in A New and Mery Enterlude, called the Triall of \ Treasure, 1567; in Laneham's Letter from Killingworth, 1575, &c. < An Antiquary somewhere asks if the elegant modem burden, beginning \ Cho. Cho. The wood resounds, To lieere the hounds, Hey, nony, nony — no : The rocks report, This merry sport. Hey, troHlo, trololilo. The hunt is up, the hunt is up. Sing merrily wee, the hunt is up. Then hye apace. Unto the chase. Hey, nony, nony — no ; Whilst every thing, Doth sweetly sing, Hey, trolilo, trololilo. The hunt is up, the hunt is up, Sing merrily wee, the hunt is up. ** Toll de rol, lol de rol," is not a genuine descendant of the " troly ^ loly lo " of tlie fourteenth century ? The old burdens of the songs of " merrie engolande " would form an interesting subject of research to ^ the archaeologist. < 5 XXIY. Come ober t!jc Burne, Bessg, to me* This singular example of tlie " moralization," as it was tei-med, of an old ballad, is from a mutilated MS, of Henry the Eighth's time, in the Editor's possession, compared with and perfected by another copy in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge (0. 2, 53).^ The first verse only, together with the music, is contained in the curious collection of part-songs (formerly the property of Eitson), preserv'ed in the British Museimi (Add. MSS. 5465). In Wager's Comedie, The longer tlioii lived the more Toole thou art (1569 or 1570), Moros, one of the characters, enters, " counterfaiting a vain gesture and a foolish countenance, synging the foote of many songes, as fooles were wont," and amongst them we have — " Come over the boome, Besse, My little pretie, Besse, Come over the boorne, Besse, to me." It also has the honour of being quoted in Shakespeare's King Lear, act iii, sc. 6.^ s See the Introduction to Mr. ^Yrigllt's beautiful reprint of The > Nutbroivn Maid, published by Pickering. ? ^ Mr. Charles Knight, in his note upon this BaUad {Library ^ Shal-spere, vol. is, p. 104), says, " In a volume of MS. music in the ^ c 111 the librar}^ of the Society of Antiquaries is preserved a very curious dialogue, written by one William Birch, upon Queen Elizabeth's coming to the crown : it has no date, but must have been printed soon after that queen ascended the throne in 1558. It is entitled A Songe hetioene the Queue's Majestie and Englande, and commences as foUows : " Come over the born, Bessy, Come over the bom, Bessy, Swete Bessy come over to me ; And I shall thee take, And my dere lady make. Before all other that ever I see. " Methinke I hear a voyce, At whom I do rejoyce. And answer thee how I shall : Tell me, I say. What art thou that bids me com away. And so earnestly doost me call ? ^ British Museum is a three-part song (a canon), supposed to have been < written in the time of Henry VIII, beginning as the above, and which ^ seems to be a version — or, possibly, the source — of it. The music is in ^ tlie old notation, each part separate, and not * in score,' as erroneously ^ stated in the index to the volume." Mr. Knight corrects one error, but \ makes another. We beg to inform him, that the composition is not " a ^ canon," as he learnedly expresses it, but a point of imitation. This ? would hardly have been worth notice had ]\Ir. Knight left the score alone SONGS AND BALLADS. 73 I I :> " I am tliy lover faii'e, Hath, chose thee to mine heir, And mv name is merv Ensrlande ; Therefore come away, And make no more delaye, Swete Bessie ! give me thy hande." " Here is my hand, My dere lover, Englande ; I am thine both with mind and hart, Por ever to endure, Thou maiest be sui'e, Untill death us two do part." There are eighteen more stanzas in the original, which has this colophon, " Imprinted at London, by William Pickeringe, dwelling under Saynt Magnus Chiu'ch." There is a traditional song still cmi-ent in Scotland, be- ginning — " BHnk o'er the burn sweet Betty." Come over the biirne, Besse, Thou lytylle prety Besse, Come over the burne, Besse, to me : The bm'ne ys this world blyiide, And Besse ys mankynd, So propyr I can none fynde as she ; She daunces, she lepys, And Crist stondis and clepys. Come over the burne, Besse, to me. I 74 SONGS AND BALLADS. The Jues are accusyd, And Peter refusyd, My frynds me abusyd for the ; Yet shortly amend the, And I shall defend the ; Come over the burne, Besse, to me. With thornes was I crowned, Sore bobby d, sore woundyd, My moder then sownyd, and she Sawe for thy enchesoun I sufFyrd grete tresoun ; Come over the biu'ne, Besse, to me. '^^The cros, that [was] weyghty, For thy love that freghty Theese laydest, man, full sleigh tly on me ; Yet tm^ne the, and I shall Thy synne forgeve all ; Come over the bmiie, Besse, to me. My moder sore sobbyd When she sawe [me] bobbyd ; Alas, they me robbyd, that she Unnethes on fote stode. To se all my rede blode ; Come over the burne, Besse, to me. ^ i Why delyst thowe so unkyndly ? To se me so fryndly Remember, and kyndly me se, Howe dayly I mone the, From syn to turne the ; Come over the burne, Besse, to me. With othys my flessh tome ys. Ye bobbe me with scornys, I speke (?) that forlone is, parde ; \ Yet herkyn my sawes, > To lerne well my lawes ; Come over the burne, Besse, to me. ^ On crosse myne arme spred is, My body for-bled ys, With gall my mouth fed is, come se ; Renewed are my paynes. And voyde are my veynes ; Come over the burne, Besse, to me. Thowe sekyst not what goode ys, Thowe doost that forboden ys, Thowe knowest what my reidde ys for the ; 76 SONGS AND BALLADS. I suffer for thy smart, And yet thowe unkynd art ; Come over the burne, Besse, to me. My moder not fayled, But bytterly wayled, My hands and feete nayled to tree, My here with blode cloddy, To-torne ys my body ; Come over the burne, Besse, to me. The people, that were wode, Myn hert parsyd on rode. Out ranne water and blode for the ; And my body blode and wanne, Was made for thy sake mane ; Come over the burne, Besse, to me. Nowe, Besse, redresse the, And shortly confesse the Of synnes that opres the, let see ; The water hit fallyth, And Crist stondyth and callyth, Come over the burne, Besse, to me. XXV. ancient HuUaig Song. Preserved in a small oblong quarto volume of songs with I music, piinted, according to appearance, by WynkjTi de Worde, in 1530. It was from this curious volume, the first collec- tion of secular music printed in England, that Sir John Hawkins derived several of the early songs inserted, (but l without stating the authority), in the third volume of his I History of Music. (See Douce's Illustrations of Shakespeare, \ edit. 1839, pp. 262, 385 ; and also Ritson's Ancient Songs, edit. 1829 ; Dissertation, p. Ixxiii.) Bt by, lullaby, Rockyd I my cliyld : In a dream late as I lay, Me thought I heard a maydon say And spak thes wordys mylde : My lytil sone with the I play, And ever she song by lullaby. Thus rockyd she hyr chyld. By by lullaby, Rockid I my child, by by. Then merveld I ryglit sore of tliys, A mayde to have a chyld I wys. By by lullaby/^ Thus rockyd she her chyld : By by lullaby, rocked I my chyld. 1" The Roman niirses used the word lulla to quiet their children, and they feigned a deity called Lullus, whom they invoked on that occasion. The lullaby, or tune itself, was called by the same name. See more in Douce's Illustrations of Shakespeare, edit. 1839, p. 384-5. SONGS AND BALLADS. 79 \ XXVI. S Cfjristmas CarolL From Melisinata, Musicall Phansies fitting the Court, Citie, and Countrey Humours. Frinted hy William Stansby, 4to, 1614 ; but mucli older tlian the date of the book, as a parody, of whicli the following is the fii'st stanza, appeared in 1590 in Ane Compendious BooJce of Godly and Spirituall Songs. " Eemember, man, remember, man. That I thy saull from Sathan wan, And hes done for thee what I can ; Thow^ art full deir to mee. Is, was, nor sail bee none, That may thee save, but I allone : Onely, therefore, believe mee on. And thow saU never die." The original Carol may also be found, with some variations, in Cantus, Songs, and Fancies, printed by John Forbes at Aberdeen, in 1662 ; and in the Rev. Arthur Bedford's Execllmcy of Divine Musick, 1733. It was Carols of this description that the old Elizabethan \ writers denominated " Suffering Ballads." Remember, O tliou man ! O thou man, O thou man ! Remember, O thou man ! Thy time is spent : Remember, O thou man ! How thou art dead and gone, And I did what I can, Therefore repent. Remember Adam's fall ! O tliou man, O thou man ! Remember Adam's fall ! From heaven to hell : Remember Adam's fall ! How we were condemned all In hell perpetuall Therefore to dwell. Remember God's goodnesse ! O thou man, O thou man ! Remember God's goodnesse ! And his promise made : Remember God's goodnesse ! How he sent his sonne, doubtlesse Our sinnes for to redresse : Be not affraid. The angels all did sing, O thou man, O thou man ! The angels all did sing Upon the shepheards hill : The angels all did singe. Praises to our heavenly king, And peace to man living, With a good will. The shepheards amazed were, thou man, O thou man 1 The shepheards amazed were To heare the angels sing : The shepheards amazed were How it should come to passe That Christ our Messias Should be om^ king. To Bethlem did they goe, O thou man, O thou man ! To Bethlem did they goe. The shepheards three : To Bethlem did they goe, To see where it were so, Whether Christ were borne or no To set man free. As the angels before did say, O thou man, O thou man ! As the angels before did say. So it came to passe : As the angels before did say, They found a babe where as it lay. In a manger wrapt in hay. So poore he was. In Bethlem lie was borne, O thou man, O thou man ! In Bethlem he was borne, Eor mankind sake : In Bethlem he was borne, For us that were forlorne, And therefore tooke no scorne Om- flesh to take. Give thanks to God alway, O thou man, O thou man ! Give thanks to God alway. With heart most joyfully : Give thanks to God alway, For this our happy day. Let all men sing and say Holy, holy.ii " In the version of tliis Carol given in Mr. Sandys' Christmas Carols, a stanza occurs, before the last, which is not found in the copy from w^hich vie print. It is as follows : In a manger laid he was, thou man, thou man ! In a manger laid he was. At this time present : In a manger laid he was, Between an ox and an ass, And all for om* trespass. Therefore repent. ) XXYII. Jjo li&etlj so merrg in all tijis HanU ? I In 1557-8, John AYalley and the widow Toy had license to print a Ballad, entitled, " Who lyve so mery, and make suche sporte, As thay that be of the pooreste sorte ? " Again, in 1558-9, WiUiam Eedle and Richard Lante had license to print "T\Tio so merj^ as thay of the lore estate." ^^ These entries evidently refer to the following Ballad, which is preserved, with the beautiftil chant to which it was sung, \ in the cmious musical collection, entitled, Deitteromelia, or the Second Fart of Musick^s Melodie, or Melodms Musiclce of Plemant Roundelaies, ^c, 1609. Who liveth so merry in all this land, As cloth the poore Widdow that selleth the sand ? And ever shee singeth as I can guess, Will you buy any sand, any sand, mistress ? ^2 See Mr. Collier's valuable Extracts from the Registers of the Stationers' Company, 1848, pp. 7 & 19. 84 SO^^GS AND BALLADS. The Broom-man maketh his living most sweet, > I With carrying of broomes from street to street ; ? < Who would desire a pleasanter thing, I '< Then all the day long to doe nothing but sing ? < c \ The Chimney-sweeper all the long day, \ He singeth and sweepeth the soote away ; I Yet when he conies home, although he be weary, With his sweet wife he maketh full merry. \ The Cobler he sits cobling till noone, \ And cobbleth his shooes till they be done ; i Yet doth he not feare, and so doth say ; ( For he knows his worke will soone decay. < The Marchant-man doth saile on the seas, I And lye on the ship -board with httle ease, Alwayes in doubt the rocke is neare ; How can he be merry and make good cheare ? The Husband-man all day goeth to plow, And when he comes home he serveth his sow ; He moyleth and toyleth all the long yeare ; How can he be merry and make good cheare ? The Serving-man waiteth fro' street to street, With blowing his nailes and beating his feet ; And serveth for forty shillings a yeare, That 'tis impossible to make good cheare. Who Hveth so merry and maketh such sport, As those that be of the poorest sort ? The poorest sort, wheresoever they be. They gather together by one, two, and three ; And every man will spend his penny. What makes such a shot among a great many. ?5 '£ ^J^t (S, ^ XXVIII. X it Soultritrs ti}Xtt. Also from Beiiteromelia, or the Second Part of Mustek's Melodie, &c., 1609. Perhaps written during tlie war in the Low Countries, ^ where Sir Philip Sidney lost his life, a.d. 1568. \ \ AVe be souldiers three ; \ ^ Fardona moy je voiis an pree : \ Lately come forth of the Low country, With never a penny of mony. < Here, good fellow, I drinke to thee ; Far dona moy je voiis an pree : To all good fellowes, where ever they be, With never a penny of mony. And he that will not pledge me this, Pardona moy je voiis an pree : Payes for the shot, what ever it is. With never a penny of mony. Charge it againe, boy, charge it againe, Pardona moy je voiis an pree : As long as there is any incke in thy pen, With never a penny of mony. XXIX. Elje JHarriase of tfje JFrogge ant( tfje IHouse. Waeton, in Ms History of English Poetry, mentions " A moste strange weddinge of the frogge and tlie mouse," a ballad licensed by tbe Company of Stationers in 1580. Many nursery rhymes on the same subject are still cun*ent. Pinkerton {Select Ballads, vol. ii, p. 33) says that " The froggie came to the mill door," was sung on the Edinbui'gh stage shortly prior to 1784. "The frog cam to the myl dur," is one of the songs mentioned in Wedderbuni's Complaynt of Scotland, 1548 ; and Dr. Ley den gives a traditional fragment, "The frog sat in the mill-door, spin, spin, spinning; When by came the little mouse, rin, lin, mining," which possibly may be the same. The following ditty is from the collection, entitled, Melis- mata, 1611. It was the frogge in the well, Humble- dum, humble-dum ; And the merrie mouse in the mill, Tweedle, twee die, twino. The frogge would a woing ride, Sword and buckler by his side ; When he was upon his high horse set, His boots they shone as black as jet ; > When lie came to the merry mill-pin, Lady mouse beene yon within ? Then came out the dusty mouse, I am lady of this house ; Hast thou any minde of me ? I have e'ne great minde of thee. Who shall this marriage make ? Our lord, which is the rat ; What shall we have to our supper ? Tlu-ee beanes in a pound of butter. When supper they were at, The frog, the mouse, and even the rat ; Then came in Gib om^ cat. And catcht the mouse even by the backe. Then did they separate, And the frog leapt on the floore so flat ; Then came in Dicke om' drake. And drew the frogge even to the lake ; The rat ran up the wall, A goodly company, the divell goe with all. I XXX. (another version.) The copy here given of tlie preceding Ballad was taken down from recitation, and published by Mr. Charles Kirk- patrick Sharpe in his Ballad Book, 1824. The impression, consisting of only thirty copies, was dedicated to Sir Walter Scott. There is still to be found in the Scottish nursery a strange legendary tale, sometimes called "The Padda Sang," and sometimes "The Tale o' the Well o' the Warld's End," in which the frog acts as the hero. See Robert Chambers' Scottish Songs, vol. i, p. 26, where a version, taken from the recitation of an old nurse in Annandale, is given. There lived a puddy in a well, And a merry mouse in a miU, Puddy he'd a wooin ride, Sword and pistol by his side. Puddy cam to the mouse's wonne, " Mistress mouse, are you within ?" 90 SONGS AND BALLADS. " Yes, kind sir, I am mthin ; Saftly do I sit and spin." " Madame, I am come to woo. Marriage I must have of you/' " ]\Iarriage I \\dll grant you nane, Until uncle Rotten he comes hame. " Uncle Rotten' s now come hame ; Fye 1 gar busk the bride alang." )> Lord Rotten sat at the head o' the table, Because he was baith stout and able. Wha is't that sits next the wa', But Lady Mouse, baith jimp and sma' ? AVhat is't that sits next the bride. But the sola puddy wi' his yellow side ? Syne cam the deuk, but and the drake ; The deuk took puddy, and garred him squaik. SONGS AND BALLADS. 91 \ Then cam in the carl cat, Wi' a fiddle on his back. " Want ye ony music here ?" The puddy he swam domi the brook ; The drake he catched him in his fluke. The cat he pu'd Lord Rotten doun ; The kittens they did claw his croun. But Lady Mouse, baith jimp and sma', Crept into a hole beneath the wa' ; " Squeak !" quoth she, "I'm weel awa'." XXXI. (another version.) The present version of this homely ditt}^ was taken down from recitation, in Yorksliire. There is still another " Frogge Song," which may be seen in Halliwell's Nursery Rhymes, ed. 1843, p. 87; and a parody upon the same in Tom D'Urfey's Tills to purge Melancholy, 1719, vol. i, p. 14. The more modern Ballad — " A frog he would a wooing go, Heigh ho ! says Eowley," is too weU known to need repetition here. The ridiculous burden or chorus of what follows reminds us of another, equally unintelligible, which still lingers about our nurseries : " There was a froggie in a well, Fa, la, linkmn, leerie ! And a mousie in a miU, Linkum-a-leerie, linkum-a-leerie, linkum-a-leerie, cow dow !" See also the numbers of the Notes and Queries for various communications on the present subject. Sir Prog lie would a wooing go, Whether his mother would let him or no, Farthing linkum laddium, Fanny -ho, fanny-ho, Farthing glen ! ^^ When he came to mouse's hall. There he did both strut and bawl. He said " Miss Mouse, I'me come to know, Whether you'll have me or no?" " Uncle Rat, is he at home ?" " No, kind sir, but he'll not be long. >} At length the rat came waddling home ; '' Who's been here since I've been gone ? " Here has been a gentleman. Vows he'll marry me if he can. )} a ^^ The meaning of this ridiculous burden cannot be guessed at ; but we repeat the tale " as it was told to us." I 94 SONGS AND BALLADS. The rat could no objection make, But did Sir Frog the lady take. " Go and get a sack of wheat, And well all sit down and eat, }> As they were all a merry making, The cat and kitten came tumbling in. The cat she seized the rat by the crown, The kitten she knocked the Httle mouse down. This put Sir Frog in a terrible fright, He whipt up his hat, and wish'd them good night. As he was waddling o'er the brook, A lily-white duck she gobbled him up. So there's an end of all the three. The Rat, the Mouse, and Sir Frogge. XXXII. Srije aEetitrmg of tlje JFlge. ? ^ Many confused and obscure rhjines concerning tlie mar- I riages of cats, mice, frogs, rats, flies, &c., tenaciously retain } their hold of the memories of the peasantry of England and j Scotland. The editor has frequently heard fragments of the following ditty, which is here given from Beuteromelia, 1609, sung in various parts of both nations. The flye she sat in shamble row, And shambled with her heeles, I trow : And then came in Sir Cranion, With legs so long, and many a one. And said, Jove speede Dame Flye, Dame Flye, Marry you be welcome, good Sir, quoth she : The master humble bee hath sent me to thee, To wit and if you will his true love be ? ^ But she said Nay, that may not be, For I must have the butterflye ; For and a greater lord there may not be ; But at the last consent did shee. And there was bid to this wedding All flyes in the field and wormes creeping ; The snaile she came crawling all over the plaine ; With all her joly trinkets at her traine. Tenne bees there came all clad in gold, And all the rest did them beholde ; But the thonbud refused this sight to see, And to the cow-plat away flyes shee. But where now shall this wedding be ? For and hey nonny no in an old ive tree ; And where now shall we bake our bread ? For and hey nony no in an old horse head. And where now shall wee brew our ale ? But even within om^ walnut shale ; And also where shall we om- dinner make ? But even upon a galde horse backe. For tliere wee shall have good companie, With humbling and bumbling and much melody : When ended was this wedding-day, The bee he tooke his flye away ; And laid her downe upon the marsh, Betweene one marigolde and one long grasse : And there they begot good master gnat, And made him the heire of all — that's flat. 9 XXXIII. Hifec ^txmit poor. This melanctoly little effusion was higlily popular in tlie reigns of EHzabetli and lier three successors. The idea may be traced to Lodge's rare tract, entitled, Scillaas Metamor- phosis, 1589, where it is probably a translation or paraphrase from the Italian. The earliest copies of the ditty, in its present state, occur in the The P/icenix Nest, 1593, and in \ Harl. MS. Xo. 6910, written soon after 1596. It was set to \ music by Alfonso Ferrabosco and published in his Ap'es, i 1609. Of the words only the first quatrain and penultima I couplet are there given. It was afterwards printed as a song \ in The Academy of Compliments, 1650, under the title of \ *' A Lover's Melancholy Eepose;" and again, with music by ? Nicholas Laniere, in Select Miisicall Ayres and Dialogues, 1652. From the latter work oiu* version is taken. This song was a favourite with honest old Izaak Walton, (See Tlte \ \ Compleat Angler, edited by Sir John Hawkins, ed. 1792 | \ p. 110). In the Tixall Poetry, edited by Clifford fi'om a MS. 5 nearly contemporar\'" with Walton, it forms by an arbitrar}'' ^ disposition of the words, a little irregular ode, entitled \ "Despair." < Eoger North in his Life of the Lord-Keeper Guildford \ {Lives of the Norths, vol. ii, p. 12, ed. 1826) speaking of \ Sir Job. Charleton, then Chief Justice of Chester, says, he \ wanted to speak with the king, and went to WMtehall -, where, returning from his walk in St. James's Park, his majesty- must pass ; " and there he sat him do^vn like hermit poor'' Among the Poems of Phineas Pletcher, printed at Cambridge in 1633, we find a metaphrase of the forty-second psalm to the tune of " Like hermit poor." That rare old gossip Pepys in his Diary January 12th, 1667, teUs us that " He (Sir T. KiUigrew) hath ever endeavoured, in the late king's time, and in this, to introduce good musique ; but he never could do it, there never having been any musique here better than ballads and songs, ' Heimitt Poor,' and ' Chevy Chase ' was all the musique we had ; and yet no ordinary fiddlers get so much money as ours do here, which speaks onr rudeness still." Further we meet with an allusion to this song in "Hudibras," Part i, Canto ii, line 1169. " That done, they ope the trap-door gate. And let Crowdero down thereat ; Crowdero making doleful face. Like hermit poor in pensive place J ^ LiKE hermit poor in pensive place obscure, I mean to spend my days of endless doubt ; To wait such woes as time cannot recure, Where none but love shal ever find me out. And at my gates despair shall linger still, . To let in death when love and fortune will. A gown of gray my body shall attire, My stafFe of broken liope whereon I'll stay ; Of late repentance Imkt wdtli long desire, The couch is fram'd whereon my limbs I lay. And at my gates, &c. My food shall be of care and sorrow made. My drink nought else but tears fain from my eyes ; And for my light in this obscure shade. The flame may serve w^hich from my heart arise. And at my gates, &c. '4%^^^^ SONGS AND BALLADS. WX ^ •, ' ' " J : : . , ^ XXXIV. From a MS. Collection of Songs and Music, temp. Eliza- beth, in tlie editor's library. A former possessor of tlie MS. (Mr. J. Stafford Smitb) tbougbt tlie following ditty was written in praise of Queen Elizabetb. With my flockes as walked I the plaines and mountaines over, Late a damsell past me by ; with an intente to move her, I stept in her waie, she stept awrie, but oh ! I shall ever love her. Such a face she had for to invite any man to love her ; But her coy behaviour taught that it was but vaine to move hir : For divers soe, this dame had wrought, that thaie themselves might woo hir. 7i -r-J I : 102 SONGS AND BALLADS. I Phebus for liir favour spent his haire, hir faire browes to cover ; Venus' clieeke and lippes were sent, that Cupid and Mars might move hir But Juno alone her nothinge lent lest Jove himselfe should love hir. Though shee be so pure and chast, that nobody can disprove hir ; Soe demm'e and straightlie cast, that nobody dare's to move hir : Yet is shee so fresh and sweetlie fane that I shall allwaies love hir. Let her knoAve though faire shee be, that ther is a power above hir ; Thousand more enamoured shall be though little it will move hir ; Shee still doth vow virginitie, Avhen all the world doth love hir. SONGS AND BALLADS. 103 XXXV. Wi}t Eose of ISnglanti. In Fletcher's comedy of Monsieur Thomas, 1639 (Act iii, Sc. 3), a fiddler is questioned as to tlie baUads he is best versed in, and replies : *' Under your mastership's correction, I can sing ' The Duke of Norfolk,' or 'The Meny Ballad of Diverus and Lazanis,' ' The Rose of England,^ ' In Crete when Dedimus first began,' ' Jonas his crjdng-out against Coventiy.' " The third baUad above mentioned is undoubtedly that which follows, which is here given from a contemporaiy musical MS. in the editor's possession. It is not unlikely to be the composition of Thomas Deloney, who inserted it in his Garland of Good-Will. (See edition of 1613, in the Pepysian Library.) Deloney is also the reputed author of " Fair Rosamond," printed in Percy's Reliques, ii, 143, ed. 1794. Amongst the princely paragons Bedeckt witli dainty diamonds, Within mine eye, none doth come nigh, The sweet Rose of England : The Lilies pass in bravery, In Flanders, Spain, and Italy, But yet the famous Flower of France Doth honour the Rose of England. As I abroad was walking, I heard the small bii'ds talking. And every one did frame her song In praise of the Rose of England : The Lilies pass in bravery, &c. Csesar may vaunt of victories, And Croesus of his happiness. But he were blest that may bear in his breast The sweet red Rose of England : The Lilies pass in bravery, &c. The bravest lute bring hither, And let us sing together, Whilst I do ring, on every string, The praise of the Rose of England : The Lihes pass in bravery, &c. The sweetest perfumes and spices, The wise men brought to Jesus, Did never smell a quarter so well As doth the Rose of England : The Lilies pass in bravery, &c. Then fair and princely flower, That ever my heart doth power. None may be compared to thee Which art the fair Rose of England The Lilies pass in bravery, &c. XXXVI. Sir ^glamore. The following liiglily popular Ballad of the seventeentli century, is taken fi'om The Secoftd Book of the Pleasant Musical Companion, 2d edit. 1687. It is tlie production of a witty pamphleteer of tlie reign of James I, Samuel Eowlands, and may be found in his poetical Tract, entitled, TJie Melan- cholie Knight, 1615. Copies may also be seen in Merry Drollery Compleaty\^l\, and among theRoxburghe BaUads. The latter copy, which is dated 1672, has for its title, " Courage Crowned with Conquest, or, a Brief Relation how that Valiant Knight and Heroick Champion, Sir Eglamore, bravely fought with, and manfully slew, a terrible, hugh, great, monstrous Dragon ; to a pleasant new tune." > Gayton, in his amusing Notes upon Don Quixote, 1654, I says, "But had you heard of Bevis of Southampton, the < Counter-Scuffle, Sir Eglamore, John Dory, the Pindar of \ Wakefield, Eobin Hood, or Clem of the Cleff, these no doubt had been recommended to the Vatican without any Index expurgatorius, or censure at aU." In A Collection of Loyal Songs written against the Rump Parliametit, 1731 (vol. ii, p. 30), is a parody upon this Song, called " Sir Eglamor and the Dragon, or a Relation how General George Monk slew a most cruel Dragon, Feb. 11, 1659." Sir Eglamore, that valiant knight, Fa la, lanky doion dilly, He took up his SAvord, and he went to fight, Fa la, lanky doivn dilly ; And as he rode o're hill and dale, All armed with a coat of mail, Fa la la la, lanky down dilly, ^* There leap'd a dragon out of his den, That had slain God knows how many men ; But when she saw Sir Eglamore, Oh that you had but heard her roar ! Then the trees began to shake, Horse did tremble, man did quake ; The birds betook them all to peeping. Oh ! 'twould have made one fall a weeping. But all in vain it was to fear, For now they fall to't, fight dog, fight bear ; And to't they go, and soundly fight A live-long day, from morn till night. ^■^ This burden occurs in the same way in every Terse. In some of > the broadside copies it is spelt *' Fa la lanctre down dilie." ^ ? 108 SONGS AND BALLADS. This dragon had on a plaguy hide, That could the sharpest steel abide ; No sword could enter her with cuts, ^ Which vexed the knight unto the guts. But as in choler he did burn, He watch'd the dragon a great good turn ; For as a vawnino- she did fall, He thrust his sword up, hilt and all. Then like a coward she did fly. Unto her den, which w^as hard by ; And there she lay all night and roar'd : The knight was sorry for his sword. But riding away, he cries, I forsake it ; He that will fetch it, let him take it.^^ ^5 The copy in the Roxburghe Collection, dated 1672, has the follow- l ing additional stanzas : — ■N\Tien all this was done, to the ale-house he went. And by and by his twopence he spent ; For he was so hot with tugging with the dragon, That nothing would quench him but a whole flagon. Now God preserve our King and Queen, And eke in London may be seen, As many knights, and as many more, And all so good as Sir Eglamore. XXXVII. Erole tjje Cannifein. From Pmymielia, Mustek's Miscellanie, ^c, 1609. It is again printed in Hilton's Catch that catch can, 1652 ; in the index to wHch Byrd's name is given as tlie composer. The snatch sung by lago in OtheUo is somewhat in a similar vein : " Then let me the cannikin clink, clink, And let me the cannikin clink ; A soldier's a man, A life's but a span, When then let a soldier drink." (Act III, sc. 3.) Come drinke to me, And I will drink to thee, And then shall we Full well agree. I have loved the jolly tankerd, Full seaven winters and more ; I have loved it so long, Till that I went upon the score. 10 He that loves not the tankerd, Is no honest man ; And he is no right souldier, That loves not the canne. Tappe the canikin, Tosse the canikin, Trole the canikin, Turn the canikin. Hold, good Sonne, and fill us a fresh can. That we may qualFe it round about from man to man. ^A XXXVIII. STJje Cucftoo's Who's the foole now? 1 \ I see a sheepe shearing come, 1 And a cuckold blow his home ; i Thou hast well di'unken, man, , 1 Who's the foole now ? 1 I see a man iii the moone, Fie ! man, fie ! I see a man in the moone ; Who's the foole now ? I see a man in the moone, Clowting of St. Peter's shoone ; Thou hast well drunken, man, Who's the foole now ? I see a hare chase a hound, Fie ! man, fie ? I see a hare chase a hound, Who's the foole now ? I see a hare chase a hound, Twenty mile above the ground : Thou hast well drunken, man. Who's the foole now ? I see a goose ring a hog, Fie ! man, fie ! I see a goose ring a hog. Who's the foole now ? SONGS AND BALLADS. 117 i I I see a goose ring a hog, And a snayle that did bite a dog ; Thou hast well drunken, man, Who's the foole now ? I see a mouse catch the cat, Pie ! man, fie ! I see a mouse catch the cat. Who's the foole now ? I see a mouse catch the cat. And the cheese to eate the rat : Thou hast well drunken, man, Who's the foole now ? iS f^Wif^^ XLI. Elje Ballali of tl)e Jox. FKOM THE SAME. In the University Library, Cambridge, MS. Ee. 1, 12, is presented a curious Ballad of the fifteentli century, somewhat resembling the following. It begins, " The fals fox camme unto oure croft, And so oure gese ful fast he sought ; With, how, fox, how, with hey, fox, hey ; Comme no more unto oure howse to here cure gese awaye." See "Wright and Halliwell's Reliqiice Antiqtice, vol. i, p. 4, where the Ballad, consisting of eighteen stanzas, is printed. To-morrow the fox will come to towne, Keepe, keepe, keepe, keepe, keepe ; To-morrow the fox wdll come to towne, O keepe you all well there. I must desire you neighbors all, To hallow the fox out of the hall. And cry as loud as you can call, Hoope, hoope, hoope, hoope, hoope, O keepe you all well there. Hee'l steale the cocke out from his flocke, Keepe, keepe, keepe, keepe, keepe ; Hee'l steale the cocke out from his fiocke, O keepe you all well there. I must desire you neighbors, &;c. Heel steal the hen out of the pen, Keepe, keepe, keepe, keepe, keepe ; Hee'l steal the hen out of the pen, O keepe you all well there. I must desire you neighbors, &c. Hee'l steal the duck out of the brook, Keepe, keepe, keepe, keepe, keepe ; Hee'l steal the duck out of the brook, O keepe we all well there. I must desire you neighbors, &c. Hee'l steal the lamb e'en from his dam, Keepe, keepe, keepe, keepe, keepe ; Hee'l steal the lamb e'en from his dam, keepe we all well there. I must desire you neighbors, &c. 120 SONGS AND BALLADS. i XLII. &ins SSitnilt 33utler Balla ifiog* This curious old drinking song is from Denteromelia, or the Second Part of Miisick's Melodie,'' &c., 1609. It is similar to the well known Barley-Mow Song, printed in Dixon's Ancient Songs and Poems of the Peasantry of England. The effect of both must entirely depend upon the mode of per- formance. An early copy of the present Song is preserved in Baliol College, Oxford. The MS. which contains it is of such an extraordinaiy nature, that the editor intends pub- lishing it entire. Give us once a drinke for and the black bole, Sing, gentle butler, balla moy ; For and the black bole, Smg, gentle butler, holla moy. Give us once a drinke for and the pint pot, Sing, gentle butler, holla moy ; The pint pot, For and the black bole, &c. Give us once a drinke for and the quart pot. Sing, gentle butler, holla moy ; The quart pot, the pint pot. For and the black bole, &c. SONGS AND BALLADS. 121 \ Give us once a drincke for and the pottle pot, Sing, gentle butler, balla moy ; The pottle pot, the quart pot, the pint pot, For and the black bole, &c. I Give us once a drincke for and the gallon pot, ^ Sing, gentle butler, halla moy ; \ The gallon pot, the pottle pot, the quart pot, the I pint pot, For and the blacke bole, &c. Give us once a drincke for and the verkin, Sing, gentle butler, halla moy ; The verkin, the gallon pot, the pottle pot, the quart pot, the pint pot. For and the blacke bole, &c. Give us kilderkin, &c. ; give us barrell, &c. ; give us hogshead, &c. : Give us pipe, &c. ; give us butt, &c. ; give us the tunne, &c. 11 XLIII. ^ The following singular production ■\\dll be perfectly unin- ] telligible, except to those versed in tlie dialect of tlie " west i countrie." It is taken fi*om Thomas Eavenscroft's ^n > __ — ___ > I By thea — hold, liold ! thoul't bite, I zweare, my I wozen. > I Whoy thon beleave ma wlion ich zweare ; zo do I thou. I Ich do, good Hodge ; thou zweare no more ; \ Ich wool! be thoyne, and God beevore ; — Thon geat wee growdes and boagbipes, harbs and dabors, To leead us on to eand ower loaves great labors. THEIR WEDLOCKE. A borgen's a borgen, che hard long agoe. Be merry, ond a vig vor woe : Zing gleare, zing zweet and zure. Our zong zhall bee but zhort. Muzicke, foice, ond daunzing, O 'tis faliant zport. Thon let this bm^den zweetly zung be ztill, A borgen's a borgen, bee't good bee't ill : A borgen's a borgen, vor veale or vor woe, Zo ever led dis bleasing bm"den goe. ■^ — XLIV. (from the same.) Dare you haunt our hallowed greene ? None but fayries here are seene. Downe and sleepe, Wake and weepe, Pmch him black, and pinch him blew, That seekes to steale a lover true. When you come to heare us sing, Or to tread our fayrie ring. Pinch him black, and pinch him blew, O thus our nayles shall handle you. ^^ ^^ Douce adduces this Song as an illustration of the last scene of "The Merry Wives of Windsor." See Illustrations of Shakspeare, edit. 1839, p. 51. '4 11 § XLV. €]}t Satgres* ©aunce. (from the same.) Round a, round a, keepe your ring ; To the glorious sunne we sing — Hoe, hoe ! He that weares the flaming rayes, And the imperiall crowne of bayes : Him with shoutes and songs we praise — Hoe, hoe ! That in his bountie he'd vouchsafe to grace The humble Sylvannes and their shaggy race. XLYI. (from the same.) '^^^^ By the moone we sport aud play, With the night begins our day ; As we friske the dew doth fall, Trip it Httle urchins ^^ all : Lightly as the httle bee, Two by two, and three by three, And about goe wee, goe wee. I ^9 Urchin^ in its original signification, is a hedgehog, but came to be appUed to a httle elf or gobhn of a mischievous kind, and thence to a > > child of a similar disposition. \ I ,^c. & XLVII. ^omt tfje Pot. (from the same.) ^ Chorus. — TossE the pot, tosse the pot, let us be merry. And drmke till our cheeks be as red as a cherry : We take no thought, we have no care, For still we spend, and never spare, Till of all money our pursse is bare, We ever tosse the pot. Chorus. — Tosse the pot, &c. We drink, carouse, with hart most free ; A harty di^aught I drinke to thee : Then fill the pot againe to me, And ever tosse the pot. Chorus. — Tosse the pot, &c. And when our mony is all spent, Then sell our goods, and spend our rent ; Or drmke it up with one consent. And ever tosse the pot. Chorus. — Tosse the pot. When all is gone, we have no more, Then let us set it on the score ; Or chalke it up behinde the dore, And ever tosse the pot. Chorus. — Tosse the pot, &;c. And when our credit is all lost. Then may we goe and kisse the post, And eat browne bread in steed of rost. And ever tosse the pot. Chorus. — Tosse the pot, &c. Let us conclude as we began. And tosse the pot from man to man. And drinke as much now as we can. And ever tosse the pot. Chorus. — Tosse the pot, &c. XLVIII. iHetljmlics one Eoot|j is ©rge. (from the same.) Trudge away quickly and fill the black bole, Devoutly as long as wee bide ; Now welcome good fellowes, both strangers and all, Let madnes and mii^th set sadnes aside. Of all reckonings, I love good cheere, With honest folkes in company ; And when drinke comes my part for to beare, For still methinkes one tooth is drye. Love is a pastime for a king. If one be scene in Phisnomie ; But I love well this pot to wring, Por still methinkes one tooth is diie. Masters, this is all my desire, I would no drinke should passe us by ; Let us now sing and mend the fier, For still methinkes one tooth is drye. Mr. Butler, give us a taste Of your best drinke so gently ; A jugge or twain, and make no waste, For still methinkes one tooth is drie. Mr. Butler, of this take part ; Ye love good drinke as well as I ; And drinke to mee with all your hart, For still methinkes one tooth is drie. XLIX. K\it fHorrts Banters. From Weelkes' " Ayeres or Phmitasticke Spirits for three voices r Printed bv ^ViUiam Barley, 1608, 4to. Strike it up, tabor And pipe us a favour ; Thou slialt be well paid for thy laboui' : I meane to spend my shoe sole, To daunce about the i\Iay pole : I T^dll be blith and briske ; Leap and skip, Hop and trip, Turne about, In the rout, Until my weary joyntes can scarse friske. Lusty Dicke Hopkin, Lay on with thy napkin, The stitching cost me but a dodkin : The morris were halfe undone Wert not for Martin of Compton. SONGS AND BALLADS. 133 O well said jiging Alice, Pretty GiU, Stand you still, \ Dapper Jacke, | Meanes to smacke, \ How now ! fie, fie, fie, you dance false ! \ '?«" 12 134 SONGS AND BALLADS. STfje fflmntx of tlje SHorltr noJxr a tiagcs. (fkom the same.) Ha ha ha ha ! this world doth passe Most merily He bee sworne ; For many an honest Indian asse Goes for a unicorne. Fara diddle deyno ; This is idle fyno. Tygh hygh, tygh hygh, O sweet dehglit ! He tickles this age that can Call Tullises ape a Marmasyte, And Ledaes goose a swan. Fara diddle deyno ; This is idle fyno. So so so so ! fine English dayes, For false play is no reproach ; For he that cloth the coachman prayse, May safely use the coach. Fara diddle deyno ; This is idle fyno. \ LI. Efje ^pe, tije JKottlteg, antr Uaftooite. (from the same). The ape, the monkey, and baboone did meete. And breaking of their fast in Friday Street, Two of them sware together solemnly In their three natures was a simpathie ; Nay, quoth baboon, I do deny that straine ; I have more knavery in me than you twaine. Why, quoth the ape, I have a horse at will. In Paris Garden for to ride on still, And there shew trickes. Tush ! quoth the monkey, I For better trickes in great men's houses lie. Tush ! quoth baboone, when men do know I come, For sport, from city, country, they will runne. LII. 3S:emji's Sourneg into jFrance. (from the same.) For an accoimt of William Kemp, wlio was a comic actor of liigli reputation, see the Rev. A Dyce's reprint of Ke^np's Nine Dales Wonder', printed for tlie Camden Society, 1840 ; and Collier's Memoirs of the Principal Actors in SJiakespeare' s Plays. Since Roben Hood, Maid Marian, And Little John are gone a ; The hobby-horse was quite forgot, When Kempe did daunce alone a. He did labour after the tabor For to dance ; then into France He tooke pains To skip it. In hopes of gaines He will trip it, On the toe Diddle diddle doe. \ \ ^ Over - Waves. ^ Under. i > SONGS AND BALLADS. 137 LIII. ILotre toill finti out tfje SIHas. j " This excellent Song," says Percy {Reliques, vol. iii, p. 294, \ ed. 1813), "is ancient; but we could only give it from a modem copy." The version now printed is taken from a | rare musical volume, entitled Cantus, Songs and Fancies, \ printed by John Forbes, at Aberdeen, in 1662 ; again in ^ 1666 ; and, lastly, in 1682. It is, perhaps, less elegant than ^ the learned prelate's version, but it has two additional stanzas. [ We have also added a " Second Part" to the BaUad, which is \ taken from a broadside, " Printed at London, for F. Coules, \ dwelling in the Old Baily." (See the curious xlppendix to \ The Sad Shepherd, edited by Waldron, 8vo, 1783.) < We need only remark, that Percy's version consists of five \ stanzas ; that which stands sixth in our copy being second in \ his. The variations at the bottom of the page are from the \ Beliques. \ Over tlie mountains, And under ^ the caves ; ^ Over ^ the fountains. And under the waves ; * \ Under waters ^ that are deepest, i Which Neptune still obey ; \ Over rocks that are steepest, \ Love will find out his ^ way. < ^ Graves. » Floods. '' The. 5 12 § Some ^ may esteem him A cliilde by his force ; ^ Or some they ^ may deem him A coward, that's worse ; ^^ But if she, whom he ^^ doth honour, Be consenting to play,^^ Set twenty ^^ guards about ^* her, Love ^vill find out his ^^ Avay. Many do ^^ loose him. By proving mikind ; ^^ Or some may ^^ suppose him, Poor heart, ^^ to be bhnd ; But if ne're so close ye wall him. Do the best that ye may. Blind Love, if ye do ^^ call him, He will grope out his way.^^ > 7 You. ^ For his might. ^ Or you. ^ 1^ From his flight. ^^ Love. ^ Be conceal'd from the day. '3 A thousand. i"* Upon. ^^ -phe. ic Some think to. ^7 gy having him '^ And some do. 19 Tlmig. confined. ^o jf gQ jq^ 2^ Will find out the way. Well may ^^ the eagle Stoop down to the fist ^^^ Or nets may ^'^ inveagle The phenLx of the east ; With tears ye may move the tyger,^^ To give over his ^^ prey ; But you'll ne'er stop a lover : Love ^^ will find out his way. If the earth doth part them, He'll soon com'se it o'er ; If seas do thwart him. He'll swim to the shore ; If his love become a swallow, In the air for to stray, Love will find mngs to follow, And swift flee out his way. Where there is no place For the glow worm to ly ; Where there is no space For the seat ^^ of a flea ;^^ 22 You may train. -^ To stoop to your fist. ^■* Or you may. '■' The lioness, ye may move her. -^ Her. 27 He. 28 For receipt. 2^ Fly. Where the gnat ^^ dare not venture, Lest herself fast she lay ; But if Love come, he'll enter,^^ And will ^^ find out his way. There is no striveing, To cross his intent ; There is no contriving, His plots to prevent ; For if once the message greet him, That his true love doth stay ; Though demons come and meet him, He will go on his way.^^ ^ Midge. 3^ If Love come, he will enter, 32 goon. ^ The fifth and the concluding stanzas occur, with some variations, in the second part. Cruti^^s Jntegrttg: OR, A CURIOUS NORTHERNE DITTY, CALLED 'LOVE WILL FINDE OUT THE WAY.' To a pleasant new Tune. THE SECOND PART. '^^^^■^ The Gordian knot Which true lovers knit, Undoe you cannot, Nor yet breake it. Make use of your inventions Their fancies to betray, To frustrate your intentions Love will finde out the way. From court to cottage, In bower and in hall. From the king unto the beggar. Love conquers all ; Though nere so stout and lordly. Strive, doe what you may. Yet be you nere so hardy. Love will finde out the way. \ r\,^^ ■\r^^^ ^^^.'WK '^ Love liath power over princes, And greatest emperour, In any provinces, Such is Love's power : There is no resisting, But him to obey, Li spight of all contesting, Love w^ill finde out the way. If that hee were hidden. And all men that are, Were strictly forbidden That place to declare ; Winds that have no abidings, Pittying their delay. Will come and bring him tidings. And direct him the way. If the earth should part him, He would gallop it ore ; If the seas should orethwart him, He would swim to the shore ; Should his love become a swallow, Tlu'ough the ayre to stray. Love would lend A\ings to follow. And will finde out the way. There is no striving To crosse his intent, There is no contriving His plots to prevent ; But if once the message greet him, That his true love doth stay ; If death should come and meet him, Love will finde out the way. iiiii/ O- .3 m^ 144 SONGS AND BALLADS. LIV. a iHag.^aa Ballati. From a MS. volume of old Songs and Music, in the editor's library, dated 1630. It was formerly in the pos- session of the Key. J. H. Todd. JoNE, to the May-pole away let us on, Tyme is swift and will be gone ; See liow the wenches hie to the greene, Where they know they shall be seene ; Besse, Moll, Kate, Doll, These wante no loves to attend them ; Hodge, Dick, Tom, Nick, Brave dauncers, who can amend them ? Jone, shall we have now a hay or a rounde. Or some daunce that is new-founde : Lately I was at a masque in the courte, Where I saw of every sorte Many a dance, made in France, Many a braule and many a measure ; Gay coates, sweet notes. Brave wenches, O 'tw^as a treasure ! But now, methinkes these courtlye toyes Us deprive of better joyes : Gowne made of gray, and skin softe as silke, Breath as sweete as morning milke : O, these more please ; These hath my J one to dehght me : False wiles, com-te smiles, None of these hath Jone to despight me. r^^^S^. ^ 'i t^ 13 \ LV. Wi}t l^ural diance afiout ti}t iHag^pole. This lively and extremely characteristic old Ballad is given from a MS. collection of Songs, with the music, -written about the middle of the seventeenth centurj^ and formerly in the librar}' of Staimton Harold, Leicestershire, the seat of Earl Fen'ers. It differs materially from a copy printed in TFest- minster Dj'ollety, tJie Second Part, 1673. Mr. Dixon prints a corrupt modem copy in his Ancient Ballads and Songs of tlie Teasantry of Englandy with this remark — " The last verse in our copy is modem, and, we believe, was WTitten by a comic song writer, who, a few years ago, had the impudence to palm the whole song off, on those who knew no better, as his o\Tn. composition." This state- ment is not correct, as the said last verse is found in our copy, certainly of the middle of the seventeenth centmy, and also in another printed in the Tixall Poetry, edited by Arthur Clifford (Edinb. 1813, p. 172) of about the same date. Come lasses and lads, Take leave of your dads, And away to the May -pole hie ; For every hee, Hath got him a shee, And a minstrell standing by. Wm hath got a Gill, And John hath got a Joan, To jig it, jig it, jig it, jig it, jig it up and downe. Strike up, saies Watt, Agreed, saies Matt, And I preethee, fidler, play ; Soe, saies Hodge, Agreed, saies Madge, For 'tis hollyday. Then every lad did doff His hat unto his lasse. And every girl did cursie, cursie, cursie, upon the grasse. Begin saies Hall, Ay, ay, saies Mall, Weele have old Fagington s pound ; Noe, noe, saies Noll, And soe saies Doll, Weele have brave Selingers round. 148 SONGS AND BALLADS. Then every man began To foot it round about, And every lass did jet it, jet it, jet it in and out. You're out, saies Nicke, You lie, saies Dicke, The fidler plaies it false ; 'Tis true, saies Hugh, And soe saies Sue, And soe saies nimble Joyce. The fidler then began To play the tune againe. And every girl did trip it, trip it, trip it to the men. Let's kis, saies John, Content, saies Nan, And soe saies every she : | ^ How many ? saies Batt, Why three, saies Matt, For that's a mayden's fee. But they instead of three Did give them half a score. The maides in kindnes, kindnes, kindnes, gave them as many more. After an hour They went to a bower, And plaid for ale and cakes ; With kisses too, Until they were due, And the lasses held the stakes. At length the maids began To quarrel with the men, And bid them take their kisses backe, and \ give them their own againe. Yet there they satt Untill 'twas late. And tired the fidler quite ; Singing and playing, Without any paying. From morning untill night. 13 § They told the fidler then, They'd pay him for his play, And each paid toopence, toopence, toopence, toopence, and went away. Good night, sais Tom,^ And soe sales John, Good night, sales Dick to Will ; Good night, sales Sis, Good night, sales Piis, Good night, sales Peg to Nell. Some run, some went, some staid, Some dallied by the way. And bound themselves by kisses twelve to meet next hollyday. i I LVI. 2Cfje i^ortfj^Coutttrgman's Song, ON HIS VIEW OF LONDON SIGHTS. From a cuiious folio MS. of Songs and Music, with the autograph of "John Gamble 1656." " John Gramble was an apprentice to Ambrose Beyland, a noted master of musick, and became afterwards a musician belonging to the playhouse, one of the comets in the King's chapell, one of the \dolins to K. C. 2., and a composer of Lessons for the King's Playhouse." — (Wood, Fasti Oxon.) Another copy of the Ballad is contained in MS. Harl. \ 3910, fol, 36, b, of the seventeenth century. (See Wright ^ and HaUiwell's BeliqucB Antiquce, vol. ii, p. 70.) It differs r in many respects from the present version. The adventure of ) the hat in St. Paul's is omitted ; but in its place our coim- \ tryman walks down Ludgate HiU, and meeting the Lord Mayor in procession, exclaims : — " I know not which of 'em to desii'e, The mayor or the horse they were both so like ; Their trappings so rich you would admyre, Their faces such, non could dislike. But I must consider perforce The saying of oulde, so true it was. The gray mayor is the better horse, And all's not gould that shynes lyke brass." •> In Fleet Street he hears a shout, and the sound of pipe and tabor : — " For so, God save me ! a Moitj^s Daunce : Oh ther was sport alone for mee, To see the hobby-horse how he did praunce. Among the gingling compajTie." In his way to the Tower he passes under London Bridge, and wondering "how it was built belowe," he exclaims : — " But then my frend John Stow I remember, In's booke of Loudon, call'd the Survay, Saith that on the tifthe daye of September, "With wooU sacks they did it underlay." Other differences may be found upon a comparison of the two copies. The " north-countiy " dialect is peculiar to our version. When Ize came first to London town, Ize wor a noviz, as many men are, Ize thought the king had liv'd at the Crown, And the way to heaven had been tln^ough the Star. Ize zet up my horse, and Ize went to Powles, " Uds nigs," quoth I, "what a kirk bee th here ! Then Ize did swear by aU Kerson ^^ souls. It wor a mile long, or very near. 5> I The top wor as high as any hill, A hill, quoth I, nay as a mountain ! But Ize went up with very good will. But gladder was I to come down again. For as I went up my head ga round, Then be it known to all Kerson people, A man is no little way fro' the ground When he's o' the top of Paul's steeple. Ize lay down my hat and Ize went to pray, But wor not this a pitifuU case, A vor Ize had done it wor stolen away, Who'd a thought theeves had been in that place ? Now for my hat Ize made great moan, A stander by then to me zaid, " Thou dost not observe the Scripture aright, For thou mun a watcht as weU as pray'd." From thence to Westminster Ize went, Where many a brave lawyer Ize did zee ; But zome there had a bad intent, I'm zure my pm'se was stoln from mc. Now to zee the tombs was my desire, Ize went with many brave fellows store, Ize gave them a penny, that was their hire, And he's but a fool that will give any more. Then through the roomes the fellow me led, Where all the zights wor to be zeen, And snuffling, told me through the nose. What formerly the names of those had been. " Here lyes," quoth he, " Henry the Third ;" " Thou ly's like a knave, he zays never a word. '' And here lyes Richard the Second interr'd. And here stands good King Edward's sword. " And under the chair lyes Jacob's stone. The very same stone is now in the chair :" " A very good jest, had Jacob but one ? How got he so many sons without a pair ? }f 3J Iz' staid not there, but down with the tide Iz' made great hast, and Iz' went my way. For Iz' was to zee the hons beside. And the Paris- Garden all in a day. ^ When I'ze came there I was in a rage, Ize rayld on him that kept the bears, Instead of a stake was suffered a stage, And in Hunks his house a crew of players. Then through the bridge to the Tower Iz' went, With much ado Ize ent'rd in, And after a penny that I had spent. One with a loud voice did thus begin : " This lion's the kings, and that is the queens, And this is the prince's that stands here by." With that I went near to look in the den. i " Gods body!" quoth he, " why come ye so nigh ?' Ize made great hast unto my inn, Iz' zupt, and I went to bed betimes, Ize zlept, and Iz' dream' d what I had zeen, And wak'd again by Cheapside chimes. i LYII. ^ Song for ^utolgcus, (from the same MS.) This Song is e\ddently much older than the date of the MS. from which it is taken. The allusion in the last line but one, to the Sussex Serpent, fixes the period of its popularity to have been after 1614. In that year there was a Discourse published of a strange monstrous Serpent in St. Leonard's Forest, in Sussex, which was discoyered in the month of August, in 1614. The relation is set forth Anth an air of great sincerity, and attested by eye-wdtnesses living on the spot. The Tract may be seen in the third volume of the Harleian Miscellany. The Sussex Serpent is also mentioned \ in Ben Jonson's World in the Moon, and in Fletcher's Wit without Money. Braithwaite, in his character of " A BaUad Monger," says : " Hee has a singular gift of imagination, for hee can descant on a man's execution long before his confession. Xor comes his invention far short of his imagination ; for want of truer relations, for a neede he can find you out a Sussex Dragon, some sea or inland monster, drawne out by some Shoe-lane man, in a Gorgon-Hke featui'e, to enforce more hoiTor in the beholder." — Whimzies, or, a Neio Cast of Characters, 1631. SONGS AND BALLADS. 157 Will you buy a new merry booke, Or a dolefull ditty, then looke ? Here's a proper ballet, Most fit for the pallet Of a chamber-maid, That was over laid. Which she ru'th, 'Tis call'd A Warning for Youth : He took her bout the middle so small. He threw her downe, but that was not all, I shoidd howl out right to tell of the rest. How this poor maid was over prest. Therefore quickly come and buy, and read for your penny. Come, my hearts, 'tis as good a bargain as e're you had any ; Here's no SiissecV Berioent to fright you here in my bundle. Nor was it ever printed for the widdow Tnmdle. ^^ 21 The widdow of John Trundle, " neere the Hospital Gate in Smith- field," a celebrated piinter of Ballads, before the year 1598. The Elder Knowell in Ben Jonson's Every Man in his Humour, says, " Well, if I read this \Nlth patience, I'll * * * troU ballads for Maister John Trundle, yonder, the rest of my mortaht)-." 14 > LVIII. Ballatf on Sgmon HEatiloe. \ From Catch tliat CatcJi cmi, or A Choice Collection of \ Catches, Hounds, and Canons, for 3 or 4 Voyces. Collected and Published by John Hilton, Batch in Musick. Printed for Jolin Benson, &c. 1652. Old Simon Wadloe kept the Devil Tavern in Fleet Street, at tlie time when Ben Jonson and the wits of the Apollo Club met there. ^ Good Symon, how comes it your nose looks so reel, And your clieeks and lips looke so pale ? Siu'e the heat of the toast. Your nose did so roast, \ When they were both sous't in ale. It shows like the spire Of Paul's steeple on fire, Each ruby darts forth such flashes ; While your face looks as dead As if it were lead ; And cover' d all over with ashes. Now to heighten his colour, Yet fill his pot fuller, And nick it not so with froth : Gramercy ! mine host, It shall save thee a toast ; Sup, Symon, for here is good broth, ^^ ^ In Plaj'ford's Pleasant Musical Companion, second edition, 1687, \ may be found the following humourous Lines, which evidently relate to \ the same person : " AN EPITAPH ON AN HONEST CITIZEN, AND TRUE FRIEND TO ALL CLARET DRINKERS. Here heth Symon, cold as clay, Who, whilst he hved, cry'd * Tip away ;' And, when Death puts out his taper, He needeth no touch upon paper. Now let him rest, since he is dead, I And ask'd not for a bit of bread > Before he dy'd ; and that is much, > For Death gave him a racey touch. Now although this same Epitaph was long since given, Yet Symon's not dead, more than any man Hving." 160 SONGS AND BALLADS. LIX. Wi}t f^umours of Bartljolcimeto iFair. From a rare musical volume, entitled T/ie Second Part of ] tJie Pleasant Musical Companion, 1687. Here's that will cliallenge all the Fair : Come buy my mits and damsons, my Burgamy \ pear. \ Here's the Whore of Babylon, the Devil and the Pojje : The girl is just going on the rope. \ Here's Dives and Lazarus, and the JForkVs Creation : ^^ > Here's the Dutch Woman, the like's not in the nation. > \ 23 Bagford has preserved, in MS. Harl. 5931, a printed biU of the latter end of the seventeenth century, wherein it is stated that " at Crawley's show, at the Golden Lion, near St. George's Church, during the time of Southwark Fair, will be presented the whole Story of the old Creation of the World, or Paradice Lost, yet newly reviv'd, with the addition of Noah's flood." See Strutt's Sports and Pastimes, ed. Hone, p. 166. The editor has now before him a license, on vellum, with the \ SONGS AND BALLADS. 161 Here is the booth where the tall Butch Maid is, Here are the hears that dance Hke any ladies. Tota, tota, tot, goes the \\i\\Q ])enny trumpet. Here's your Jacob Hall, that can jump it, jump it. Sound trumpet : a silver spoon and fork ; \ Come here's your dainty Fig and Pork. seal of the Master of the Revels, dated 1662, permitting " George Bayley, of London, Musitioner, to make show of a play, called NoaKs ^ Flood." The Harleian MS. just alluded to, contains another hand-bill, of great interest. It begins as follows : " By Her Majesties permission. At Heatly's booth, over against the Cross Daggers, next to Mr. MiUer's booth, during the time of Bartholomew Fair, wiU be presented a httle Opera, called The old Creation of the World, newly reviv'd, with the addition of the glorious battle obtained over the French and Spaniards, by his Grace the Duke of Marlborough," &c. Braithwaite, in his Strapado for the Devil, 1615 (p. 161), alludes to these performances at en earher period : " Saint Bartlemews, where all the pagents showne. And aU those acts from Adam unto Noe, Us'd to be represent." 14 § 162 SONGS AND BALLADS. LX. E\}t i^cto ©amours of 33art|)olomcto Jair. (fkom the same work.) Here are the rarities of the whole Fair, Pwiper-Ie-Fimpj and the wise Dancing Mare ; Here's vaUiaiit St. George and the Dragon, a farce, A girl of fifteen with strange moles on her a — : Here's Vienna besieg'cl, a rare thing, And here's FiincJdnello'^'^ shown thrice to the king. Ladies mask'd to the cloisters repaii*, But there will be no raffling, a pise on the Fair. 2^ The author of The History of Punch and Judy was unable to dis- cover any eai'her notice for his chapter " On the arrival of Punch in England," or that hero's popularity in our own country, than the annals of Queen Anne's reign afforded. But he deduced fi-om the fact " that \ no writer of that reign who notices him at all, speaks of him as a ^ novelty, that he could not have recently emigi'ated from his native eountr}^" The earliest notice that the editor has yet found is in a MS. Diary of the year 1660. The overseers' books of the parish of St. Martm-in-the-Fields also contain some curious entries of Punch, dating from ]\Iai-ch 29, 1666. See the second edition of Mr, Cunningham's Hand-Book of London, p. 107, where they are quoted. Another early notice occm's in Jordan's ballad, The ProdigaVs Resolution, 1672. " At Play-houses and Tennis-court, I'll prove a noble fellow ; I'll court my doxies to the sport \ Of, brave Punchinello^ I I •^/^/N^\/ LXI. ^ Sons on Bartfjolometo Jair. From a MS. volume of old Songs, collected and noted by the celebrated " small-coal " man, Thomas Britton. On the ( fly-leaf is his autograph, and the date, 1682. It was pur- j chased, with several others of the same kind, and of the same I collection, at the sale of John Sidney Hawkins' books. Bonny lads and damsels, Yoitr welcome to om^ booth ; We're now come here on pm*pose Your fancies for to sooth : No heavy Dutch performers,^^ Amongst us you shall find ; We'll make your lads good humour'd, And lasses very kind : Your damsens and filberds, You're welcome here to crack ; But a glass of merry sack boys, Is a cordial for the back. I woman but herself can do." -^ The Dutch woman's booth is spoken of by Gildon in his Com- ^ parison between the Two Stages, 1702: — " You will see the famous <, ^ Dutch woman's side-capers, upright-capers, cross-capers, and back- [ X capers, on the tight rope. She walks too on the slack rope, which no f You may range about the fair, New tricks and sights to see ; And when your legs are weary, Pray come again to me : There's thread-bare Holof ernes ^^ Whom Judith long hath slain ; With Guy of Wanmch, St. George ^'^ And Bosamond's fair dame : You'll find some pretty puppets too, With many a nickey-nack ; But a glass of jolly sack, boys. Is a cordial for the back. The houses being low too, Some players hither come ; But if my stars deceive men not. They soon will know their doom : There's other pretty strollers, That crowd upon us here, I 2S The "drama" of Judith and Holoferties wns published with the following imprint : *' To be sold, in the Booth of Lee and Harper, and only printed for and by G. Lee, in Blue Maid Alley, Southwark." 27 Poor Elkanah Settle, the City Laureat, after the Revolution, kept a booth in Bartholomew Fair, where, in a droll, called St. George for ^ England, he acted in a dragon of green leather of his own invention. > That may have booths to let too, Before their time I fear : All these may prate and talk much, Show tricks and bounce and crack ; But here's a glass of sack, boys, That's a cordial for the back. Come sit down then brisk lads all, A bumper to the king ; Old England let's remember, May peace and plenty spring : Let war no more perplex you, Your taxes soon will end ; The soldiers all disbanded, And each man love his friend : Be merry then, carouse boys. See drawer what is't they lack ; And fetch a bottle neat boy. That's a cordial for the back. LXII. E\}t Coutttrgman*s J^amile tfirouglj iSartljolomebj JFair. Erom the same MS. See also Duifey's Pills to Turge \ Melancholy^ vol. i, p. 55, edit. 1707. \ \ ^ Adzooks ches went the other day to London town; In SmitMeld such gazing, Zuch thrustmg and squeezing, Was never known : A zitty of wood, some volk do call it Bartledom Pair, But ches zure nought but kings and queens live there. In gold and zilver, zilk and velvet, each was drest, A lord in his zattin, Was busy a prating. Amongst the rest ; But one in blue jacket came, which some do Andrew call,^^ Adsheart he talk'd woundy witty to 'em all ! At last, adzooks, he made such sport I laugh'd aloud. The rogue being flustered, He flung me a custard Amidst the crowd : The volk veil a laughing at me, then the vezen zaid, Bezm'e Ralph, give it to Doll the dairy -maid. I z wallow' d the affront, but stay'd no longer there ; I thrust and I scrambled. Till further I rambled Into the Fair ; Where trumpets and bagpipes, kettledrums, fidlers, all at w^ork, I And the cooks zung, " Here's your delicate Pig I and Pork."^^ ( I 28 it Here a knave in a foole's coate, with a trumpet sounding, or a I drum beating, invites you, and would faine perswade you to see his i, puppets." — Bartholomew Faire, 1641. \ 29 Hoasted pigs formed one of the great attractions of Bartholomew < Fair in its palmy days. They were sold piping hot in booths and stalls. ^ " If Bartholomew Faire should last a whole year, nor pigs nor piippet- \ plages would ever be surfeited of." Gayton's Festivious Notes on Don I Quixot, 1654, p. 145. See also Ben Jonson's comedy oi Bartholomew [ Fair. Pigs were not out of date when Ned Ward wrote his London Spy. I look'd around to see the wonders of the Vair, Where lads and lasses, With puddhig-bag arses, Zo nmible were : Heels over-head, as K)und as a wheel they turned about, Old Nick zure was in their breeches without doubt. Most woundily pleas' d, I up and down the Vair did range, To zee the vine varies, Play all their vagaries, I vow 'twas strange ; I ask'd 'em aloud what country volk they were ? A cross brat answer'd " che were cuckold- shire." I thrust and shov'd along as well as e'er I could, At last did I grovel. Into a dark hovel, Where drink was sold ; They brought me cans which cost a penny, adsheart 1 I'm zm^e twelve ne're could vill a country quart. SONGS AND BALLADS. 169 Che went to draw her purse, to pay 'em for their beer, The devil a penny Was left of my money, Che'U vow and zwear : They doft my hat for a groat, then turned me out \ of doors, \ Adswounds, Ralph, didst ever zee such rogues ^ and whores. 5-.. 15 > > > ? ;■ ;> LXIII. ®:o&acco is an Intitan TO^cU, From a broadside, witli tlie Music, " Printed at London, 1670." It is also found in Merry Drollery Com^leat, 1670, and in Two Broad-sides against Tobacco : tlie first given by King James, of famous memory, his Counterblast to Tobacco ; the second transcribed out of that learned physician, Br. Edward Maynetcaringe, his Treatise of the Scurvy, 4to, London, 1672. An earlier copy is contained in a choice little poetical MS. in the possession of Mr. J. P. Collier. The latter is subscribed " G. W.," probably George Withers. There is another ver- sion in Dui-fey's Fills to Purge Melancholy, edit. 1707, vol. i, p. 315. Mr. Dixon, in his Ancient Poems, Ballads, and So7igs of ? the Peasantry of England, prints a Poem, in two Parts, en- i titled Smoking Spiritualized, which he says was written by > Ralph Erskine, bom 1685. The first part of this "Poem" i is a corrupt version of the folloA\ang Song. The second part I I may be the " composition " of ]\Ir. Ersldne ; but this is ^ > doubtful, as on another page of the same work Mr. Dixon > I speaks of the author as Ebenezer Erskine. The identity of \ \ the author is thus somewhat questionable. \ '^^^^^ \ SONGS AND BALLADS. 171 The Indian weed withered quite, Grown at noon, cut down at night. Shows thy decay, — all flesh is hay : Thus thinli, then drink ^^ tobacco. The pipe that is so lily-white, Shows thee to be a mortal wight, And even such, gone with a touch : Thus think, then drink tobacco. And when the smoke ascends on high, Think thou beholds't the vanity Of worldly stuff, gone with a puff: Thus think, then drink tobacco. And when the pipe grows foul within. Think on thy soul defiled with sin ; And then the fire it doth requu^e : \ Thus think, then drink tobacco. I _ ^ ^ 30 Drinking tobacco was another term for smoaking it. " The smoke < of tobacco (the which Dodoneus called rightly Henbane of Peru) S drunJce and drawen by a pipe, filleth the membranes of the braine, and astonisheth and filleth many persons with such joy and pleasure, and ^ sweet losse of senses, that they can by no means be without it." — The \ Perfuming of Tobacco, and the great abuse committed in lY, 1611. < The ashes that are left behind, May serve to put thee still in mind, That unto dust return thou must : Thus think, then drink tobacco. SONGS AND BALLADS. 173 LXIY. Wi)t iPraise of STrinitiatiD. From Weelkes' Ayres or Phantasticke Spirites, 1608. At the period wlien this book was printed, the product of the island of Trinidado was in great request by the race of smokers. Heylin, our old cosmographer, tells us that the island abounded in the best kind of tobacco, much celebrated formerly by the name of a Fipe of Trinidado. — Microcosmos, ] 4to, Oxon., 1622. CoME, sirrah, Jacke hoe 1 Fill some tobacco ; Bring a wire, And some fire, Haste, haste, away, Quicke, I say, Do not stay. Shun delay, I dranke none good to-day. I sweare that this tobacco It's perfect Trinidado ; By the very mas. Never was better gere, Then is here. By the roode ! For the blood 'Tis very good. 15 § Fill the pipe once more, My braines daunce TrencJimore ;^^ It is heddy, I I am geddy, \ My head and braines, i Back and raines, I Jointes and vaines. From all paines, It doth well purge and make cleane. Then those that doe condemn it, Or such as not commend it. Never were so wise to learne. Good tobacco to discerne : Let them go Pluck a crow, And not know as I do The swete of Trinidado. 3^ A popular dance of the period. Taylor, the Water-poet, mentious \ it in a passage which we have not seen quoted : — " Nimble heeled ma- \ riners (like so many dancers) capring in the pompes and vanities of this ? sinful world, sometimes a ^Morisco, or Trenchmore of forty miles long, | to the tune of ' Dusty, my Deare,' * Dirty, come thou to me,' ' Dun out 't of the mire,* or, ' I wayle in woe and plunge in paine : ' all these dances ? have no other musicke." — A Navy of Land Ships, 1627. LXV. Eoftacco^s a JHusictan. From a MS. set of Part-books, in the handwriting of Thomas Weelkes, a.d. 1609. Its author was, in all proba- bility, Barten Holiday, who inserted it in his Texnotamia, or the Marriage of the Arts, 1618. See also Beloe's Anecdotes of Literature, 1807, vol. ii, p. 10. \ ^ Tobacco's a Musician, And in a pipe delighteth ; It descends in a close, . \ Through the organs of the nose. With a rehsh that inviteth. This makes me sing so-ho ! so-ho ! boyes : Ho ! boyes, sound I loudly ; Earth ne'er hid breed \ Such a jovial weed. Whereof to boast so proudly. Tobacco is a Lawyer, His pipes do love long cases. When our braines it enters. Our feete do make indentures ; While we scale with stamping paces. This makes me sing, &c. Tobacco's a Physician, Good both for sound and sickly ; 'Tis a hot perfume, That expells cold rheunie, And makes it flow downe quickly. This makes me sing, &c. Tobacco is a Traveller, Come from the Indies hither ; It passed sea and land, Ere it came to my hand. And scaped the wind and weather. This makes me sing, &c. Tobacco is a Critticke, That still old paper turneth. Whose labom' and care, Is as smoke in the aire. That ascends from a rag where it burneth. This makes me sing, &c. SONGS AND BALLADS. 177 Tobacco's an Ignis fatuus, A fat and fyrie vapour, That leads men about, Till the fire be out, Consuming like a taper. This makes me sing, &c. Tobacco is a Whyffler,^^ And cries hufif, snufP, with furie ; His pipes, his club and hnke, He's the wiser that does drinke ; Thus armed I fear not a furie. This makes me sing, &c. ^ The derivation of this word is from whiffle, to disperse as by a puif \ of wind, to scatter. Douce says whiffle is another name for a fife or a \ small flute, but he is not supported by any authority. A whiffler, in its > original signification, evidently meant a staff-bearer, ** First 4 whifflers \ (as servitures), by two and two, walking before, with white staves in < their hands, and red and blew ribbons hung beltwise upon their I shoulders ; these make way for the company." — A Store House of ^ Armoury and Blazon, by Randle Holme, book iii, chap. 3, fol. 127 ; LXYL ^le antr 2Coliacco. Feom Ravenscroft's Brief Discourse, 1614. Tobacco fumes away all nastie rheumes, But health away it never lightly frets ; And nappy ale makes mirth (as April raine doth Earth), Spring like the pleasant Spring, where ere it soaking wets. But in that spring of mii1h, Such madnes hye doth growe, As fills a foole by birth, With crotchets ale and tobacco. One cleares the braine, the other glads the hart, Which they retaine by nature and by art, The first by nature cleares, by arte makes giddy will, The last by nature cheares, by arte makes heady still. So we whose braines els lowe. Swells high with crotchet rules ; Peede on these two as fat, As heddy giddy fooles. LXVII. E\)t Eriutnpfj of ^Toliacco. From an old voliune of Songs, with the Music, temp. Charles II. In TFifs Recreations, 1640, is a Song " In \ Praise of Sack," and " The Answer of Ale to the Challenge \ of Sack." These are succeeded by " The Tryumph of < Tobacco over Sack and Ale." The latter, with the addition of an opening stanza and other variations, is a copy of what follows. It is attributed, but upon no good grounds, to Francis Beaumont. \ Though many men crack, \ Some of ale, some of sack, \ And think they have reason to do it ; Tobacco hath more, That will never give o're The honour they do unto it. Tobacco engages Both sexes, all ages, The poor as well as the wealthy, From the court to the cottage, From childhood to dotage, Both those that are sick and the healthy. It plainly appears, That in a few years Tobacco more cnstom liath gained, Than sack, or than ale. Of the times, wherein they have reigned. And worthily too, For what they undoe. Tobacco doth help to regaine, On fairer conditions. Than many physitians. Puts an end to much grief and paine. It helpeth digestion. Of that there's no question, The gout, and the toothache, it easeth : Be it early, or late, 'Tis never out of date He may -safely take it that pleaseth. Tobacco prevents Infection by scents. That hm-t the brain, and are heady ; An antidote is, Before you're amisse. As weU as an after remedy. The cold it doth heat, Cools them that do sweat, And them that are fat maketh lean The hungry doth feed. And, if there be need, Spent spirits restoreth again. Tobacco infused, May safely be used, Por purging, and killing of lice -. Not so much as the ashes. But heals cuts and slashes. And that out of hand, in a trice. I The poets of old, , I Many fables have told, i Of the Gods and their symposia ; \ But tobacco alone, \ Had they known it, had gone \ For their nectar and ambrosia. \ It is not the smack Of ale, or of sack, 16 That can with tobacco compare ; For taste, and for smell, It beareth the bell. From them both where ever they are. For all their bravado, It is Trinidado, That both their noses will wipe Of the praises they desire, Unless they conspire To sing to the tune of his pipe. LXVIII. ©Iti €nslanti turn'ti i^eto. From the Britton MS., before mentioned (p. 163). It '< may also be found in the third edition of Henry Playford's Wit mid Mirth ; aii Antidote agahut Melanclioly . 8vo. 1682. You talk of New England, I truly believe Old England is grown new, and doth us deceive ; rie ask you a question or two, by your leave, And is not Old England grown new ? Where are your old souldiers with slashes and scars. They never us'd drinking in no time of wars, Nor shedding of blood in mad drunken jars ? And is not Old England grown new ? New captains are made that never did fight. But with pots in the day, and punks in the night, And all their chief care is to keep their swords bright ; And is not Old England grown new ? I Where are your old swords, your bills, and your bowes, Your bucklers and targets that never feared blowes ? They are turn'd to stilletto's with other fair showes ; And is not Old England grown new ? Where are yoiu' old courtiers that used to ride With forty blew coats, and footmen beside ? They are turned to six horses, a coach with a guide ; And is not Old England grown new ? J And what has become of om^ Old Enghsh cloathes, I Your long sleev'd doublet, and your trunk hose ? '> They are turn'd to Erench fashions and other gugaws ; And is not Old England grown new ? Your gallant and his taylor, some half-a-year together. To fit a new suit to a new hat and feather ; Of gold, or of silver, silk, cloth, stuff, or leather ; And is not Old England grown new ? I SONGS AND BALLADS. 185 \ 5 > We have new fashioned beards, and new fashioned I locks, And new fashioned hats, for your new pated blocks. And more new diseases, besides the French pox ; And is not Old England grown new ? New houses are built, the old ones pull'd down. Until the new houses sell all the old ground. And the houses stand like a horse in the pound ; And is not Old England gro^vn new ? New fashions in houses, new fashions at table, ^ Old servants discharg'd, and new not so able, | And all good eld customs is but a fable ; I And is not Old England grown new ? I ^ I New trickings, new goings, new measm'es, new \ faces, New heads for men, for yom' women new faces, ^ And twenty new tricks to mend their bad cases ; ^ And is not Old England grown new ? 16 § New tricks in the law, new tricks in the rolls, New bodies they have, they look for new souls, When the money is paid for building old Paul's ; And is not Old England grown new ? < i Then talk you no more of New England, \ New England is where Old England did stand, \ New furnish'd, new fashioned, new woman'd, new man'd ; And is not Old England grown new ? SONGS AND BALLADS. 187 LXIX. Wtjt ILamentation of a 33atr JHarfot. (from the same.) The year 1633 must be ever memorable in th.e history of London Bridge : for scarcely in tlie awful conflagration wMcli consumed almost tlie whole City, did that brave old edifice suffer so severely. Eichard Bloome, one of Stowe's con- tinuators, on p. 61 of his Survey^ thus speaks of the calamity : " On the 13th day of February, between eleven and twelve > at night, there happened, in the house of one Briggs, a needle-maker, near St. Magnus Church, at the north end of the bridge, by the carelessness of a maid-servant, setting a tub of hot sea-coal ashes under a pair of stall's, a sad and lament- able fire, which consimied aU the buildings before eight of the clock the next morning, from the north end of the bridge to the first vacancy on both sides, containing forty-two houses ; water then being very scarce, the Thames being almost frozen over. Beneath, in the vaults and cellars, the fire remained glowT.ng and burning a whole week after." The fatal event here nan-ated probably gave rise to the following jesting Ballad. It is printed at the end of a very rare publication, entitled, \ The loves of Hero and Leandei\ a Mock Poem ; together with choice Poems and rare Pieces of Drollery, got by heart, and often repeated by divers witty Gentlemen and Ladies that use to walke in the New Exchange, and at their recreations in Hide Park. Lond., 1653, 12mo. There is also another edition of 1682 ; but many of the feseennine rhymes, some of which woidd have done honour to Hudibras, and many of the witty points of this ballad, are, in that latter copy, most vilely perverted. It may also be found at the end of Ovid de Arte Amandi, 8fc., Englished, together with Choice Poems, and rare Pieces of Drollery, 1663 ; and in Durfey's Wit and Mirth, 1719, vol. iv, p. 1. A copy of the BaUad, in its original state, is in the Pepysian Collection (vol. ii, p. 146), where it is called The Lamentation of a Bad Market, or the drownding of three children on the Thames. To the tune of the Ladies Pall. Printed for P. Coles, T. Yere, J. Wright, and J. Clarke. The weU-known nursery rhymes — " Three cliildi-en sliding on the ice. Upon a summer's day, As it fell out, they all feU in. The rest they ran away," &c., was most probably found upon the baUad. Some Christian people all give ear Unto tlie grief of us : Caused by the death of three children dear ; The which it happened thus. And eke there befel an accident. By fault of a carpenter's son, Who to saw chips his sharp axe-e-lent Woe worth the time may Lon- May London say • woe worth the carpenter ! And all such hloch-liead fools ; Would he were hanged up like a sarpent here For meddling with edge tools. For into the chips there fell a spark, Which put out in such flames, That it was known into South- wark Which lies beyond the Thames For he ! the bridge was wondrous hi^h, With water underneath ; O'er which as many fishes fly As birds therein do breathe. And yet the fire consumed the brigg, Not far from place of landing ; And though the building was full big, It fell down — not-ioitJi-standin^. ^ And eke into the water fell So many pewter dishes, That a man might have taken up very well Both boiled and roasted fishes ! And thus the bridge of London town, For building that was sumptuous, Was all by fii'e half burnt down For being too contumjotious I Thus you have all but half my song, Pray list to what comes ater ; For now I have cooVd you with the^r With a knight of ghosts and shadows, ' I summoned am to Tourney ij Ten leagues beyond, The wide world's end ; Methinks it is no jomiiey ! Yet do I sing, &c. ^ ^ 18 <; < 206 SONGS AND BALLADS. \ LXXII. This excellent old Ballad is given from one of Thomas Britton's old music books, corrected by a black-letter copy, in the editor's library, " Printed for Tlio. Yere, at the signe of the Angel without Newgate." A CROTCHET comes into my mind, concerning a proverb of old ; Plain dealing's a jewel most rare, and more precious than silver or gold : And therefore with patience give ear, and listen to Avhat here is pen'd, These verses were written on purpose the honest man's cause to defend : For this I will make it appeare, and prove by experience I can, 'Tis the excellent'st thing in the world to be a plain-dealing man. Yet some are so impudent grown, they'l domineer, vapour, and swagger. And say that the plain-dealing man was born to dye a beggar : But men that are honestly given, doth such evill actions detest, And every one that is wel-minded, will say that plain-deahng is best : For this I will, &c. Tor my part I was a poore man, and sometimes scarce master of a shilling, Yet to live upright in the world, heaven knows I am wondrous wilUng ! Although that my clothes be thred-bare, and my caUing be simple and poore, Yet will I endeavour myself to keep off the wolf from the doore : For this I will, &c. And now to be briefe in discourse, In plain terms lie tell you my mind, My quaUties you shall all know. And to what my humour's inclin'd : I hate all dissembling base knaves, and pick-thanks whoever they be, And for painted fac'd drabs, and such like, they shall never get penny of me ; For this I will, &c. Nor can I abide any tongue that wil prattle and prate against reason, About that which doth not concern them, which thing is no better then treason : Wherefore I'd ^A^sh al that do hear me not to meddle with matters of state, Lest they be in question call'd for't, and repent them Avhen it is too late : Tor this I will, &c. O fie upon spightfull neighbours, whose malicious humours are bent. And to practise and strive every day to wrong the poore innocent : By means of such persons as they, there hath many a good mother's son Bin utterly brought to decay, their wives and their children undone : \ But this I will, &c. O fie upon forsworn knaves, that do no conscience make To sweare, and to forswear themselves at every thu'd word they doe speak ; i So they may get profit and gains they care not what lys they doe tell, i Such cursed dissemblers as they l are worse than the divels of hell ! < But this I will, &c. ^ O fie upon greedy bribe-takers, 'tis pitty they ever drew breath. For they like to base caterpillers, devoure up the fruits of the earth : They'r apt to take money with both hands on one side, and also the other, And care not what men they undoe, though't be their own father or brother : Therefore I will make it appeare, | and shew very good reasons I can, 'Tis the excellent' st thing in the world to be a plaine-dealing man. O fie upon cheaters and theeves, that liveth by fraud and deceit, The gallows do for such blades groan, and the hang-man do for their clothes wait : 18 § 210 SONGS AND BALLADS. Tliougli poverty be a disgrace, and want is a pittifull griefe, 'Tis better to goe like a begger, than to ride in a cart like a thiefe : For this I will, &c. And now let all honest men judge, if such men as I have here nam'd, Eor their wicked and impudent dealings deserveth not much to be blam'de ? And noAv here before I conclude, one item to the world I will give. Which may direct some the right way and teach them the better to live : For now I have made it appeare, and many men witnesse it can, 'Tis the excellent' st thing in the world \ to be a plain-dealing man. I'th first place, Ide wish you beware what company you come in ; For those that are wicked themselves may quickly tempt others to sin ; SONGS AND BALLADS. 211 If youths be indued with wealth and have plentie of silver and gold, Ide wish them keepe something in store to comfort them when they are old : \ I have known some young prodigals which have wasted their money so fast, That they have bin driven in want, \ and were forced to beg at the last : < Ide wdsh all men bear a good conscience, in all their actions be just, For he's a false varlet indeed, that will not be true to his trust. And now to conclude my new song, and draw to a perfect conclusion, I have told you what is in my mind, and what is my resolution : For thus I liave made it appeare, and prove by experience I can, 'Tis the excellent'st thing in the world to be a plain -dealing man. LXXIII. OR, COME SHEPHERDS, DECK YOUR HEADS J* (from the same.) This Ballad is thus mentioned in Izaak Walton's Complete Angler : — " Milkwoman. TVTiat song was it, I pray ? was it ' Come, Shepherds, deck your Heads ;' or, ' As at Noon Dulcinea rested;' or, PhiUida flouts me;' or, 'Chevy Chase;' or, 'Johnny Armstrong;' or, 'Troy Town?' " Another copy is contained in a folio MS. of Songs, written in the former part of the seventeenth centmy, preserved in the Ashmolean Museum. (See IMr. Black's excellent Cata- logue, No. 38, ai-t. 164.) It is also to be found in Sir H. Nicolas' edition of Walton's Angler, published by Picker- ing, who gives it from a MS. formerly in the possession of Richard Heber, Esq. » The air to which it was sung was extremely popular at the beginning of the seventeenth centuiy, and the musical notes may be seen in Adrian Yalerium's Neder-Landtsche Gedenck- clank, Haerlem, 1626 ; and in Jan Starter's Friesche Lust-hof, Amsterdam, 1634. 5 ^ In the third, fourth, fifth, and perhaps other editions of Walton's \ Angler, this word is erroneously printed " herds." Come, Shepheards, deck your heads No more with bayes, but willowes ; Forsake your downie beds, And make the dowiies your pillowes ; And mourn with me, since crost As never yet was no man, For shepheard neaver lost So plaine a deahnge woman. All yee forsaken wooers, That ever care oppressed, And all you lusty doers. That ever love distressed. That losses can condole. And all togeather summon, Oh ! mom^ne for the poor soule Of my plaine dealinge woman. Fair Venus made her chast. And Ceres beauty gave her ; Pan wept when shee Avas lost, The Satyrs strove to have her ; I > Yet seem'd she to tlieire view So GOV, so nice, that no man Could judge but he that knew My own plaine deahnge woman. \ At all her pretty parts I nere enough can wonder ; She overcame all hearts, Yet shee all hearts came under ; Her inward minde was sweete, Good tempers ever common ; Shepheard shall never meet So plaine a dealinge woman. ^^""^w^. M .. //.- ,x- < SONGS AND BALLADS. 215 > LXXIV. I Wt^t Praise of ffl;|)rtstmas> (from the same.) This excellent old Song is corrected from a black-letter copy, "Printed at London, by H[enry[ G[osson]," in tbe Pepysian Collection. Another copy (of the Pirst Part only) is in D'Urfey's Fills to Turge Melancholy. The black-letter copy is directed to be sung " to tbe tune of ' When Phoebus did Rest,' " which tune, under the title of " Drive the Cold Winter away" (the biu'den of our song), may be found in Plaj^ord's Dancing Master, 1650. Many of the Cavalier Songs against the Eump Parliament were sung to this tune. All hail to the clays that merit more praise, Than all the rest of the year, And welcome the nights that double dehghts As well for the poor as the peer I Good fortune attend each merry man's fiiend, That doth but the best that he may ; Forgetting old wrongs, with carols and songs. To drive the cold winter away. Let Misery pack, with a whip at his back, To the deep TantaUan flood ; In Lethe profound, let Envy be drown'd. That pines at another man's good ; Let Sorrow's expense be banded from hence, All payments have greater delay. We'll spend the long nights in cheerful delights. To drive the cold winter away. 'Tis ill for a mind to anger inclined, To think of small injuries now ; If wrath be to seek, do not lend her thy cheek, \ Nor let her inhabit thy brow. Cross out of thy books malevolent looks. Both beauty and youth's decay. And wholly concert, with mirth and with sport. To drive the cold winter away. \ i The court in all state, now opens her gate. And gives a free welcome to most ; \ The city likewise, tho' somcAvhat precise. Doth willingly part with her roast : < $ ^ < SONGS AND BALLADS. 217 But yet by report, from city and court, The country will e'er gain the day ; More liquor is spent, and with better content, To drive the cold winter away. Our good gentry there, for cost do not spare. The yeomanry fast not till Lent ; The farmers and such, think nothing too much. If they keep but to pay for their rent. The poorest of all now do merrily call, When at a fit place they can stay. For a song or a tale, or a cup of good ale, To drive the cold wdnter away. I Thus none will allow of solitude now, But merrily greets the time, To make it appear, of all the whole year, That this is accounted the prime : \ December is seen apparel' d in green. And January fresh as May Comes dancing along, with a cup and a song. To drive the cold winter away. a^«^ 19 THE SECOND PAET. This time of the year is spent in good cheer, And neighbours together do meet, To sit by the fire, with friendly desire, Each other in love to greet ; Old grudges forgot, are put in the pot. All sorrows aside they lay ; The old and the young doth carol this song, To drive the cold winter away. Sisley and Nanny, more jocund than any, As blithe as the month of June, Do carol and sing, like birds of the spring. No Nightingale sweeter in tune ; J To bring in content, when summer is spent, J In pleasant delight and play, With mirth and good cheer, to end the whole year, And drive the cold wdnter awav. ^ SONGS AND BALLADS. 219 To mask and to mum kind neighbours will come, With wassels of nut-brown ale, To drink and carouse, to all in the house, As merry as bucks in the dale ; Where cake, bread and cheese, is brought for your fees. To make you the longer stay ; At the fire to warm, 'twill do vou no harm, To drive the cold winter away. The shepherd, the swain, do highly disdain \ To waste out their time in care, \ And Clim of the Clough ^^ hath plenty enough, \ If he but a penny can spare j To spend at the night, in joy and delight, \ Now after his labours all day ; i For better than lands is the help of his hands, ' To drive the cold winter away. •^5 Clim of the Clough means Clem (Clement) of the Cliff, a noted \ archer, once famous in the north of England. See the old Ballad, \ Adam Bell^ Clym of the Clough, and William of Cloudesly, printed by \ Bp. Percy. j When Christmas's tide comes in like a bride, Witli holly and ivy clad, Twelve days in the year, much mirth and good cheer, In every household is had ; The country guise is then to devise. Some gambols of Christmas play, Whereat the young men do best that they can. To drive the cold winter away. When white bearded frost hath threatened his worst, And fallen from branch and briar. Then time away calls, from husbandry halls, And from the good countryman's fire, Together to go, to plow and to sow. To get us both food and array. And thus with content the time we have spent. To drive the cold winter away. & SONGS AND BALLADS. 221 I Go, Little Booke, to suttle world, And sliew thy simple face, And forward passe, and do not turne Agayne to my disgrace. For thou shalt bring to people's eares f But truth, that needes not blush ; And though perchance thou get'st rebuke, Care not for that a rush : For e\ill tongues do itch so sore. They must be rubbing still Against the teeth, that should hold fast The clapper of the mill. Desire those men that likes thee not. To lay thee downe againe. Till some sweete nappe and harmlesse sleepe \ Hath settled troubled brayne. •i^— ^-H^- 19 § Stitiitional i^otes antr Illustrations. NOTE TO IMTRODUCTION. The Minstrels. "Wlien Thomas (the fii'st arclibisliop of York after tlie Conquest) lieard any of the secular minstrels sing a tune which pleased him, he adopted and formed it for the use of the church by some necessary variations." — William of Mahmhury. "All our early melodies, Scotch, Irish, and Welsh, no doubt derived from the same source — the minstrels, will be found on examination to have sprung from the minstrel practice of descanting or singing extempore on the plain ^ chant or plain song of the church ; and some passages of the plain song, as exhibited in the 'Formula according to the use of Salisbury, as established in 1077, by Osmund, bishop of Salisbuiy, are so evidently the basis to dance tunes still re- maining, that there can be little doubt that the melody, or upper part, was formed upon them." — Preface to J. Stafford Smith's Musica Antiqua, p. 3. The passage from William of Malmsbury above quoted, is of some importance, and if rightly interpreted reverses the position assumed by the latter writer. At any rate it estab- lishes the close connection between the minstrels and the monks, and thereby strengthens the argiunents brought for- ward in our Introduction, > > > > Dan dyry^ cum dan, dan, §x. (p. 53.) This apparently ridiculous burden may be only a different reading of " Down, down, do^vn, deny down," wliicli a learned Welshman supposes to be a Di*uidical fragment. " Dan, dan, dandirly dan," is the bui-den to one of the Songs in the Fairfax MS. {Jdd. 3IS. Brit. Mus. No. 5465) ; and Southey gives a traditional burden of a similar kind — " Fa la la lenidan, Dan dan dan denidan, Dan dan dan denidan, ^ Denidan dee." (See TJie Doctor, edit. 1848, p. 386). I cannot come every day to tcoo. (p. 60). A version of this old dittv occurs in D'Urfev's Pills to \ Purge MelancJioly, edit. 1707, vol. i, p. 135. It is as follows- " Quoth John to Joan, Wilt thou have me ? I prethe now wilt ? and I'se maiTy vtith thee ; My cow, my sow, my house, and my rents. And my lands and tenements. Say my Joan, say my Joany, wilt that not do, I cannot, cannot come every day to woo ! \ y^.,r\j V \j \./->_^v.-s " I have com and hay in the bam hard by. And three fat hogs pent up in the sty ; I have a mare and she's coal black, I ride on her tail to save her back : Say my Joan, &c. " I have a cheese upon the shelf, I cannot eat it all myself; I have three gude marks that lie in rag, In the nook of the chimney instead of a bag ; Say my Joan, &c, *' To maiTy I would have thy consent. But faith I never could compliment ; I can say nought but ' Hay gee hoa !' Terms that belong to cart and plough : Say my Joan," &c. Pagingto7i's Pound, (p. 147, 1. 17). This curious tune is to be found in Queen Elizabeth's Virginal Book ; in A New Book of Tablature, 1596, &c. It takes its name from Sir John Packington, commonly called "Lusty Packington," a great favourite with the maiden queen. This is proved by an early MS. copy in the editor's library, where the tune is called " A Pancy of Sir John Paginton's." ^ Selinger's Round, (p. 147, 1. 20). Also in Queen Elizabeth's Virginal Book. The name is a coriTiption of " St. Leger's Eound," probably fi-om Sir Antony St. Leger, whom Henry VIII appointed lord deputy of Ireland \ in 1540. It is probably the oldest popular English tune extant. Ladies masked to the cloisters repair, (p. 162, 1. 7). In 1707 was printed a poem entitled The Cloister in Bar- tholometv Fair. It presents a " pretty picture" of " Bartlemy" irregularities — " To the cloisters I went, where the gallants resort, And aU sorts and sizes came in for their sport, Whose saucy beha^'iour and impudent air Proclaimed them the subjects of Bartlemy Eair." A Walk to Smithfield, 1701. Tobacco is an Indian weed. (p. 170). The following version of this Ballad is from a MS. in the possession of Mr. Collier, and is the one referred to as having the initials " G-. W." (i. e. George Withers) at the end. " Why should we so much despise, So good and wholesome an exercise. As early and late to meditate ; Thus think, and drink tobacco. J " The earthen pipe so lily -wliite, Shows that thou art a mortal wight, Even such, and gone with a small touch ; Thus think, and drink tobacco. *' And when the smoke ascends on high, Think on the worldly vanity Of worldly stuff, 'tis gone with a puff ; Thus think, and drink tobacco. < 5 > " And when the pipe is foul within. Think how the soul's deffled with sin. To pui'ge with fire it doth require ; Thus think, and drink tobacco. " Lastly, the ashes left behind. May daily show to move the mind. That to ashes and dust return we must ; Thus think, and diink tobacco. FINIS. Mw .^ ^*4 LONDON: Printed by Arliss and Ticker, 15, Frith Street, Solio. P^ 14 I^^^^^Lborkowed ^^^riastaati stamped below,o. Rene-wed books ate s" - Kfc£C'D LJ RECEIVE TJAlTu '67 -' LOAN DEEll iEC'DLa ^■Tj^aANL ^ Berkeley vn^* m 742Q;14 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA UBRARY k^yfi^.pfjmi-