ancient poems-第37节

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Ballad：　THE　SPANISH　LADIES。



＇THIS　song　is　ancient；　but　we　have　no　means　of　ascertaining　at　what　　period　it　was　written。　　Captain　Marryat；　in　his　novel　of　POOR　JACK；　　introduces　it；　and　says　it　is　OLD。　　It　is　a　general　favourite。　　The　　air　is　plaintive；　and　in　the　minor　key。　　See　POPULAR　MUSIC。＇


FAREWELL；　and　adieu　to　you　Spanish　ladies；　Farewell；　and　adieu　to　you　ladies　of　Spain！　For　we've　received　orders　for　to　sail　for　old　England；　But　we　hope　in　a　short　time　to　see　you　again。

We'll　rant　and　we'll　roar　（66）　like　true　British　heroes；　We'll　rant　and　we'll　roar　across　the　salt　seas；　Until　we　strike　soundings　in　the　channel　of　old　England；　From　Ushant　to　Scilly　is　thirty…five　leagues。

Then　we　hove　our　ship　to；　with　the　wind　at　sou'…west；　boys；　We　hove　our　ship　to；　for　to　strike　soundings　clear；　We　got　soundings　in　ninety…five　fathom；　and　boldly　Up　the　channel　of　old　England　our　course　we　did　steer。

The　first　land　we　made　it　was　called　the　Deadman；　Next；　Ram'shead　off　Plymouth；　Start；　Portland；　and　Wight；　We　passed　by　Beachy；　by　Fairleigh；　and　Dungeness；　And　hove　our　ship　to；　off　the　South　Foreland　light。

Then　a　signal　was　made　for　the　grand　fleet　to　anchor　All　in　the　Downs；　that　night　for　to　sleep；　Then　stand　by　your　stoppers；　let　go　your　shank…painters；　Haul　all　your　clew…garnets；　stick　out　tacks　and　sheets。

So　let　every　man　toss　off　a　full　bumper；　Let　every　man　toss　off　his　full　bowls；　We'll　drink　and　be　jolly；　and　drown　melancholy；　So　here's　a　good　health　to　all　true…hearted　souls！



Ballad：　HARRY　THE　TAILOR。　　（TRADITIONAL。）



＇THE　following　song　was　taken　down　some　years　ago　from　the　　recitation　of　a　country　curate；　who　said　he　had　learned　it　from　a　　very　old　inhabitant　of　Methley；　near　Pontefract；　Yorkshire。　　We　　have　never　seen　it　in　print。＇


WHEN　Harry　the　tailor　was　twenty　years　old；　He　began　for　to　look　with　courage　so　bold；　He　told　his　old　mother　he　was　not　in　jest；　But　he　would　have　a　wife　as　well　as　the　rest。

Then　Harry　next　morning；　before　it　was　day；　To　the　house　of　his　fair　maid　took　his　way。　He　found　his　dear　Dolly　a　making　of　cheese；　Says　he；　'You　must　give　me　a　buss；　if　you　please！'

She　up　with　the　bowl；　the　butter…milk　flew；　And　Harry　the　tailor　looked　wonderful　blue。　'O；　Dolly；　my　dear；　what　hast　thou　done？　From　my　back　to　my　breeks　has　thy　butter…milk　run。'

She　gave　him　a　push；　he　stumbled　and　fell　Down　from　the　dairy　into　the　drawwell。　Then　Harry；　the　ploughboy；　ran　amain；　And　soon　brought　him　up　in　the　bucket　again。

Then　Harry　went　home　like　a　drowned　rat；　And　told　his　old　mother　what　he　had　been　at。　With　butter…milk；　bowl；　and　a　terrible　fall；　O；　if　this　be　called　love；　may　the　devil　take　all！



Ballad：　SIR　ARTHUR　AND　CHARMING　MOLLEE。　　（TRADITIONAL。）



＇FOR　this　old　Northumbrian　song　we　are　indebted　to　Mr。　Robert　　Chambers。　　It　was　taken　down　from　the　recitation　of　a　lady。　　The　　'Sir　Arthur'　is　no　less　a　personage　than　Sir　Arthur　Haslerigg；　the　　Governor　of　Tynemouth　Castle　during　the　Protectorate　of　Cromwell。＇


AS　noble　Sir　Arthur　one　morning　did　ride；　With　his　hounds　at　his　feet；　and　his　sword　by　his　side；　He　saw　a　fair　maid　sitting　under　a　tree；　He　asked　her　name；　and　she　said　'twas　Mollee。

'Oh；　charming　Mollee；　you　my　butler　shall　be；　To　draw　the　red　wine　for　yourself　and　for　me！　I'll　make　you　a　lady　so　high　in　degree；　If　you　will　but　love　me；　my　charming　Mollee！

'I'll　give　you　fine　ribbons；　I'll　give　you　fine　rings；　I'll　give　you　fine　jewels；　and　many　fine　things；　I'll　give　you　a　petticoat　flounced　to　the　knee；　If　you　will　but　love　me；　my　charming　Mollee！'

'I'll　have　none　of　your　ribbons；　and　none　of　your　rings；　None　of　your　jewels；　and　other　fine　things；　And　I've　got　a　petticoat　suits　my　degree；　And　I'll　ne'er　love　a　married　man　till　his　wife　dee。'

'Oh；　charming　Mollee；　lend　me　then　your　penknife；　And　I　will　go　home；　and　I'll　kill　my　own　wife；　I'll　kill　my　own　wife；　and　my　bairnies　three；　If　you　will　but　love　me；　my　charming　Mollee！'

'Oh；　noble　Sir　Arthur；　it　must　not　be　so；　Go　home　to　your　wife；　and　let　nobody　know；　For　seven　long　years　I　will　wait　upon　thee；　But　I'll　ne'er　love　a　married　man　till　his　wife　dee。'

Now　seven　long　years　are　gone　and　are　past；　The　old　woman　went　to　her　long　home　at　last；　The　old　woman　died；　and　Sir　Arthur　was　free；　And　he　soon　came　a…courting　to　charming　Mollee。

Now　charming　Mollee　in　her　carriage　doth　ride；　With　her　hounds　at　her　feet；　and　her　lord　by　her　side：　Now　all　ye　fair　maids　take　a　warning　by　me；　And　ne'er　love　a　married　man　till　his　wife　dee。



Ballad：　THERE　WAS　AN　OLD　MAN　CAME　OVER　THE　LEA。



＇THIS　is　a　version　of　the　BAILLIE　OF　BERWICK；　which　will　be　found　　in　the　LOCAL　HISTORIAN'S　TABLE…BOOK。　　It　was　originally　obtained　　from　Morpeth；　and　communicated　by　W。　H。　Longstaffe；　Esq。；　of　　Darlington；　who　says；　'in　many　respects　the　BAILLIE　OF　BERWICK　is　　the　better　edition　…　still　mine　may　furnish　an　extra　stanza　or　two；　　and　the　ha！　ha！　ha！　is　better　than　heigho；　though　the　notes　suit　　either　version。'＇


THERE　was　an　old　man　came　over　the　Lea；　Ha…ha…ha…ha！　but　I　won't　have　him。　（67）　He　came　over　the　Lea；　A…courting　to　me；　With　his　grey　beard　newly…shaven。

My　mother　she　bid　me　open　the　door：　I　opened　the　door；　And　he　fell　on　the　floor。

My　mother　she　bid　me　set　him　a　stool：　I　set　him　a　stool；　And　he　looked　like　a　fool。

My　mother　she　bid　me　give　him　some　beer：　I　gave　him　some　beer；　And　he　thought　it　good　cheer。

My　mother　she　bid　me　cut　him　some　bread：　I　cut　him　some　bread；　And　I　threw't　at　his　head。

My　mother　she　bid　me　light　him　to　bed。　I　lit　him　to　bed；　And　wished　he　were　dead。

My　mother　she　bid　me　tell　him　to　rise：　I　told　him　to　rise；　And　he　opened　his　eyes。

My　mother　she　bid　me　take　him　to　church：　I　took　him　to　church；　And　left　him　in　the　lurch；　With　his　grey　beard　newly…shaven。



Ballad：　WHY　SHOULD　WE　QUARREL　FOR　RICHES。



＇A　VERSION　of　this　very　favourite　song　may　be　found　in　Ramsay's　　TEA…TABLE　MISCELLANY。　　Though　a　sailor's　song；　we　question　whether　　it　is　not　a　greater　favourite　with　landsmen。　　The　chorus　is　become　　proverbial；　and　its　philosophy　has　often　been　invoked　to　mitigate　　the　evils　and　misfortunes　of　life。＇


HOW　pleasant　a　sailor's　life　passes；　Who　roams　o'er　the　watery　main！　No　treasure　he　ever　amasses；　But　cheerfully　spends　all　his　gain。　We're　strangers　to　party　and　faction；　To　honour　and　honesty　true；　And　would　not　commit　a　bad　action　For　power　or　profit　in　view。　Then　why　should　we　quarrel　for　riches；　Or　any　such　glittering　toys；　A　light　heart；　and　a　thin　pair　of　breeches；　Will　go　through　the　world；　my　brave　boys！

The　world　is　a　beautiful　garden；　Enriched　with　the　blessings　of　life；　The　toiler　with　plenty　rewarding；　Which　plenty　too　often　breeds　strife。　When　terrible　tempests　assail　us；　And　mountainous　billows　affright；　No　grandeur　or　wealth　can　avail　us；　But　skilful　industry　steers　right。　Then　why；　&c。

The　courtier's　more　subject　to　dangers；　Who　rules　at　the　helm　of　the　state；　Than　we　that；　to　politics　strangers；　Escape　the　snares　laid　for　the　great。　The　various　blessings　of　nature；　In　various　nations　we　try；　No　mortals　than　us　can　be　greater；　Who　merrily　live　till　we　die。　Then　why　should；　&c。



Ballad：　THE　MERRY　FELLOWS；　OR；　HE　THAT　WILL　NOT　MERRY；　MERRY　BE。



＇THE　popularity　of　this　old　lyric；　of　which　ours　is　the　ballad…　printer's　version；　has　been　increased　by　the　lively　and　appropriate　　music　recently　adapted　to　it　by　Mr。　Holderness。　　The　date　of　this　　song　is　about　the　era　of　Charles　II。＇


NOW；　since　we're　met；　let's　merry；　merry　be；　In　spite　of　all　our　foes；　And　he　that　will　not　merry　be；　We'll　pull　him　by　the　nose。　CHO。　　Let　him　be　merry；　merry　there；　While　we're　all　merry；　merry　here；　For　who　can　know　where　he　shall　go；　To　be　merry　another　year。

He　that　will　not　merry；　merry　be；　With　a　generous　bowl　and　a　toast；　May　he　in　Bridewell　be　shut　up；　And　fast　bound　to　a　post。　Let　him；　&c。

He　that　will　not　merry；　merry　be；　And　take　his　glass　in　course；　May　he　be　obliged　to　drink　small　beer；　Ne'er　a　penny　in　his　purse。　Let　him；　&c。

He　that　will　not　merry；　merry　be；　With　a　company　of　jolly　boys；　May　he　be　plagued　with　a　scolding　wife；　To　confound　him　with　her　noise。　Let　him；　&c。

＇He　that　will　not　merry；　merry　be；　With　his　sweetheart　by　his　side；　Let　him　be　laid　in　the　cold　churchyard；　With　a　head…stone　for　his　bride。　Let　him；　&c。＇



Ballad：　THE　OLD　MAN'S　SONG。



＇THIS　ditty；　still　occasionally　heard　in　the　country　districts；　　seems　to　be　the　original　of　the　very　beautiful　song；　THE　DOWNHILL　　OF　LIFE。　　THE　OLD　MAN'S　SONG　may　be　found　in　Playford's　THEATRE　OF　　MUSIC；　1685；　but　we　are　inclined　to　refer　it　to　an　earlier　period。　　　The　song　is　also　published　by　D'Urfey；　accompanied　by　two　　objectionable　parodies。＇


IF　I　live　to　grow　old；　for　I　find　I　go　down；　Let　this　be　my　fate　in　a　country　town：…　May　I　have　a　warm　house；　with　a　stone　at　the　gate；　And　a　cleanly　young　girl　to　rub　my　bald　pate；　May　I　govern　my　passions　with　absolute　sway；　And　grow　wiser　and　better　as　strength　wears　away；　Without　gout　or　stone；　by　a　gentle　decay。

In　a　country　town；　by　a　murmuring　brook；　With　the　ocean　at　distance　on　which　I　may　look；　With　a　spacious　plain；　without　hedge　or　stile；　And　an　easy