Ancient Poems [16]
with a king, With a lord, duke, or any such man; To hear the horns to blow, and see the hounds all in a row, That is pleasure for the servingman.
HUSBANDMAN.
But my pleasure's more I know, to see my corn to grow, So thriving all over my land; And, therefore, I do mean, with my plowing with my team, To keep myself a husbandman.
SERVINGMAN.
Why the diet that we eat is the choicest of all meat, Such as pig, goose, capon, and swan; Our pastry is so fine, we drink sugar in our wine, That is living for the servingman.
HUSBANDMAN.
Talk not of goose nor capon, give me good beef or bacon, And good bread and cheese, now at hand; With pudding, brawn, and souse, all in a farmer's house, That is living for the husbandman.
SERVINGMAN.
Why the clothing that we wear is delicate and rare, With our coat, lace, buckles, and band; Our shirts are white as milk, and our stockings they are silk, That is clothing for a servingman.
HUSBANDMAN.
But I value not a hair your delicate fine wear, Such as gold is laced upon; Give me a good grey coat, and in my purse a groat, That is clothing for the husbandman.
SERVINGMAN.
Kind sir! it would be bad if none could be had Those tables for to wait upon; There is no lord, duke, nor squire, nor member for the shire, Can do without a servingman.
HUSBANDMAN.
But, Jack! it would be worse if there was none of us To follow the plowing of the land; There is neither king, lord, nor squire, nor member for the shire, Can do without the husbandman.
SERVINGMAN.
Kind sir! I must confess't, and I humbly protest I will give you the uppermost hand; Although your labour's painful, and mine it is so very gainful, I wish I were a husbandman.
HUSBANDMAN.
So come now, let us all, both great as well as small, Pray for the grain of our land; And let us, whatsoever, do all our best endeavour, For to maintain the good husbandman.
Poem: THE CATHOLICK.
[THE following ingenious production has been copied literally from a broadside posted against the 'parlour' wall of a country inn in Gloucestershire. The verses are susceptible of two interpretations, being Catholic if read in the columns, but Protestant if read across.]
I HOLD as faith What ENGLAND'S CHURCH alows What ROME'S church saith My conscience disavows Where the KING'S head That CHURCH can have no shame The flocks misled That holds the POPE supreame. Where the ALTARS drest There's service scarce divine The peoples blest With table, bread, and wine. He's but an asse Who the COMMUNION flies Who shuns the MASSE Is CATHOLICK and wise.
London: printed for George Eversden, at the signe of the Maidenhead, in St. Powle's Church-yard, 1655. CUM PRIVILEGIO.
Ballad: THE THREE KNIGHTS. (TRADITIONAL.)
[THE THREE KNIGHTS was first printed by the late Davies Gilbert, F.R.S., in the appendix to his work on CHRISTMAS CAROLS. Mr. Gilbert thought that some verses were wanting after the eighth stanza; but we entertain a different opinion. A conjectural emendation made in the ninth verse, viz., the substitution of FAR for FOR, seems to render the ballad perfect. The ballad is still popular amongst the peasantry in the West of England. The tune is given by Gilbert. The refrain, in the second and fourth lines, printed with the first verse, should be repeated in recitation in every verse.]
THERE did three Knights come from the west, With the high and the lily oh! And these three Knights courted one ladye, As the rose was so sweetly blown. The first Knight came was all in white, And asked of her if she'd be his delight. The next Knight came was all in green, And asked of her if she'd be his queen. The third Knight came was all in red, And asked of her if she would wed. 'Then have you asked of my father dear? Likewise of her who did me bear? 'And have you asked of my brother John? And also of my sister Anne?' 'Yes, I've asked of your father dear, Likewise of her who did you bear. 'And I've asked of your sister Anne, But I've
HUSBANDMAN.
But my pleasure's more I know, to see my corn to grow, So thriving all over my land; And, therefore, I do mean, with my plowing with my team, To keep myself a husbandman.
SERVINGMAN.
Why the diet that we eat is the choicest of all meat, Such as pig, goose, capon, and swan; Our pastry is so fine, we drink sugar in our wine, That is living for the servingman.
HUSBANDMAN.
Talk not of goose nor capon, give me good beef or bacon, And good bread and cheese, now at hand; With pudding, brawn, and souse, all in a farmer's house, That is living for the husbandman.
SERVINGMAN.
Why the clothing that we wear is delicate and rare, With our coat, lace, buckles, and band; Our shirts are white as milk, and our stockings they are silk, That is clothing for a servingman.
HUSBANDMAN.
But I value not a hair your delicate fine wear, Such as gold is laced upon; Give me a good grey coat, and in my purse a groat, That is clothing for the husbandman.
SERVINGMAN.
Kind sir! it would be bad if none could be had Those tables for to wait upon; There is no lord, duke, nor squire, nor member for the shire, Can do without a servingman.
HUSBANDMAN.
But, Jack! it would be worse if there was none of us To follow the plowing of the land; There is neither king, lord, nor squire, nor member for the shire, Can do without the husbandman.
SERVINGMAN.
Kind sir! I must confess't, and I humbly protest I will give you the uppermost hand; Although your labour's painful, and mine it is so very gainful, I wish I were a husbandman.
HUSBANDMAN.
So come now, let us all, both great as well as small, Pray for the grain of our land; And let us, whatsoever, do all our best endeavour, For to maintain the good husbandman.
Poem: THE CATHOLICK.
[THE following ingenious production has been copied literally from a broadside posted against the 'parlour' wall of a country inn in Gloucestershire. The verses are susceptible of two interpretations, being Catholic if read in the columns, but Protestant if read across.]
I HOLD as faith What ENGLAND'S CHURCH alows What ROME'S church saith My conscience disavows Where the KING'S head That CHURCH can have no shame The flocks misled That holds the POPE supreame. Where the ALTARS drest There's service scarce divine The peoples blest With table, bread, and wine. He's but an asse Who the COMMUNION flies Who shuns the MASSE Is CATHOLICK and wise.
London: printed for George Eversden, at the signe of the Maidenhead, in St. Powle's Church-yard, 1655. CUM PRIVILEGIO.
Ballad: THE THREE KNIGHTS. (TRADITIONAL.)
[THE THREE KNIGHTS was first printed by the late Davies Gilbert, F.R.S., in the appendix to his work on CHRISTMAS CAROLS. Mr. Gilbert thought that some verses were wanting after the eighth stanza; but we entertain a different opinion. A conjectural emendation made in the ninth verse, viz., the substitution of FAR for FOR, seems to render the ballad perfect. The ballad is still popular amongst the peasantry in the West of England. The tune is given by Gilbert. The refrain, in the second and fourth lines, printed with the first verse, should be repeated in recitation in every verse.]
THERE did three Knights come from the west, With the high and the lily oh! And these three Knights courted one ladye, As the rose was so sweetly blown. The first Knight came was all in white, And asked of her if she'd be his delight. The next Knight came was all in green, And asked of her if she'd be his queen. The third Knight came was all in red, And asked of her if she would wed. 'Then have you asked of my father dear? Likewise of her who did me bear? 'And have you asked of my brother John? And also of my sister Anne?' 'Yes, I've asked of your father dear, Likewise of her who did you bear. 'And I've asked of your sister Anne, But I've