Ancient Poems [53]
And after dinner a bottle of wine, - For without it I cannot dine.'
''If on fine clothes our money is spent, Pray how shall my lord be paid his rent? He'll expect it when 'tis due, - Believe me, what I say is true.
''As for tea, good stirabout Will do far better, I make no doubt; And spring water, when you dine, Is far wholesomer than wine.
''Potatoes, too, are very nice food, - I don't know any half so good: You may have them boiled or roast, Whichever way you like them most.'
'This gave the company much delight, And made them all to laugh outright; So Dicky had no more to say, But saddled his dapple and rode away. Diddle dum di, &c.']
LAST New-Year's day, as I've heerd say, (32) Young Richard he mounted his dapple grey, And he trotted along to Taunton Dean, To court the parson's daughter, Jean. Dumble dum deary, dumble dum deary, Dumble dum deary, dumble dum dee.
With buckskin breeches, shoes and hose, And Dicky put on his Sunday clothes; Likewise a hat upon his head, All bedaubed with ribbons red.
Young Richard he rode without dread or fear, Till he came to the house where lived his sweet dear, When he knocked, and shouted, and bellowed, 'Hallo! Be the folks at home? say aye or no.'
A trusty servant let him in, That he his courtship might begin; Young Richard he walked along the great hall, And loudly for mistress Jean did call.
Miss Jean she came without delay, To hear what Dicky had got to say; 'I s'pose you knaw me, mistress Jean, I'm honest Richard of Taunton Dean.
'I'm an honest fellow, although I be poor, And I never was in love afore; My mother she bid me come here for to woo, And I can fancy none but you.'
'Suppose that I would be your bride, Pray how would you for me provide? For I can neither sew nor spin; - Pray what will your day's work bring in?'
'Why, I can plough, and I can zow, And zometimes to the market go With Gaffer Johnson's straw or hay, And yarn my ninepence every day!'
'Ninepence a-day will never do, For I must have silks and satins too! Ninepence a day won't buy us meat!' 'Adzooks!' says Dick, 'I've a zack of wheat;
'Besides, I have a house hard by, 'Tis all my awn, when mammy do die; If thee and I were married now, Ods! I'd feed thee as fat as my feyther's old zow.'
Dick's compliments did so delight, They made the family laugh outright; Young Richard took huff, and no more would say, He kicked up old Dobbin, and trotted away, Singing, dumble dum deary, &c.
Ballad: WOOING SONG OF A YEOMAN OF KENT'S SONNE.
[THE following song is the original of a well-known and popular Scottish song:-
'I hae laid a herring in saut; Lass, 'gin ye lo'e me, tell me now! I ha'e brewed a forpit o' maut, An' I canna come ilka day to woo.'
There are modern copies of our Kentish WOOING SONG, but the present version is taken from MELISMATA, MUSICAL PHANSIES FITTING THE COURT, CITIE, AND COUNTREE. TO 3, 4, and 5 VOYCES. London, printed by William Stansby, for Thomas Adams, 1611. The tune will be found in POPULAR MUSIC, I., 90. The words are in the Kentish dialect.]
ICH have house and land in Kent, And if you'll love me, love me now; Two-pence half-penny is my rent, - Ich cannot come every day to woo. CHORUS. Two-pence half-penny is his rent, And he cannot come every day to woo.
Ich am my vather's eldest zonne, My mouther eke doth love me well! For Ich can bravely clout my shoone, And Ich full-well can ring a bell. CHO. For he can bravely clout his shoone, And he full well can ring a bell. (33)
My vather he gave me a hogge, My mouther she gave me a zow; Ich have a god-vather dwells there by, And he on me bestowed a plow. CHO. He has a god-vather dwells there by, And he on him bestowed a plow.
One time Ich gave thee a paper of pins, Anoder time a taudry lace; And if thou wilt not grant me love, In truth Ich die bevore thy vace. CHO. And if thou wilt not grant his love, In truth he'll die bevore thy vace.
Ich have been twice our Whitson Lord, Ich have had ladies many vare; And eke thou hast my heart in hold, And in my minde zeemes
''If on fine clothes our money is spent, Pray how shall my lord be paid his rent? He'll expect it when 'tis due, - Believe me, what I say is true.
''As for tea, good stirabout Will do far better, I make no doubt; And spring water, when you dine, Is far wholesomer than wine.
''Potatoes, too, are very nice food, - I don't know any half so good: You may have them boiled or roast, Whichever way you like them most.'
'This gave the company much delight, And made them all to laugh outright; So Dicky had no more to say, But saddled his dapple and rode away. Diddle dum di, &c.']
LAST New-Year's day, as I've heerd say, (32) Young Richard he mounted his dapple grey, And he trotted along to Taunton Dean, To court the parson's daughter, Jean. Dumble dum deary, dumble dum deary, Dumble dum deary, dumble dum dee.
With buckskin breeches, shoes and hose, And Dicky put on his Sunday clothes; Likewise a hat upon his head, All bedaubed with ribbons red.
Young Richard he rode without dread or fear, Till he came to the house where lived his sweet dear, When he knocked, and shouted, and bellowed, 'Hallo! Be the folks at home? say aye or no.'
A trusty servant let him in, That he his courtship might begin; Young Richard he walked along the great hall, And loudly for mistress Jean did call.
Miss Jean she came without delay, To hear what Dicky had got to say; 'I s'pose you knaw me, mistress Jean, I'm honest Richard of Taunton Dean.
'I'm an honest fellow, although I be poor, And I never was in love afore; My mother she bid me come here for to woo, And I can fancy none but you.'
'Suppose that I would be your bride, Pray how would you for me provide? For I can neither sew nor spin; - Pray what will your day's work bring in?'
'Why, I can plough, and I can zow, And zometimes to the market go With Gaffer Johnson's straw or hay, And yarn my ninepence every day!'
'Ninepence a-day will never do, For I must have silks and satins too! Ninepence a day won't buy us meat!' 'Adzooks!' says Dick, 'I've a zack of wheat;
'Besides, I have a house hard by, 'Tis all my awn, when mammy do die; If thee and I were married now, Ods! I'd feed thee as fat as my feyther's old zow.'
Dick's compliments did so delight, They made the family laugh outright; Young Richard took huff, and no more would say, He kicked up old Dobbin, and trotted away, Singing, dumble dum deary, &c.
Ballad: WOOING SONG OF A YEOMAN OF KENT'S SONNE.
[THE following song is the original of a well-known and popular Scottish song:-
'I hae laid a herring in saut; Lass, 'gin ye lo'e me, tell me now! I ha'e brewed a forpit o' maut, An' I canna come ilka day to woo.'
There are modern copies of our Kentish WOOING SONG, but the present version is taken from MELISMATA, MUSICAL PHANSIES FITTING THE COURT, CITIE, AND COUNTREE. TO 3, 4, and 5 VOYCES. London, printed by William Stansby, for Thomas Adams, 1611. The tune will be found in POPULAR MUSIC, I., 90. The words are in the Kentish dialect.]
ICH have house and land in Kent, And if you'll love me, love me now; Two-pence half-penny is my rent, - Ich cannot come every day to woo. CHORUS. Two-pence half-penny is his rent, And he cannot come every day to woo.
Ich am my vather's eldest zonne, My mouther eke doth love me well! For Ich can bravely clout my shoone, And Ich full-well can ring a bell. CHO. For he can bravely clout his shoone, And he full well can ring a bell. (33)
My vather he gave me a hogge, My mouther she gave me a zow; Ich have a god-vather dwells there by, And he on me bestowed a plow. CHO. He has a god-vather dwells there by, And he on him bestowed a plow.
One time Ich gave thee a paper of pins, Anoder time a taudry lace; And if thou wilt not grant me love, In truth Ich die bevore thy vace. CHO. And if thou wilt not grant his love, In truth he'll die bevore thy vace.
Ich have been twice our Whitson Lord, Ich have had ladies many vare; And eke thou hast my heart in hold, And in my minde zeemes