Ancient Poems [68]
is mentioned in Thackeray's Catalogue, under the title of JOAN'S ALE'S NEW; which may be regarded as circumstantial evidence in favour of our hypothesis. The air is published in POPULAR MUSIC, accompanying three stanzas of a version copied from the Douce collection. The first verse in Mr. Chappell's book runs as follows:-
There was a jovial tinker, Who was a good ale drinker, He never was a shrinker, Believe me this is true; And he came from the Weald of Kent, When all his money was gone and spent, Which made him look like a Jack a-lent. And Joan's ale is new, my boys, And Joan's ale is new.]
THERE were six jovial tradesmen, And they all sat down to drinking, For they were a jovial crew; They sat themselves down to be merry; And they called for a bottle of sherry, You're welcome as the hills, says Nolly, While Joan's ale is new, brave boys, While Joan's ale is new.
The first that came in was a soldier, With his firelock over his shoulder, Sure no one could be bolder, And a long broad-sword he drew: He swore he would fight for England's ground, Before the nation should be run down; He boldly drank their healths all round, While Joan's ale was new.
The next that came in was a hatter, Sure no one could be blacker, And he began to chatter, Among the jovial crew: He threw his hat upon the ground, And swore every man should spend his pound, And boldly drank their hearths all round, While Joan's ale was new.
The next that came in was a dyer, And he sat himself down by the fire, For it was his heart's desire To drink with the jovial crew: He told the landlord to his face, The chimney-corner should be his place, And there he'd sit and dye his face, While Joan's ale was new.
The next that came in was a tinker, And he was no small beer drinker, And he was no strong ale shrinker, Among the jovial crew: For his brass nails were made of metal, And he swore he'd go and mend a kettle, Good heart, how his hammer and nails did rattle, When Joan's ale was new!
The next that came in was a tailor, With his bodkin, shears, and thimble, He swore he would be nimble Among the jovial crew: They sat and they called for ale so stout, Till the poor tailor was almost broke, And was forced to go and pawn his coat, While Joan's ale was new.
The next that came in was a ragman, With his rag-bag over his shoulder, Sure no one could be bolder Among the jovial crew. They sat and called for pots and glasses, Till they were all drunk as asses, And burnt the old ragman's bag to ashes, While Joan's ale was new.
Ballad: GEORGE RIDLER'S OVEN.
[THIS ancient Gloucestershire song has been sung at the annual dinners of the Gloucestershire Society, from the earliest period of the existence of that institution; and in 1776 there was an Harmonic Society at Cirencester, which always opened its meetings with GEORGE RIDLER'S OVEN in full chorus.
The substance of the following key to this very curious song is furnished by Mr. H. Gingell, who extracts it from the ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GLOUCESTERSHIRE SOCIETY for 1835. The annual meeting of this Society is held at Bristol in the month of August, when the members dine, and a branch meeting, which was formerly held at the Crown and Anchor in the Strand, is now annually held at the Thatched House Tavern, St. James's. GEORGE RIDLER'S OVEN is sung at both meetings, and the late Duke of Beaufort used to lead off the glee in capital style. The words have a secret meaning, well known to the members of the Gloucestershire Society, which was founded in 1657, three years before the Restoration of Charles II. The Society consisted of Royalists, who combined together for the purpose of restoring the Stuarts. The Cavalier party was supported by all the old Roman Catholic families of the kingdom; and some of the Dissenters, who were disgusted with Cromwell, occasionally lent them a kind of passive aid.
FIRST VERSE. - By 'George Ridler' is meant King Charles I. The 'oven' was the Cavalier party. The 'stwons' that 'built the oven,' and that 'came out of the Bleakney
There was a jovial tinker, Who was a good ale drinker, He never was a shrinker, Believe me this is true; And he came from the Weald of Kent, When all his money was gone and spent, Which made him look like a Jack a-lent. And Joan's ale is new, my boys, And Joan's ale is new.]
THERE were six jovial tradesmen, And they all sat down to drinking, For they were a jovial crew; They sat themselves down to be merry; And they called for a bottle of sherry, You're welcome as the hills, says Nolly, While Joan's ale is new, brave boys, While Joan's ale is new.
The first that came in was a soldier, With his firelock over his shoulder, Sure no one could be bolder, And a long broad-sword he drew: He swore he would fight for England's ground, Before the nation should be run down; He boldly drank their healths all round, While Joan's ale was new.
The next that came in was a hatter, Sure no one could be blacker, And he began to chatter, Among the jovial crew: He threw his hat upon the ground, And swore every man should spend his pound, And boldly drank their hearths all round, While Joan's ale was new.
The next that came in was a dyer, And he sat himself down by the fire, For it was his heart's desire To drink with the jovial crew: He told the landlord to his face, The chimney-corner should be his place, And there he'd sit and dye his face, While Joan's ale was new.
The next that came in was a tinker, And he was no small beer drinker, And he was no strong ale shrinker, Among the jovial crew: For his brass nails were made of metal, And he swore he'd go and mend a kettle, Good heart, how his hammer and nails did rattle, When Joan's ale was new!
The next that came in was a tailor, With his bodkin, shears, and thimble, He swore he would be nimble Among the jovial crew: They sat and they called for ale so stout, Till the poor tailor was almost broke, And was forced to go and pawn his coat, While Joan's ale was new.
The next that came in was a ragman, With his rag-bag over his shoulder, Sure no one could be bolder Among the jovial crew. They sat and called for pots and glasses, Till they were all drunk as asses, And burnt the old ragman's bag to ashes, While Joan's ale was new.
Ballad: GEORGE RIDLER'S OVEN.
[THIS ancient Gloucestershire song has been sung at the annual dinners of the Gloucestershire Society, from the earliest period of the existence of that institution; and in 1776 there was an Harmonic Society at Cirencester, which always opened its meetings with GEORGE RIDLER'S OVEN in full chorus.
The substance of the following key to this very curious song is furnished by Mr. H. Gingell, who extracts it from the ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GLOUCESTERSHIRE SOCIETY for 1835. The annual meeting of this Society is held at Bristol in the month of August, when the members dine, and a branch meeting, which was formerly held at the Crown and Anchor in the Strand, is now annually held at the Thatched House Tavern, St. James's. GEORGE RIDLER'S OVEN is sung at both meetings, and the late Duke of Beaufort used to lead off the glee in capital style. The words have a secret meaning, well known to the members of the Gloucestershire Society, which was founded in 1657, three years before the Restoration of Charles II. The Society consisted of Royalists, who combined together for the purpose of restoring the Stuarts. The Cavalier party was supported by all the old Roman Catholic families of the kingdom; and some of the Dissenters, who were disgusted with Cromwell, occasionally lent them a kind of passive aid.
FIRST VERSE. - By 'George Ridler' is meant King Charles I. The 'oven' was the Cavalier party. The 'stwons' that 'built the oven,' and that 'came out of the Bleakney