Ancient Poems [72]
'Why, you old fool! blind fool! can't you very well see, These are three roasting spits my mother sent to me?' 'Ods bobs! well done! roasting spits with scabbards on! The like was never known!' Old Wichet a cuckold went out, and a cuckold he came home!
O! I went into the parlour, and there for to see, And there I saw three cloaks hang, by one, by two, and by three; O! I called to my loving wife, and 'Anon, kind sir!' quoth she; 'O! what do these three cloaks do here, without the leave of me?'
'Why, you old fool! blind fool! can't you very well see, These are three mantuas my mother sent to me?' 'Ods bobs! well done! mantuas with capes on! The like was never known!' Old Wichet a cuckold went out, and a cuckold he came home!
O! I went into the pantry, and there for to see, And there I saw three pair of boots, (50) by one, by two, and by three; O! I called to my loving wife, and 'Anon, kind sir!' quoth she; 'O! what do these three pair of boots here, without the leave of me?'
'Why, you old fool! blind fool! can't you very well see, These are three pudding-bags my mother sent to me?' 'Ods bobs! well done! pudding-bags with spurs on! The like was never known!' Old Wichet a cuckold went out, and a cuckold he came home!
O! I went into the dairy, and there for to see, And there I saw three hats hang, by one, by two, and by three; O! I called to my loving wife, and 'Anon, kind sir!' quoth she; 'Pray what do these three hats here, without the leave of me?'
'Why, you old fool! blind fool! can't you very well see, These are three skimming-dishes my mother sent to me?' 'Ods bobs! well done! skimming-dishes with hat-bands on! The like was never known!' Old Wichet a cuckold went out, and a cuckold he came home!
O! I went into the chamber, and there for to see, And there I saw three men in bed, by one, by two, and by three; O! I called to my loving wife, and 'Anon, kind sir!' quoth she; 'O! what do these three men here, without the leave of me?'
'Why, you old fool! blind fool! can't you very well see, They are three milking-maids my mother sent to me?' 'Ods bobs! well done! milking-maids with beards on! The like was never known!' Old Wichet a cuckold went out, and a cuckold he came home!
Ballad: THE JOLLY WAGGONER.
[THIS country song can be traced back a century at least, but is, no doubt, much older. It is very popular in the West of England. The words are spirited and characteristic. We may, perhaps, refer the song to the days of transition, when the waggon displaced the packhorse.]
WHEN first I went a-waggoning, a-waggoning did go, I filled my parents' hearts full of sorrow, grief, and woe. (51) And many are the hardships that I have since gone through. And sing wo, my lads, sing wo! Drive on my lads, I-ho! (52) And who wouldn't lead the life of a jolly waggoner?
It is a cold and stormy night, and I'm wet to the skin, I will bear it with contentment till I get unto the inn. And then I'll get a drinking with the landlord and his kin. And sing, &c.
Now summer it is coming, - what pleasure we shall see; The small birds are a-singing on every green tree, The blackbirds and the thrushes are a-whistling merrilie. And sing, &c.
Now Michaelmas is coming, - what pleasure we shall find; It will make the gold to fly, my boys, like chaff before the wind; And every lad shall take his lass, so loving and so kind. And sing, &c.
Ballad: THE YORKSHIRE HORSE-DEALER.
[THIS ludicrous and genuine Yorkshire song, the production of some unknown country minstrel, obtained considerable popularity a few years ago from the admirable singing of Emery. The incidents actually occurred at the close of the last century, and some of the descendants of 'Tommy Towers' were resident at Clapham till within a very recent period, and used to take great delight in relating the laughable adventure of their progenitor. Abey Muggins is understood to be a SOBRIQUET for a then Clapham innkeeper. The village of Clapham is in the west of Yorkshire, on the high road between Skipton and Kendal.]