Ancient Poems [83]
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 pad nag to ride out a mile. May I govern, &c.
With Horace and Plutarch, and one or two more Of the best wits that lived in the age before; With a dish of roast mutton, not venison or teal, And clean, though coarse, linen at every meal. May I govern, &c.
With a pudding on Sunday, and stout humming liquor, And remnants of Latin to welcome the vicar; With a hidden reserve of good Burgundy wine, To drink the king's health in as oft as I dine. May I govern, &c.
When the days are grown short, and it freezes and snows, May I have a coal fire as high as my nose; A fire (which once stirred up with a prong), Will keep the room temperate all the night long. May I govern, &c.
With a courage undaunted may I face my last day; And when I am dead may the better sort say - 'In the morning when sober, in the evening when mellow, He's gone, and he leaves not behind him his fellow!' May I govern, &c.
Ballad: ROBIN HOOD'S HILL.
[RITSON speaks of a Robin Hood's Hill near Gloucester, and of a 'foolish song' about it. Whether this is the song to which he alludes we cannot determine. We find it in NOTES AND QUERIES, where it is stated to be printed from a MS. of the latter part of the last century, and described as a song well known in the district to which it refers.]
YE bards who extol the gay valleys and glades, The jessamine bowers, and amorous shades, Who prospects so rural can boast at your will, Yet never once mentioned sweet 'Robin Hood's Hill.'
This spot, which of nature displays every smile, From famed Glo'ster city is distanced two mile, Of which you a view may obtain at your will, From the sweet rural summit of 'Robin Hood's Hill.'
Where a clear crystal spring does incessantly flow, To supply and refresh the fair valley below; No dog-star's brisk heat e'er diminished the rill Which sweetly doth prattle on 'Robin Hood's Hill.'
Here, gazing around, you find objects still new, Of Severn's sweet windings, how pleasing the view, Whose stream with the fruits of blessed commerce doth fill The sweet-smelling vale beneath 'Robin Hood's Hill.'
This hill, though so lofty, yet fertile and rare, Few valleys can with it for herbage compare; Some far greater bard should his lyre and his quill Direct to the praise of sweet 'Robin Hood's Hill.'
Here lads and gay lasses in couples resort, For sweet rural pastime and innocent sport; Sure pleasures ne'er flowed from gay nature or skill, Like those that are found on sweet 'Robin Hood's Hill.'
Had I all the riches of matchless Peru, To revel in splendour as emperors do, I'd forfeit the whole with a hearty good will, To dwell in a cottage on 'Robin Hood's Hill.'
Then, poets, record my loved theme in your lays: First view; - then you'll own that 'tis worthy of praise; Nay, Envy herself must acknowledge it still, That no spot's so delightful as 'Robin Hood's Hill.'
Ballad: BEGONE DULL CARE. (TRADITIONAL.)
[WE cannot trace this popular ditty beyond the reign of James II, but we believe it to be older. The origin is to be found in an early French chanson. The present version has been taken down from the singing
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 pad nag to ride out a mile. May I govern, &c.
With Horace and Plutarch, and one or two more Of the best wits that lived in the age before; With a dish of roast mutton, not venison or teal, And clean, though coarse, linen at every meal. May I govern, &c.
With a pudding on Sunday, and stout humming liquor, And remnants of Latin to welcome the vicar; With a hidden reserve of good Burgundy wine, To drink the king's health in as oft as I dine. May I govern, &c.
When the days are grown short, and it freezes and snows, May I have a coal fire as high as my nose; A fire (which once stirred up with a prong), Will keep the room temperate all the night long. May I govern, &c.
With a courage undaunted may I face my last day; And when I am dead may the better sort say - 'In the morning when sober, in the evening when mellow, He's gone, and he leaves not behind him his fellow!' May I govern, &c.
Ballad: ROBIN HOOD'S HILL.
[RITSON speaks of a Robin Hood's Hill near Gloucester, and of a 'foolish song' about it. Whether this is the song to which he alludes we cannot determine. We find it in NOTES AND QUERIES, where it is stated to be printed from a MS. of the latter part of the last century, and described as a song well known in the district to which it refers.]
YE bards who extol the gay valleys and glades, The jessamine bowers, and amorous shades, Who prospects so rural can boast at your will, Yet never once mentioned sweet 'Robin Hood's Hill.'
This spot, which of nature displays every smile, From famed Glo'ster city is distanced two mile, Of which you a view may obtain at your will, From the sweet rural summit of 'Robin Hood's Hill.'
Where a clear crystal spring does incessantly flow, To supply and refresh the fair valley below; No dog-star's brisk heat e'er diminished the rill Which sweetly doth prattle on 'Robin Hood's Hill.'
Here, gazing around, you find objects still new, Of Severn's sweet windings, how pleasing the view, Whose stream with the fruits of blessed commerce doth fill The sweet-smelling vale beneath 'Robin Hood's Hill.'
This hill, though so lofty, yet fertile and rare, Few valleys can with it for herbage compare; Some far greater bard should his lyre and his quill Direct to the praise of sweet 'Robin Hood's Hill.'
Here lads and gay lasses in couples resort, For sweet rural pastime and innocent sport; Sure pleasures ne'er flowed from gay nature or skill, Like those that are found on sweet 'Robin Hood's Hill.'
Had I all the riches of matchless Peru, To revel in splendour as emperors do, I'd forfeit the whole with a hearty good will, To dwell in a cottage on 'Robin Hood's Hill.'
Then, poets, record my loved theme in your lays: First view; - then you'll own that 'tis worthy of praise; Nay, Envy herself must acknowledge it still, That no spot's so delightful as 'Robin Hood's Hill.'
Ballad: BEGONE DULL CARE. (TRADITIONAL.)
[WE cannot trace this popular ditty beyond the reign of James II, but we believe it to be older. The origin is to be found in an early French chanson. The present version has been taken down from the singing