ancient poems-第40章

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Ballad：　THE　PRAISE　OF　A　DAIRY。



＇THIS　excellent　old　country　song；　which　can　be　traced　to　1687；　is　　sung　to　the　air　of　PACKINGTON'S　POUND；　for　the　history　of　which　see　　POPULAR　MUSIC。＇


IN　praise　of　a　dairy　I　purpose　to　sing；　But　all　things　in　order；　first；　God　save　the　King！　（62）　And　the　Queen；　I　may　say；　That　every　May…day；　Has　many　fair　dairy…maids　all　fine　and　gay。　Assist　me；　fair　damsels；　to　finish　my　theme；　Inspiring　my　fancy　with　strawberry　cream。

The　first　of　fair　dairy…maids；　if　you'll　believe；　Was　Adam's　own　wife；　our　great　grandmother　Eve；　Who　oft　milked　a　cow；　As　well　she　knew　how。　Though　butter　was　not　then　as　cheap　as　'tis　now；　She　hoarded　no　butter　nor　cheese　on　her　shelves；　For　butter　and　cheese　in　those　days　made　themselves。

In　that　age　or　time　there　was　no　horrid　money；　Yet　the　children　of　Israel　had　both　milk　and　honey；　No　Queen　you　could　see；　Of　the　highest　degree；　But　would　milk　the　brown　cow　with　the　meanest　she。　Their　lambs　gave　them　clothing；　their　cows　gave　them　meat；　And　in　plenty　and　peace　all　their　joys　wore　complete。

Amongst　the　rare　virtues　that　milk　does　produce；　For　a　thousand　of　dainties　it's　daily　in　use：　Now　a　pudding　I'll　tell　'ee；　And　so　can　maid　Nelly；　Must　have　from　good　milk　both　the　cream　and　the　jelly：　For　a　dainty　fine　pudding；　without　cream　or　milk；　Is　a　citizen's　wife；　without　satin　or　silk。

In　the　virtues　of　milk　there　is　more　to　be　mustered：　O！　the　charming　delights　both　of　cheesecake　and　custard！　If　to　wakes　（63）　you　resort；　You　can　have　no　sport；　Unless　you　give　custards　and　cheesecake　too　for't：　And　what's　the　jack…pudding　that　makes　us　to　laugh；　Unless　he　hath　got　a　great　custard　to　quaff？

Both　pancake　and　fritter　of　milk　have　good　store；　But　a　Devonshire　white…pot　must　needs　have　much　more；　Of　no　brew　（64）　you　can　think；　Though　you　study　and　wink；　From　the　lusty　sack　posset　to　poor　posset　drink；　But　milk's　the　ingredient；　though　wine's　（65）　ne'er　the　worse；　For　'tis　wine　makes　the　man；　though　'tis　milk　makes　the　nurse。



Ballad：　THE　MILK…MAID'S　LIFE。



＇OF　this　popular　country　song　there　are　a　variety　of　versions。　　The　　following；　which　is　the　most　ancient；　is　transcribed　from　a　black…　letter　broadside　in　the　Roxburgh　Collection；　entitled　THE　MILKE…　MAID'S　LIFE；　OR；　A　PRETTY　NEW　DITTY　COMPOSED　AND　PENNED；　THE　PRAISE　　OF　THE　MILKING…PAIL　TO　DEFEND。　　To　a　curious　new　tune　called　the　　MILKE…MAID'S　DUMP。　　It　is　subscribed　with　the　initials　M。　P。；　　probably　those　of　Martin　Parker。＇


YOU　rural　goddesses；　That　woods　and　fields　possess；　Assist　me　with　your　skill；　that　may　direct　my　quill；　More　jocundly　to　express；　The　mirth　and　delight；　both　morning　and　night；　On　mountain　or　in　dale；　Of　them　who　choose　this　trade　to　use；　And；　through　cold　dews；　do　never　refuse　To　carry　the　milking…pail。

The　bravest　lasses　gay；　Live　not　so　merry　as　they；　In　honest　civil　sort　they　make　each　other　sport；　As　they　trudge　on　their　way；　Come　fair　or　foul　weather；　they're　fearful　of　neither；　Their　courages　never　quail。　In　wet　and　dry；　though　winds　be　high；　And　dark's　the　sky；　they　ne'er　deny　To　carry　the　milking…pail。

Their　hearts　are　free　from　care；　They　never　will　despair；　Whatever　them　befal；　they　bravely　bear　out　all；　And　fortune's　frowns　outdare。　They　pleasantly　sing　to　welcome　the　spring；　'Gainst　heaven　they　never　rail；　If　grass　well　grow；　their　thanks　they　show；　And；　frost　or　snow；　they　merrily　go　Along　with　the　milking…pail：

Base　idleness　they　do　scorn；　They　rise　very　early　i'　th'　morn；　And　walk　into　the　field；　where　pretty　birds　do　yield　Brave　music　on　every　thorn。　The　linnet　and　thrush　do　sing　on　each　bush；　And　the　dulcet　nightingale　Her　note　doth　strain；　by　jocund　vein；　To　entertain　that　worthy　train；　Which　carry　the　milking…pail。

Their　labour　doth　health　preserve；　No　doctor's　rules　they　observe；　While　others　too　nice　in　taking　their　advice；　Look　always　as　though　they　would　starve。　Their　meat　is　digested；　they　ne'er　are　molested；　No　sickness　doth　them　assail；　Their　time　is　spent　in　merriment；　While　limbs　are　lent；　they　are　content；　To　carry　the　milking…pail。

Upon　the　first　of　May；　With　garlands；　fresh　and　gay；　With　mirth　and　music　sweet；　for　such　a　season　meet；　They　pass　the　time　away。　They　dance　away　sorrow；　and　all　the　day　thorough　Their　legs　do　never　fail；　For　they　nimbly　their　feet　do　ply；　And　bravely　try　the　victory；　In　honour　o'　the　milking…pail。

If　any　think　that　I　Do　practise　flattery；　In　seeking　thus　to　raise　the　merry　milkmaids'　praise；　I'll　to　them　thus　reply：…　It　is　their　desert　inviteth　my　art；　To　study　this　pleasant　tale；　In　their　defence；　whose　innocence；　And　providence；　gets　honest　pence　Out　of　the　milking…pail。



Ballad：　THE　MILKING…PAIL。



＇THE　following　is　another　version　of　the　preceding　ditty；　and　is　　the　one　most　commonly　sung。＇


YE　nymphs　and　sylvan　gods；　That　love　green　fields　and　woods；　When　spring　newly…born　herself　does　adorn；　With　flowers　and　blooming　buds：　Come　sing　in　the　praise；　while　flocks　do　graze；　On　yonder　pleasant　vale；　Of　those　that　choose　to　milk　their　ewes；　And　in　cold　dews；　with　clouted　shoes；　To　carry　the　milking…pail。

You　goddess　of　the　morn；　With　blushes　you　adorn；　And　take　the　fresh　air；　whilst　linnets　prepare　A　concert　on　each　green　thorn；　The　blackbird　and　thrush　on　every　bush；　And　the　charming　nightingale；　In　merry　vein；　their　throats　do　strain　To　entertain；　the　jolly　train　Of　those　of　the　milking…pail。

When　cold　bleak　winds　do　roar；　And　flowers　will　spring　no　more；　The　fields　that　were　seen　so　pleasant　and　green；　With　winter　all　candied　o'er；　See　now　the　town　lass；　with　her　white　face；　And　her　lips　so　deadly　pale；　But　it　is　not　so；　with　those　that　go　Through　frost　and　snow；　with　cheeks　that　glow；　And　carry　the　milking…pail。

The　country　lad　is　free　From　fears　and　jealousy；　Whilst　upon　the　green　he　oft　is　seen；　With　his　lass　upon　his　knee。　With　kisses　most　sweet　he　doth　her　so　treat；　And　swears　her　charms　won't　fail；　But　the　London　lass；　in　every　place；　With　brazen　face；　despises　the　grace　Of　those　of　the　milking…pail。



Ballad：　THE　SUMMER'S　MORNING。



＇THIS　is　a　very　old　ditty；　and　a　favourite　with　the　peasantry　in　　every　part　of　England；　but　more　particularly　in　the　mining　　districts　of　the　North。　　The　tune　is　pleasing；　but　uncommon。　　R。　W。　　Dixon；　Esq。；　of　Seaton…Carew；　Durham；　by　whom　the　song　was　　communicated　to　his　brother　for　publication；　says；　'I　have　written　　down　the　above；　VERBATIM；　as　generally　sung。　　It　will　be　seen　that　　the　last　lines　of　each　verse　are　not　of　equal　length。　　The　singer；　　however；　makes　all　right　and　smooth！　　The　words　underlined　in　each　　verse　are　sung　five　times；　thus：…　THEY　AD…VAN…CED；　THEY　AD…VAN…CED；　　THEY　AD…VAN…CED；　THEY　AD…VAN…CED；　THEY　AD…VAN…CED　ME　SOME　MONEY；　…　　TEN　GUINEAS　AND　A　CROWN。　　The　last　line　is　thus　sung：…　WE'LL　BE　　MARRIED；　（as　the　word　is　usually　pronounced）；　WE'LL　BE　MARRIED；　　WE'LL　BE　MARRIED；　WE'LL　BE　MARRIED；　WE'LL　BE　MARRIED；　WE'LL　BE　MAR…　RI…ED　WHEN　I　RETURN　AGAIN。'　　The　tune　is　given　in　POPULAR　MUSIC。　　　Since　this　song　appeared　in　the　volume　issued　by　the　Percy　Society；　　we　have　met　with　a　copy　printed　at　Devonport。　　The　readings　are　in　　general　not　so　good；　but　in　one　or　two　instances　they　are　　apparently　more　ancient；　and　are；　consequently；　here　adopted。　　The　　Devonport　copy　contains　two　verses；　not　preserved　in　our　　traditional　version。　　These　we　have　incorporated　in　our　present　　text；　in　which　they　form　the　third　and　last　stanzas。＇


IT　was　one　summer's　morning；　as　I　went　o'er　the　moss；　I　had　no　thought　of　'listing；　till　the　soldiers　did　me　cross；　They　kindly　did　invite　me　to　a　flowing　bowl；　and　down；　THEY　ADVANCED　me　some　money；　…　ten　guineas　and　a　crown。

'It's　true　my　love　has　listed；　he　wears　a　white　cockade；　He　is　a　handsome　tall　young　man；　besides　a　roving　blade；　He　is　a　handsome　young　man；　and　he's　gone　to　serve　the　king；　OH！　MY　VERY　heart　is　breaking　for　the　loss　of　him。

'My　love　is　tall　and　handsome；　and　comely　for　to　see；　And　by　a　sad　misfortune　a　soldier　now　is　he；　I　hope　the　man　that　listed　him　may　not　prosper　night　nor　day；　FOR　I　WISH　THAT　the　Hollanders　may　sink　him　in　the　sea。

'Oh！　may　he　never　prosper；　oh！　may　he　never　thrive；　Nor　anything　he　takes　in　hand　so　long　as　he's　ali