ancient poems-第42章

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　upon　thee；　But　I'll　ne'er　love　a　married　man　till　his　wife　dee。'

Now　seven　long　years　are　gone　and　are　past；　The　old　woman　went　to　her　long　home　at　last；　The　old　woman　died；　and　Sir　Arthur　was　free；　And　he　soon　came　a…courting　to　charming　Mollee。

Now　charming　Mollee　in　her　carriage　doth　ride；　With　her　hounds　at　her　feet；　and　her　lord　by　her　side：　Now　all　ye　fair　maids　take　a　warning　by　me；　And　ne'er　love　a　married　man　till　his　wife　dee。



Ballad：　THERE　WAS　AN　OLD　MAN　CAME　OVER　THE　LEA。



＇THIS　is　a　version　of　the　BAILLIE　OF　BERWICK；　which　will　be　found　　in　the　LOCAL　HISTORIAN'S　TABLE…BOOK。　　It　was　originally　obtained　　from　Morpeth；　and　communicated　by　W。　H。　Longstaffe；　Esq。；　of　　Darlington；　who　says；　'in　many　respects　the　BAILLIE　OF　BERWICK　is　　the　better　edition　…　still　mine　may　furnish　an　extra　stanza　or　two；　　and　the　ha！　ha！　ha！　is　better　than　heigho；　though　the　notes　suit　　either　version。'＇


THERE　was　an　old　man　came　over　the　Lea；　Ha…ha…ha…ha！　but　I　won't　have　him。　（67）　He　came　over　the　Lea；　A…courting　to　me；　With　his　grey　beard　newly…shaven。

My　mother　she　bid　me　open　the　door：　I　opened　the　door；　And　he　fell　on　the　floor。

My　mother　she　bid　me　set　him　a　stool：　I　set　him　a　stool；　And　he　looked　like　a　fool。

My　mother　she　bid　me　give　him　some　beer：　I　gave　him　some　beer；　And　he　thought　it　good　cheer。

My　mother　she　bid　me　cut　him　some　bread：　I　cut　him　some　bread；　And　I　threw't　at　his　head。

My　mother　she　bid　me　light　him　to　bed。　I　lit　him　to　bed；　And　wished　he　were　dead。

My　mother　she　bid　me　tell　him　to　rise：　I　told　him　to　rise；　And　he　opened　his　eyes。

My　mother　she　bid　me　take　him　to　church：　I　took　him　to　church；　And　left　him　in　the　lurch；　With　his　grey　beard　newly…shaven。



Ballad：　WHY　SHOULD　WE　QUARREL　FOR　RICHES。



＇A　VERSION　of　this　very　favourite　song　may　be　found　in　Ramsay's　　TEA…TABLE　MISCELLANY。　　Though　a　sailor's　song；　we　question　whether　　it　is　not　a　greater　favourite　with　landsmen。　　The　chorus　is　become　　proverbial；　and　its　philosophy　has　often　been　invoked　to　mitigate　　the　evils　and　misfortunes　of　life。＇


HOW　pleasant　a　sailor's　life　passes；　Who　roams　o'er　the　watery　main！　No　treasure　he　ever　amasses；　But　cheerfully　spends　all　his　gain。　We're　strangers　to　party　and　faction；　To　honour　and　honesty　true；　And　would　not　commit　a　bad　action　For　power　or　profit　in　view。　Then　why　should　we　quarrel　for　riches；　Or　any　such　glittering　toys；　A　light　heart；　and　a　thin　pair　of　breeches；　Will　go　through　the　world；　my　brave　boys！

The　world　is　a　beautiful　garden；　Enriched　with　the　blessings　of　life；　The　toiler　with　plenty　rewarding；　Which　plenty　too　often　breeds　strife。　When　terrible　tempests　assail　us；　And　mountainous　billows　affright；　No　grandeur　or　wealth　can　avail　us；　But　skilful　industry　steers　right。　Then　why；　&c。

The　courtier's　more　subject　to　dangers；　Who　rules　at　the　helm　of　the　state；　Than　we　that；　to　politics　strangers；　Escape　the　snares　laid　for　the　great。　The　various　blessings　of　nature；　In　various　nations　we　try；　No　mortals　than　us　can　be　greater；　Who　merrily　live　till　we　die。　Then　why　should；　&c。



Ballad：　THE　MERRY　FELLOWS；　OR；　HE　THAT　WILL　NOT　MERRY；　MERRY　BE。



＇THE　popularity　of　this　old　lyric；　of　which　ours　is　the　ballad…　printer's　version；　has　been　increased　by　the　lively　and　appropriate　　music　recently　adapted　to　it　by　Mr。　Holderness。　　The　date　of　this　　song　is　about　the　era　of　Charles　II。＇


NOW；　since　we're　met；　let's　merry；　merry　be；　In　spite　of　all　our　foes；　And　he　that　will　not　merry　be；　We'll　pull　him　by　the　nose。　CHO。　　Let　him　be　merry；　merry　there；　While　we're　all　merry；　merry　here；　For　who　can　know　where　he　shall　go；　To　be　merry　another　year。

He　that　will　not　merry；　merry　be；　With　a　generous　bowl　and　a　toast；　May　he　in　Bridewell　be　shut　up；　And　fast　bound　to　a　post。　Let　him；　&c。

He　that　will　not　merry；　merry　be；　And　take　his　glass　in　course；　May　he　be　obliged　to　drink　small　beer；　Ne'er　a　penny　in　his　purse。　Let　him；　&c。

He　that　will　not　merry；　merry　be；　With　a　company　of　jolly　boys；　May　he　be　plagued　with　a　scolding　wife；　To　confound　him　with　her　noise。　Let　him；　&c。

＇He　that　will　not　merry；　merry　be；　With　his　sweetheart　by　his　side；　Let　him　be　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　vers