ancient poems-第28部分

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Now；　Jack　and　Tom；　they're　going　to　the　sea；　I　wish　them　both　in　good　companie！　They're　going　to　seek　their　fortunes　ayont　the　wide　sea；　Far；　far　away　frae　their　oan　countrie！

They　mounted　their　horses；　and　rode　over　the　moor；　Till　they　came　to　a　house；　when　they　rapped　at　the　door；　And　out　came　Jockey；　the　hostler…man。　'D'ye　brew　ony　ale？　　D'ye　sell　ony　beer？　Or　have　ye　ony　lodgings　for　strangers　here？'

'Ne；　we　brew　ne　ale；　nor　we　sell　ne　beer；　Nor　we　have　ne　lodgings　for　strangers　here。'　So　he　bolted　the　door；　and　bade　them　begone；　For　there　was　ne　lodgings　there　for　poor　Jack　and　Tom。

They　mounted　their　horses；　and　rode　over　the　plain；　…　Dark　was　the　night；　and　down　fell　the　rain；　Till　a　twinkling　light　they　happened　to　spy；　And　a　castle　and　a　house　they　were　close　by。

They　rode　up　to　the　house；　and　they　rapped　at　the　door；　And　out　came　Jockey；　the　hosteler。　'D'ye　brew　ony　ale？　　D'ye　sell　ony　beer？　Or　have　ye　ony　lodgings　for　strangers　here？'

'Yes；　we　have　brewed　ale　this　fifty　lang　year；　And　we　have　got　lodgings　for　strangers　here。'　So　the　roast　to　the　fire；　and　the　pot　hung　on；　'Twas　all　to　accommodate　poor　Jack　and　Tom。

When　supper　was　over；　and　all　was　SIDED　DOWN；　The　glasses　of　wine　did　go　merrily　roun'。　'Here　is　to　thee；　Jack；　and　here　is　to　thee；　And　all　the　bonny　lasses　in　our　countrie！'　'Here　is　to　thee；　Tom；　and　here　is　to　thee；　And　look　they　may　LEUK　for　thee　and　me！'

'Twas　early　next　morning；　before　the　break　of　day；　They　mounted　their　horses；　and　so　they　rode　away。　Poor　Jack；　he　died　upon　a　far　foreign　shore；　And　Tom；　he　was　never；　never　heard　of　more！



Ballad：　JOAN'S　ALE　WAS　NEW。



＇OURS　is　the　common　version　of　this　popular　song；　it　varies　　considerably　from　the　one　given　by　D'Urfey；　in　the　PILLS　TO　PURGE　　MELANCHOLY。　　From　the　names　of　Nolly　and　Joan　and　the　allusion　to　　ale；　we　are　inclined　to　consider　the　song　as　a　lampoon　levelled　at　　Cromwell；　and　his　wife；　whom　the　Royalist　party　nick…named　'Joan。'　　　The　Protector's　acquaintances　（depicted　as　low　and　vulgar　　tradesmen）　are　here　humorously　represented　paying　him　a　　congratulatory　visit　on　his　change　of　fortune；　and　regaling　　themselves　with　the　'Brewer's'　ale。　　The　song　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　quaar；'　were　the　immediate　　followers　of　the　Marquis　of　Worcester；　who　held　out　long　and　　steadfastly　for　the　Royal　cause　at　Raglan　Castle；　which　was　not　　surrendered　till　1646；　and　was　in　fact　the　last　stronghold　retained　　for　the　King。　　'His　head　did　grow　above　his　hair；'　is　an　allusion　　to　the　crown；　the　head　of　the　State；　which　the　King　wore　'above　his　　hair。'

SECOND　VERSE。　…　This　means　that　the　King；　'before　he　died；'　boasted　　that　notwithstanding　his　present　adversity；　the　ancient　　constitution　of　the　kingdom　was　so　good；　and　its　vitality　so　great；　　that　it　would　surpass　and　outlive　every　other　form　of　government。

THIRD　VERSE。　…　'Dick　the　treble；　Jack　the　mean；　and　George　the　　bass；'　mean　King；　Lords；　and　Commons。　　The　injunction　to　'let　every　　man　sing　in　his　own　place；'　is　a　warning　to　each　of　the　three　　estates　of　the　realm　to　preserve　its　proper　position；　and　not　to　　encroach　on　each　other's　prerogative。

FOURTH　VERSE。　…　'Mine　hostess's　maid'　is　an　allusion　to　the　Queen；　　who　was　a　Roman　Catholic；　and　her　maid；　the　Church。　　The　singer　we　　must　suppose　was　one　of　the　leaders　of　the　party；　and　his　'dog'　a　　companion；　or　faithful　official　of　the　Society；　and　the　song　was　　sung　on　occasions　when　the　members　met　together　socially；　and　thus；　　as　the　Roman　Catholics　were　Royalists；　the　allusion　to　the　mutual　　attachment　between　the　'maid'　and　'my　dog　and　I；'　is　plain　and　　consistent。

FIFTH　VERSE。　…　The　'dog'　had　a　'trick　of　visiting　maids　when　they　　were　sick。'　　The　meaning　is；　that　when　any　of　the　members　were　in　　distress　or　desponding；　or　likely　to　give　up　the　Royal　cause　in　　despair；　the　officials；　or　active　members　visited；　counselled；　and　　assisted　them。

SIXTH　VERSE。　…　The　'dog'　was　'good　to　catch　a　hen；'　a　'duck；'　or　a　　'goose。'　…　That　is；　to　enlist　as　members　of　the　Society　any　who　　were　well　affected　to　the　Royal　cause。

SEVENTH　VERSE。　…　'The　good　ale　tap'　is　an　allusion；　under　cover　of　　the　similarity　in　sound　between　the　words　ale　and　aisle；　to　the　　Church；　of　which　it　was　dangerous　at　the　time　to　be　an　avowed　　follower；　and　so　the　members　were　cautioned　that　indiscretion　might　　lead　to　their　discovery　and　'overthrow。'

EIGHTH　VERSE。　…　The　allusion　here　is　to　those　unfaithful　supporters　　of　the　Royal　cause；　who　'welcomed'　the　members　of　the　Society　when　　it　appeared　to　be　prospering；　but　'parted'　from　them　in　adversity。

NINTH　VERSE。　…　An　expression　of　the　singer's　wish　that　if　he　should　　die　he　may　be　buried　with　his　faithful　companion；　as　representing　　the　principles　of　the　Society；　under　the　good　aisles　of　the　church。

The　following　text　has　been　collated　with　a　version　published　in　　NOTES　AND　QUERIES；　from　the　'fragments　of　a　MS。　found　in　the　　speech…house　of　Dean。'　　The　tune　is　the　same　as　that　of　the　　WASSAILERS'　SONG；　and　is　printed　in　POPULAR　MUSIC。　　Other　ditties　　appear　to　have　been　founded　on　this　ancient　piece。　　The　fourth；　　seventh；　and　ninth　verses　are　in　the　old　ditty　called　MY　DOG　AND　I：　　and　the　eighth　verse　appears　in　another　old　song。　　The　air　and　　words　bear　some　resemblance　to　TODLEN　HAME。＇


THE　stwons　that　built　George　Ridler's　oven；　And　thauy　keam　vrom　the　Bleakney　quaar；　And　George　he　wur　a　jolly　old　mon；　And　his　yead　it　grow'd　above　his　yare。

One　thing　of　George　Ridler　I　must　commend；　And　that　wur　vor　a　notable　thing；　He　mead　his　brags　avoore　he　died；　Wi'　any　dree　brooders　his　zons　zshould　zing。

There's　Dick　the　treble；　and　John　the　meean；　（Let　every　mon　zing　in　his　auwn　pleace；）　And　George　he　wur　the　elder　brother；　And　therevoor　he　would　zing　the　beass。

Mine　hostess's　moid；　（and　her　neaum　'twour　Nell；）　A　pretty　wench；　and　I　lov'd　her　well；　I　lov'd　her　well；　good　reauzon　why；　Because　zshe　loved　my　dog　and　I。

My　dog　is　good　to　catch　a　hen；　A　dug　or　goose　is　vood　for　men；　And　where　good　company　I　spy；　O　thether　gwoes　my　dog　and　I。

My　mwother　told　I；　when　I　wur　young；　If　I　did　vollow　the　strong…beer　pwoot；　That　drenk　would　prov　my　awverdrow；　And　meauk　me　wear　a　threadbare　cw