ancient poems-第31部分

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of　Newark。　　The　common；　or　Moor…fields；　　was　inclosed　about　1797；　and　is　now　no　longer　called　by　the　ancient　　designation。　　It　contains　eight　hundred　acres。　　The　manor　of　　Thornehagh　is　the　property　of　the　ancient　family　of　Nevile；　who　　have　a　residence　on　the　estate。＇


IN　Thornehagh…Moor　woods；　in　Nottinghamshire；　Fol　de　rol；　la　re；　right　fol　laddie；　dee；　In　Robin　Hood's　bold　Nottinghamshire；　Fol　de　rol；　la　re　da；

Three　keepers'　houses　stood　three…square；　And　about　a　mile　from　each　other　they　were；　…　Their　orders　were　to　look　after　the　deer。　Fol　de　rol；　la　re　da。

I　went　out　with　my　dogs　one　night；　…　The　moon　shone　clear；　and　the　stars　gave　light；　Over　hedges　and　ditches；　and　steyls　With　my　two　dogs　close　at　my　heels；　To　catch　a　fine　buck　in　Thornehagh…Moor　fields。

Oh！　that　night　we　had　bad　luck；　One　of　my　very　best　dogs　was　stuck；　He　came　to　me　both　breeding　and　lame；　…　Right　sorry　was　I　to　see　the　same；　…　He　was　not　able　to　follow　the　game。

I　searched　his　wounds；　and　found　them　slight；　Some　keeper　has　done　this　out　of　spite；　But　I'll　take　my　pike…staff；　…　that's　the　plan！　I'll　range　the　woods　till　I　find　the　man；　And　I'll　tan　his　hide　right　well；　…　if　I　can！

I　ranged　the　woods　and　groves　all　night；　I　ranged　the　woods　till　it　proved　daylight；　The　very　first　thing　that　then　I　found；　Was　a　good　fat　buck　that　lay　dead　on　the　ground；　I　knew　my　dogs　gave　him　his　death…wound。

I　hired　a　butcher　to　skin　the　game；　Likewise　another　to　sell　the　same；　The　very　first　buck　he　offered　for　sale；　Was　to　an　old　＇hag＇　that　sold　bad　ale；　And　she　sent　us　three　poor　lads　to　gaol。

The　quarter　sessions　we　soon　espied；　At　which　we　all　were　for　to　be　tried；　The　Chairman　laughed　the　matter　to　scorn；　He　said　the　old　woman　was　all　forsworn；　And　unto　pieces　she　ought　to　be　torn。

The　sessions　are　over；　and　we　are　clear！　The　sessions　are　over；　and　we　sit　here；　Singing　fol　de　rol；　la　re　da！　The　very　best　game　I　ever　did　see；　Is　a　buck　or　a　deer；　but　a　deer　for　me！　In　Thornehagh…Moor　woods　this　night　we'll　be！　Fol　de　rol；　la　re　da！



Ballad：　THE　LINCOLNSHIRE　POACHER。



＇THIS　very　old　ditty　has　been　transformed　into　the　dialects　of　　Somersetshire；　Northamptonshire；　and　Leicestershire；　but　it　　properly　belongs　to　Lincolnshire。　　Nor　is　this　the　only　liberty　　that　his　been　taken　with　it。　　The　original　tune　is　that　of　a　　Lancashire　air；　well　known　as　THE　MANCHESTER　ANGEL；　but　a　florid　　modern　tune　has　been　substituted。　　THE　LINCOLNSHIRE　POACHER　was　a　　favourite　ditty　with　George　IV。；　and　it　is　said　that　he　often　had　　it　sung　for　his　amusement　by　a　band　of　Berkshire　ploughmen。　　He　　also　commanded　it　to　be　sung　at　his　harvest…homes；　but　we　believe　　it　was　always　on　such　occasions　sung　to　the　'playhouse　tune；'　and　　not　to　the　genuine　music。　　It　is　often　very　difficult　to　trace　the　　locality　of　countrymen's　songs；　in　consequence　of　the　licence　　adopted　by　printers　of　changing　the　names　of　places　to　suit　their　　own　neighbourhoods；　but　there　is　no　such　difficulty　about　THE　　LINCOLNSHIRE　POACHER。　　The　oldest　copy　we　have　seen；　printed　at　　York　about　1776；　reads　'Lincolnshire；'　and　it　is　only　in　very　　modern　copies　that　the　venue　is　removed　to　other　counties。　　In　the　　Somersetshire　version　the　local　vernacular　is　skilfully　substituted　　for　that　of　the　original；　but　the　deception　may；　nevertheless；　be　　very　easily　detected。＇


WHEN　I　was　bound　apprentice；　in　famous　Lincolnsheer；　Full　well　I　served　my　master　for　more　than　seven　year；　Till　I　took　up　with　poaching；　as　you　shall　quickly　hear：…　Oh！　'tis　my　delight　of　a　shiny　night；　in　the　season　of　the　year。

As　me　and　my　comrades　were　setting　of　a　snare；　'Twas　then　we　seed　the　gamekeeper　…　for　him　we　did　not　care；　For　we　can　wrestle　and　fight；　my　boys；　and　jump　o'er　everywhere：…　Oh！　'tis　my　delight　of　a　shiny　night；　in　the　season　of　the　year。

As　me　and　my　comrades　were　setting　four　or　five；　And　taking　on　him　up　again；　we　caught　the　hare　alive；　We　caught　the　hare　alive；　my　boys；　and　through　the　woods　did　　steer：…　Oh！　'tis　my　delight　of　a　shiny　night；　in　the　season　of　the　year。

Bad　luck　to　every　magistrate　that　lives　in　Lincolnsheer；　（59）　Success　to　every　poacher　that　wants　to　sell　a　hare；　Bad　luck　to　every　gamekeeper　that　will　not　sell　his　deer：…　Oh！　'tis　my　delight　of　a　shiny　night；　in　the　season　of　the　year。



Ballad：　SOMERSETSHIRE　HUNTING　SONG。



＇THIS　following　song；　which　is　very　popular　with　the　peasantry　of　　Somersetshire；　is　given　as　a　curious　specimen　of　the　dialect　still　　spoken　in　some　parts　of　that　county。　　Though　the　song　is　a　genuine　　peasant's　ditty；　it　is　heard　in　other　circles；　and　frequently　　roared　out　at　hunting　dinners。　　It　is　here　reprinted　from　a　copy　　communicated　by　Mr。　Sandys。＇


THERE'S　no　pleasures　can　compare　Wi'　the　hunting　o'　the　hare；　In　the　morning；　in　the　morning；　In　fine　and　pleasant　weather。

CHO。　　With　our　hosses　and　our　hounds；　We　will　scamps　it　o'er　the　grounds；　And　sing　traro；　huzza！　And　sing　traro；　huzza！　And　sing　traro；　brave　boys；　we　will　foller。

And　when　poor　puss　arise；　Then　away　from　us　she　flies；　And　we'll　gives　her；　boys；　we'll　gives　her；　One　thundering　and　loud　holler！　CHO。　　With　our　hosses；　&c。

And　when　poor　puss　is　killed；　We'll　retires　from　the　field；　And　we'll　count　boys；　and　we'll　count　On　the　same　good　ren　to…morrer。　CHO。　　With　our　bosses　and　our　hounds；　&c。



Ballad：　THE　TROTTING　HORSE。



＇THE　common　copies　of　this　old　highwayman's　song　are　very　corrupt。　　　We　are　indebted　for　the　following　version；　which　contains　several　　emendations；　to　Mr。　W。　H。　　Ainsworth。　　The　song；　which　may　probably　　be　referred　to　the　age　of　Charles　II。；　is　a　spirited　specimen　of　　its　class。＇


I　CAN　sport　as　fine　a　trotting　horse　as　any　swell　in　town；　To　trot　you　fourteen　miles　an　hour；　I'll　bet　you　fifty　crown；　He　is　such　a　one　to　bend　his　knees；　and　tuck　his　haunches　in；　And　throw　the　dust　in　people's　face；　and　think　it　not　a　sin。　For　to　ride　away；　trot　away；　Ri；　fa　lar；　la；　&c。

He　has　an　eye　like　any　hawk；　a　neck　like　any　swan；　A　foot　light　as　the　stag's；　the　while　his　back　is　scarce　a　span；　Kind　Nature　hath　so　formed　him；　he　is　everything　that's　good；　…　Aye！　everything　a　man　could　wish；　in　bottom；　bone；　and　blood。　For　to　ride　away；　&c。

If　you　drop　therein；　he'll　nod　his　head；　and　boldly　walk　away；　While　others　kick　and　bounce　about；　to　him　it's　only　play；　There　never　was　a　finer　horse　e'er　went　on　English　ground；　He　is　rising　six　years　old；　and　is　all　over　right　and　sound。　For　to　ride　away；　&c。

If　any　frisk　or　milling　match　should　call　me　out　of　town；　I　can　pass　the　blades　with　white　cockades；　their　whiskers　hanging　　down；　With　large　jack…towels　round　their　necks；　they　think　they're　first　　and　fast；　But；　with　their　gapers　open　wide；　they　find　that　they　are　last。　Whilst　I　ride　away；　&c。

If　threescore　miles　I　am　from　home；　I　darkness　never　mind；　My　friend　is　gone；　and　I　am　left；　with　pipe　and　pot　behind；　Up　comes　some　saucy　kiddy；　a　scampsman　on　the　hot；　But　ere　he　pulls　the　trigger　I　am　off　just　like　a　shot。　For　I　ride　away；　&c。

If　Fortune　e'er　should　fickle　be；　and　wish　to　have　again　That　which　she　so　freely　gave；　I'd　give　it　without　pain；　I　would　part　with　it　most　freely；　and　without　the　least　remorse；　Only　grant　to　me　what　God　hath　gave；　my　mistress　and　my　horse！　That　I　may　ride　away；　&c。



Ballad：　THE　SEEDS　OF　LOVE。



＇THIS　very　curious　old　song　is　not　only　a　favourite　with　our　　peasantry；　but；　in　consequence　of　having　been　introduced　into　the　　modern　dramatic　entertainment　of　THE　LOAN　OF　A　LOVER；　has　obtained　　popularity　in　higher　circles。　　Its　sweetly　plaintive　tune　will　be　　found　in　POPULAR　MUSIC。　　The　words　are　quaint；　but　by　no　means　　wanting　in　beauty；　they　are；　no　doubt；　corrupted；　as　we　have　　derived　them　from　common　broadsides；　the　only　form　in　which　we　have　　been　able　to　meet　with　them。　　The　author　of　the　song　was　Mrs。　　Fleetwood　Habergham；　of　Habergham；　in　the　county　of　Lancaster。　　　'Ruined　by　the　extravagance；　and　disgraced　by　the　vices　of　her　　husband；　she　soothed　her　sorrows；'　says　Dr。　Whitaker；　'by　some　　stanzas　yet　remembered　among　the　old　people　of　her　neighbourhood。'　　…　HISTORY　OF　WHALLEY。　　Mrs。　Habergham　died　in　1703；　and　was　buried　　at　Padiham。＇


I　SOWED　the　seeds　of　love；　it　was　all　in　the　spring；　In　April；　May；　and　June；　likewise；　when　small　birds　they　do　sing；　My　garden's　well　planted　with　flowers　everywhere；　Yet　I　had　not　the　liberty　to　choose　for　myself　the　flower　that　I　　loved　so　dear。

My　gardener　he　stood　by；　I　asked　him　to　choose　for　me；　He　chose　me　the　violet；　the　lily　and　pink；　but　those　I　refused　all　　three；　The　violet　I　forsook；　because　it　fades　so　soon；　The　lily　and　the　pink　I　did　o'erlook；　and　I　vowed　I'd　stay　till　　June。

In　June　there's　a　red　rose…bud；　and　that's　the　flower　for　me！　But　often　have　I　plucked　at　the　red　rose…bud　till　I　gained　the　　willow…tree；　The　willow…tree　will　twist；　and　the　willow…tree　will　twice；　…　O！　I　wish　I　was　in　the　dear　youth's　arms　that　once　had　the　heart　of　　mine。

My　gardener　he　stood　by；　he　told　me　to　take　great　care；　For　in　the　middle　of　a　red　rose…bud　there　grows　a　sharp　thorn　　there；　I　told　him　I'd　take　no　care　till　I　did　feel　the　smart；　And　often　I　plucked　at　the　red　rose…bud　till　I　pierced　it　to　the　　heart。

I'll　make　me　a　posy　of　hyssop；　…　no　other　I　can　touch；　…　That　all　the　world　may　plainly　see　I　love　one　flower　too　much；　My　garden　is　run　wild！　where　shall　I　plant　anew　…　For　my　bed；　that　once　was　covered　with　thyme；　is　all　overrun　with　　rue？　（60）



Ballad：　THE　GARDEN…GATE。



＇ONE　of　our　most　pleasing　rural　ditties。　　The　air　is　very　　beautiful。　　We　first　heard　it　sung　in　Malhamdale；　Yorkshire；　by　　Willy　Bolton；　an　old　Dales'…minstrel；　who　accompanied　himself　on　　the　union…pipes。　（61）＇


THE　day　was　spent；　the　moon　shone　bright；　The　village　clock　struck　eight；　Young　Mary　hastened；　with　delight；　Unto　the　garden…gate：　But　what　was　there　that　made　her　sad？　…　The　gate　was　there；　but　not　the　lad；　Which　made　poor　Mary　say　and　sigh；　'Was　ever　poor　girl　so　sad　as　I？'

She　traced　the　garden　here　and　there；　The　village　clock　struck　nine；　Which　made　poor　Mary　sigh；　and　say；　'You　shan't；　you　shan't　be　mine！　You　promised　to　meet　at　the　gate　at　eight；　You　ne'er　shall　keep　me；　nor　make　me　wait；　For　I'll　let　all　such