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I       ARCHER  TAYLOR       | 

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CHILDREN'S    BOOK      JJ 
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Gammer  Gurtoris  Garland. 


I 
(gammer 


THE  NURSERY  PARNASSUS 

A  Choice  Collection  of  Pretty  Songs  and  Verses  for 

the  Amusement  of  all  Little  Good  Children 

who  can  neither  read  nor  run. 


LONDON,  1810 

REPRINTED   FOR 

HUGH     HOPKINS,   .GLASGOW 
1866 


Printed 'by R.  CLARK,  Edinburgh. 


"GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND,  or  the  Nursery  Parnassus," 
was  originally  issued  at  Stockton,  as  a  small  twopenny  brochitre,  in 
32mo,  without  a  date,  "printed  by  and  for  R.  Christopher."  Sir 
Harris  Nicholas  says  it  appeared  in  the  year  1783,  "one  of  the 
most  prolific  of  Ritson's  pen."  Haslewood  is  of  opinion  that  it 
appeared  about  the  same  period  as  "  The  Bishopric  Garland,  or 
Durham  Minstrel,"  which  was  printed  at  Stockton  for  the  same 
R.  Christopher  in  1784.  "  Gammer  Gurton's  Garland  "  was  again 
printed,  with  additions,  1809,  in  8vo.  This  little  work,  a  great 
favourite  with  those  for  whose  amusement  it  was  compiled,  has  been 
more  than  once  reprinted  since.  The  present  edition  has  been  very 
carefully  executed,  and  rendered  complete  by  the  addition  of  an 
index. 

The  impression  has  been  limited  to  one  hundred  copies  small 
paper,  and  twelve  copies  large  paper. 

GLASGOW,  MDCCCLXVI. 


PART    I 


THE   FROG   AND    MOUSE. 

HERE  was  a  frog  liv'd  in  a  well, 

Kitty  alone,  Kitty  alone  ; 
There  was  a  frog  liv'd  in  a  well, 

Kitty  alone  and  I. 
There  was  a  frog  liv'd  in  a  well, 
And  a  farce*  mouse  in  a  mill. 
Cock  me  cary,  Kitty  alone, 
Kitty  alone  and  I. 

This  frog  he  would  a  wooing  ride, 

Kitty  alone,  etc. 

This  frog  he  would  a  wooing  ride, 
And  on  a  snail  he  got  astride. 

Cock  me  cary,  etc. 

He  rode  till  he  came  to  my  Lady  Mouse  hall, 

Kitty  alone,  etc. 

He  rode  till  he  came  to  my  Lady  Mouse  hall, 
And  there  he  did  both  knock  and  call. 

Cock  me  cary,  etc. 
*  Merry. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND. 

Quoth  he,  Miss  Mouse,  I'm  come  to  thee, 

Kitty  alone,  etc. 

Quoth  he,  Miss  Mouse,  I'm  come  to  thee, 
To  see  if  thou  can  fancy  me. 

Cock  me  cary,  etc. 

Quoth  she,  Answer  I'll  give  you  none, 

Kitty  alone,  etc. 

Quoth  she,  Answer  I'll  give  you  none, 
Until  my  uncle  Rat  come  home. 

Cock  me  cary,  etc. 

And  when  her  uncle  Rat  came  home, 

Kitty  alone,  etc. 

And  when  her  uncle  Rat  came  home, 
Who's  been  here  since  I've  been  gone  ? 

Cock  me  cary,  etc. 

Sir,  there's  been  a  worthy  gentleman, 

Kitty  alone,  etc. 

Sir,  there's  been  a  worthy  gentleman, 
That's  been  here  since  you've  been  gone. 

Cock  me  cary,  etc. 

The  frog  he  came  whistling  through  the  brook, 

Kitty  alone,  etc. 

The  frog  he  came  whistling  through  the  brook, 
And  there  he  met  with  a  dainty  duck. 

Cock  me  cary,  etc. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND. 

This  duck  she  swallow'd  him  up  with  a  pluck, 

Kitty  alone,  Kitty  alone, 
This  duck  she  swallow'd  him  up  with  a  pluck, 
So  there's  an  end  of  my  history  book. 

Cock  me  cary,  Kitty  alone, 

Kitty  alone  and  I. 


THE   LADY   AND   THE   SWINE. 

THERE  was  a  lady  lov'd  a  swine, 

Honey,  quoth  she, 
Pig-hog,  wilt  thou  be  mine  1 

Hoogh,  quoth  he. 

I'll  build  thee  a  silver  stye, 

Honey,  quoth  she, 
And  in  it  thou  shalt  lye  ; 

Hoogh,  quoth  he. 

Pinn'd  with  a  silver  pin, 

Honey,  quoth  she, 
That  thou  may  go  out  and  in, 

Hoogh,  quoth  he. 

Wilt  thou  now  have  me  now, 

Honey?  quoth  she, 
Hoogh,  hoogh,  hoogh,  quoth  he, 

And  went  his  way. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND. 


THE   CAMBRICK   SHIRT. 

CAN  you  make  me  a  cambrick  shirt, 

Parsley,  sage,  rosemary  and  thyme, 
Without  any  seam  or  needle  work  ? 

And  you  shall  be  a  true  lover  of  mine. 

Can  you  wash  it  in  yonder  well, 

Parsley,  etc. 
Where  never  sprung  water,  nor  rain  ever  fell  ? 

And  you,  etc. 

Can  you  dry  it  on  yonder  thorn, 

Parsley,  etc. 
Which  never  bore  blossom  since  Adam  was  born  ? 

And  you,  etc. 

Now  you  have  ask'd  me  questions  three, 

Parsley,  etc. 
I  hope  you'll  answer  as  many  for  me, 

And  you,  etc. 

Can  you  find  me  an  acre  of  land, 

Parsley,  etc. 
Between  the  salt  water  and  the  sea  sand  ? 

And  you,  etc. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND. 

Can  you  plow  it  with  a  ram's  horn, 

Parsley,  etc. 
And  sow  it  all  over  with  one  pepper  corn  ] 

And  you,  etc. 

Can  you  reap  it  with  a  sickle  of  leather, 

Parsley,  etc. 
And  bind  it  up  with  a  peacock's  feather, 

And  you,  etc. 

When  you  have  done  and  finish'd  your  work, 

Parsley,  etc. 
Then  come  to  me  for  your  cambrick  shirt 

And  you,  etc. 


THE    CELEBRATED    SONG   OF 

LONDON   BRIDGE  IS   BROKEN    DOWN. 

LONDON  BRIDGE  is  broken  down, 

Dance  o'er  my  lady  lee, 
London  Bridge  is  broken  down, 

With  a  gay  lady. 

How  shall  we  build  it  up  again  ? 

Dance  o'er  my  lady  lee, 
How  shall  we  build  it  up  again  1 

With  a  gay  lady. 


GAMMER  GURTOJSTS  GARLAND. 

Silver  and  gold  will  be  stole  away, 
Dance  o'er  my  lady  lee, 

Silver  and  gold  will  be  stole  away, 
With  a  gay  lady. 

Build  it  up  with  iron  and  steel, 
Dance  o'er  my  lady  lee, 

Build  it  up  with  iron  and  steel, 
With  a  gay  lady. 

Iron  and  steel  will  bend  and  bow, 
Dance  o'er  my  lady  lee, 

Iron  and  steel  will  bend  and  bow, 
With  a  gay  lady. 

Build  it  up  with  wood  and  clay, 
Dance  o'er  my  lady  lee, 

Build  it  up  with  wood  and  clay, 
With  a  gay  lady. 

Wood  and  clay  will  wash  away, 

Dance  o'er  my  lady  lee, 
Wood  and  clay  will  wash  away, 

With  a  gay  lady. 

Build  it  up  with  stone  so  strong, 
Dance  o'er  my  lady  lee, 

Huzza  !  'twill  last  for  ages  long, 
With  a  gay  lady. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND. 

THE    SONG   OF 

THE  THREE  CHILDREN. 
Tttne—u  Chevy  Chace." 

THREE  children  sliding  on  the  ice, 

Upon  a  summer's  day, 
As  it  fell  out,  they  all  fell  in, 

The  rest  they  ran  away. 

Now  had  these  children  been  at  home, 

Or  sliding  on  dry  ground, 
Ten  thousand  pounds  to  one  penny, 

They  had  not  all  been  drown'd. 

You  parents  that  have  children  dear, 
And  eke  you  that  have  none, 

If  you  will  have  them  safe  abroad, 
Pray  keep  them  safe  at  home. 

ROBIN,  BOBBIN,  RICHARD,  AND  JOHN 

OR,    THE  WREN    SHOOTING. 

WE'LL  go  a  shooting,  says  Robin  to  Bobbin ; 
We'll  go  a  shooting,  says  Richard  to  Robin  ; 
We'll  go  a  shooting,  says  John  all  alone ; 
We'll  go  a  shooting,  says  every  one. 


8  GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 

What  shall  we  kill  ?  says  Robin  to  Bobbin  ; 
What  shall  we  kill  ?  says  Richard  to  Robin ; 
What  shall  we  kill  ?  says  John  all  alone  ; 
What  shall  we  kill  ?  says  every  one. 

We'll  shoot  at  that  wren,  says  Robin  to  Bobbin  ; 
We'll  shoot  at  that  wren,  says  Richard  to  Robin ; 
We'll  shoot  at  that  wren,  says  John  all  alone  ; 
We'll  shoot  at  that  wren,  says  every  one. 

She's  down,  she's  down,  says  Robin  to  Bobbin; 
She's  down,  she's  down,  says  Richard  to  Robin  ; 
She's  down,  she's  down,  says  John  all  alone ; 
She's  down,  she's  down,  says  every  one. 

How  shall  we  get  her  home  ?  says  Robin  to  Bobbin  ; 
How  shall  we  get  her  home  ?  says  Richard  to  Robin ; 
How  shall  we  get  her  home  ?  says  John  all  alone  ; 
How  shall  we  get  her  home  1  says  every  one. 

We'll  hire  a  cart,  says  Robin  to  Bobbin ; 
We'll  hire  a  cart,  says  Richard  to  Robin ; 
We'll  hire  a  cart,  says  John  all  alone ; 
We'll  hire  a  cart,  says  every  one. 

Then  hoist,  boys,  hoist,  says  Robin  to  Bobbin ; 
Then  hoist,  boys,  hoist,  says  Richard  to  Robin ; 
Then  hoist,  boys,  hoist,  says  John  all  alone ; 
Then  hoist,  boys,  hoist,  says  every  one. 

So  they  brought  her  away,  after  each  pluck'd  a  feather, 
And  when  they  got  home,  shar'd  the  booty  together. 


GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 


THE   SHORT   COURTSHIP 

OR,    THE    LUSTY   WOOER. 

HERE  comes  a  lusty  wooer, 
My  a  dildin,  my  a  dildin ; 

Here  comes  a  lusty  wooer, 
Lily  bright  and  shine  a. 

Pray,  who  do  you  woo  ? 

My  a  dildin,  my  a  daldin ; 
Pray,  who  do  you  woo  ? 

Lily  bright  and  shine  a. 

For  your  fairest  daughter, 
My  a  dildin,  my  a  daldin  ; 

For  your  fairest  daughter, 
Lily  bright  and  shine  a. 

Then  there  she  is  for  you, 
My  a  dildin,  my  a  daldin ; 

Then  there  she  is  for  you, 
Lily  bright  and  shine  a. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND. 


THE    SONG   OF 

THE   OLD    WOMAN   THAT    WAS   TOSS'D    IN 
A   BLANKET. 

THERE  was  an  old  woman  toss'd  in  a  blanket 
Seventeen  times  as  high  as  the  moon ; 

But  where  she  was  going  no  mortal  could  tell, 
For  under  her  arm  she  carry'd  a  broom. 

Old  woman,  old  woman,  old  woman,  said  I, 
Whither,  ah  whither,  ah  whither  so  high  1 

To  sweep  the  cobwebs  from  the  sky, 
And  I'll  be  with  you  by  and  by. 


THE   OLD   MAN   AND   THE   OAK. 

A    NORTH-COUNTRY    SONG. 

SAYS  t'auld  man  tit  oak  tree, 

Young  and  lusty  was  I  when  I  kenn'd  thee 

I  was  young  and  lusty,  I  was  fair  and  clear, 

Young  and  lusty  was  I  mony  a  lang  year, 

But  sair  fail'd  am  I,  sair  fail'd  now, 

Sair  fail'd  am  I  sen  kenn'd  thou. 


GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 


A   SOLEMN    DIRGE. 

DING  dong  bell, 
The  cat  is  in  the  well. 
Who  put  her  in  1 
Little  Johnny  Green. 

What  a  naughty  boy  was  that, 

To  drown  poor  pussy  cat, 

Who  never  did  him  any  harm, 

And  kill'd  the  mice  in  his  father's  barn. 


TRIP   UPON   TRENCHES. 

A   MELANCHOLY   SONG. 

TRIP  upon  trenches,  and  dance  upon  dishes, 
My  mother  sent  me  for  some  barm,  some  barm ; 
She  bid  me  tread  lightly,  and  come  again  quickly, 
For  fear  the  young  men  should  do  me  some  harm. 

Yet  didn't  you  see,  yet  didn't  you  see, 
What  naughty  tricks  they  put  upon  me  : 
They  broke  my  pitcher, 

And  spilt  the  water, 
And  huff'd  my  mother, 

And  chid  her  daughter, 
And  kiss'd  my  sister  instead  of  me. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND. 
T'OTHER   LITTLE   TUNE. 

A   VERY   PLEASANT   SONG. 

WON'T  be  my  father's  Jack, 

I  wont  be  my  mother's  Gill, 
I  will  be  the  fiddler's  wife, 
And  have  music  when  I  will. 
T'other  little  tune, 
T'other  little  tune, 
Pr'ythee,  love,  play  me 
T'other  little  tune. 


THE   SONG   OF 

THE  THREE   WISE   MEN   OF   GOTHAM, 

WHO   WENT   TO    SEA    IN   A    BOWL. 

THREE  wise  men  of  Gotham 
Went  to  sea  in  a  bowl, 
And  if  the  bowl  had  been  stronger, 
My  song  had  been  longer. 


GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND.  13 


SONG   OF   SIXPENCE. 

SING  a  song  of  sixpence,  a  bag  full  of  rye, 
Four-and-twenty  blackbirds  bak'd  in  a  pye ; 
And  when  the  pye  was  open'd  the  birds  began  to  sing, 
And  was  not  this  a  pretty  dish  to  set  before  a  king? 

The  king  was  in  the  parlour  counting  o'er  his  money, 
The  queen  was  in  the  kitchen,  eating  bread  and  honey 
The  maid  was  in  the  garden  laying  out  the  clothes, 
Up  came  a  magpie  and  bit  off  her  nose.* 


THE    SONG   OF 

THE   CAT   AND   THE   FIDDLE. 

SING  hey  diddle,  diddle, 

The  cat  and  the  fiddle, 
The  cow  jump'd  over  the  moon, 

The  little  dog  laugh'd 

To  see  such  craft, 
And  the  dish  run  away  with  the  spoon. 

*  Quoted  in  Beaumont  and  Fletcher's  Bonduca,  act  v.  sc.  ii. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND. 


THE  WOODCOCK,  THE  SPARROW,  AND  THE 
LITTLE  DOG. 

I'LL  sing  you  a  song  : 

The  days  are  long, 

The  woodcock  and  the  sparrow  : 

The  little  dog  he  has  burnt  his  tail, 

And  he  must  be  hang'd  to-morrow. 


THE    SONG   OF 

THE   TWO   BIRDS. 

THERE  were  two  birds  sat  on  a  stone, 

Fa,  la,  la,  la,  lal,  de; 
One  flew  away,  and  then  there  was  one, 

Fa,  la,  la,  la,  lal,  de ; 
The  other  flew  after,  and  then  there  was  none, 

Fa,  la,  la,  la,  lal,  de ; 
And  so  the  poor  stone  was  left  all  alone, 

Fa,  la,  la,  la,  lal,  de. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND.  15 


THE   SURPRISING   OLD   WOMAN. 

THERE  Avas  an  old  woman,  and  what  do  you  think  ? 
She  liv'd  upon  nothing  but  victuals  and  drink ; 
And  tho'  victuals  and  drink  were  the  chief  of  her  diet, 
This  plaguy  old  woman  could  never  be  quiet. 

She  went  to  the  baker,  to  buy  her  some  bread, 

And  when  she  came  home,  her  old  husband  was  dead ; 

She  went  to  the  clerk  to  toll  the  bell, 

And  when  she  came  back  her  old  husband  was  well. 


THE   MIRACULOUS  GUINEA-PIG. 

THERE  was  a  little  guinea-pig, 
Who  being  little  was  not  big, 
He  always  walk'd  upon  his  feet, 
And  never  fasted  when  he  eat. 

When  from  a  place  he  ran  away, 
He  never  at  that  place  did  stay ; 
And  while  he  ran,  as  I  am  told, 
He  ne'er  stood  still  for  young  or  old. 

He  often  squeak'd  and  sometimes  vi'lent, 
And  when  he  squeak'd  he  ne'er  was  silent 
Tho'  ne'er  instructed  by  a  cat, 
He  knew  a  mouse  was  not  a  rat. 


16  GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 

One  day,  as  I  am  certify' d, 
He  took  a  whim  and  fairly  d/d ; 
And  as  I'm  told  by  men  of  sense, 
He  never  has  been  living  since. 


THE   SONG   OF   THE 

PIPER   AND   THE    FIDDLER'S    WIFE. 

WE'RE  all  dry  with  drinking  on't, 
We're  all  dry  with  drinking  on't, 
The  piper  kiss'd  the  fiddler's  wife, 
And  I  can't  sleep  for  thinking  on't. 


A    FAMOUS    SONG   ABOUT 

BETTY  PRINGLE'S   PIG. 

DID  you  not  hear  of  Betty  Pringle's  pig  ? 
It  was  not  very  little,  nor  yet  very  big ; 
The  pig  sat  down  upon  a  dunghill, 
And  there  poor  piggy  he  made  his  will. 

Betty  Pringle  came  to  see  this  pretty  pig 
That  was  not  very  little,  nor  yet  very  big 
This  little  piggy  it  lay  down  and  dy'd, 
And  Betty  Pringle  sat  down  and  cry'd. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND.  17 

Then  Johnny  Pringle  bury'd  this  very  pretty  pig, 
That  was  not  very  little,  nor  yet  very  big ; 
So  here's  an  end  of  the  song  of  all  three, 
Johnny  Pringle,  Betty  Pringle,  and  the  little  Piggy. 


THE   NURSE'S   SONG. 

BEE  baw  babby  lou,*  on  a  tree  top, 
When  the  wind  blows  the  cradle  will  rock, 
When  the  wind  ceases  the  cradle  will  fall, 
Down  comes  baby  and  cradle  and  all. 


ANOTHER. 

BEE  baw  bunting, 
Daddy's  gone  a  hunting, 
To  get  a  little  lamb's  skin, 
To  lap  his  little  baby  in. 

*  A  corruption  of  the  French  nurse's  threat  in  the  fable  :     He 
bas  I  la  le  loup  !     Hush  !  there's  the  wolf. 


i8 


GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 


ANOTHER. 

BYE  O  my  baby, 

When  I  was  a  lady, 
O  then  my  poor  baby  didn't  cry ; 

But  my  baby  is  weeping, 

For  want  of  good  keeping, 
Oh,  I  fear  my  poor  baby  will  die. 


PARTs  II. 


A   MAN    OF   WORDS. 

MAN  of  words  and  not  of  deeds 
Is  like  a  garden  full  of  weeds  ; 
And  when  the  weeds  begin  to  grow, 
It's  like  a  garden  full  of  snow  ; 

And  when  the  snow  begins  to_fall, 

It's  like  a  bird  upon  the  wall ; 

And  when  the  bird  away  does  fly, 

It's  like  an  eagle  in  the  sky ; 

And  when  the  sky  begins  to  roar, 

It's  like  a  lion  at  the  door ; 

And  when  the  door  begins  to  crack, 

It's  like  a  stick  across  your  back ; 

And  when  your  back  begins  to  smart, 

It's  like  a  penknife  in  your  heart ; 

And  when  your  heart  begins  to  bleed, 

You're  dead,  and  dead,  and  dead,  indeed. 


GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 


THE  VALENTINE. 

THE  rose  is  red,  the  violet's  blue, 
The  honey's  sweet,  and  so  are  you. 
Thou  art  my  love,  and  I  am  thine  ; 
I  drew  thee  to  my  Valentine  : 
The  lot  was  cast,  and  then  I  drew, 
And  fortune  said  it  should  be  you. 


THREE   BRETHREN   OUT   OF   SPAIN. 

WE  are  three  brethren  out  of  Spain, 
Come  to  court  your  daughter  Jane. 
My  daughter  Jane  she  is  too  young, 
And  has  not  learn'd  her  mother  tongue. 

Be  she  young,  or  be  she  old, 
For  her  beauty  she  must  be  sold. 
So  fare  you  well,  my  lady  gay, 
We'll  call  again  another  day. 

Turn  back,  turn  back,  thou  scornful  knight ; 
And  rub  thy  spurs  till  they  be  bright 
Of  my  spurs  take  you  no  thought, 
For  in  this  town  they  were  not  bought. 
So  fare  you  well,  my  lady  gay, 
We'll  call  again  another  day. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND. 

Turn  back,  turn  back,  thou  scornful  knight, 
And  take  the  fairest  in  your  sight. 
The  fairest  maid  that  I  can  see, 
Is  pretty  Nancy,  come  to  me. 

Here  comes  your  daughter  safe  and  sound, 
Every  pocket  with  a  thousand  pound ; 
Every  finger  with  a  gay  gold  ring  • 
Please  to  take  your  daughter  in. 


ROBIN  AND    RICHARD. 

ROBIN  and  Richard 

Were  two  pretty  men, 
They  lay  in  bed 

Till  the  clock  struck  ten  ; 
Then  up  starts  Robin, 

And  looks  at  the  sky, 
Oh !  brother  Richard, 

The  sun's  very  high. 
You  go  before, 

With  your  bottle  and  bag, 
And  I  will  come  after, 

On  little  Jack  Nag. 


GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 


ROBIN   THE   ROBIN. 

ROBIN  the  Robin,  the  big-bellied  hen, 

He  eat  more  than  fourscore  men  : 

He  eat  a  .cow,  he  eat  a  calf ; 

He  eat  a  butcher  and  a  half; 

He  eat  a  church,  he  eat  the  steeple, 

He  eat  the  priest  and  all  the  people. 


BAH,    BAH,   BLACKSHEEP. 

BAH,  bah,  black  sheep, 

Have  you  any  wool  ? 
Yes,  marry,  have  I, 

Three  bags  full ; 
One  for  my  master, 

One  for  my  dame, 
But  none  for  the  little  boy 

Who  cries  in  the  lane. 


PATTY   CAKE. 

PATTY  cake,  patty  cake, 

Baker's  man  ; 
That  I  will,  master, 

As  fast  as  I  can  ; 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND.  23 

Prick  it,  and  prick  it, 

And  mark  it  with  a  T, 
And  there  will  be  enough 

For  Jacky  and  me. 


WHO'S   THERE? 

WHO'S  there  1 

A  grenadier. 
What  do  you  want  1 

A  pot  of  beer. 
Where's  your  money  ? 

Quite  forgot. 
Get  you  gone, 

You  drunken  sot. 


CROSS   PATCH. 

CROSS  patch,  draw  the  latch, 
Sit  by  the  fire  and  spin ; 

Take  a  cup,  and  drink  it  up, 
Then  call  your  neighbours  in. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND. 


MISTRESS   MARY. 

MISTRESS  Mary, 

Quite  contrary, 
How  does  your  garden  grow  ? 

With  cockle  shells, 

And  silver  bells, 
And  cowslips  all  arow. 


THE   OLD   MAN   AND    HIS   CALF. 

THERE  was  an  old  man, 
And  he  had  a  calf; 

And  that's  half : 
He  took  him  out  of  the  stall, 
And  put  him  on  the  wall ; 

And  thaf  s  all. 


JACK  A   NORY. 

I'LL  tell  you  a  story 
About  Jack  a  Nory ; 

And  now  my  story's  begun  : 
I'll  tell  you  another 
About  Jack  his  brother 

And  now  my  story's  done. 


GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND.  25 


GREAT  A. 

GREAT  A,  little  a, 

Bouncing  B ; 
The  cat's  in  the  cupboard, 

And  she  can't  see. 


SEE   SAW. 

SEE  Saw,  Sacaradown, 
Which  is  the  way  to  London  town  t 
One  foot  up,  the  other  foot  down, 
That  is  the  way  to  London  town. 


J>  2»  3,  4,  5, 
I  caught  a  hare  alive ; 

6,  7,  8,  9,  10, 
I  let  her  go  again. 


HERE  stands  a  fist, 
Who  set  it  there  ? 

A  better  man  than  you, 
Touch  him  if  you  dare. 


26  GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND. 


A  LITTLE  old  man  and  I  fell  out, 
How  shall  we  bring  this  matter  about  ? 
Bring  it  about  as  well  as  you  can, 
Get  you  gone,  you  little  old  man  ! 


LITTLE  boy,  pretty  boy,  where  was  you  born  1 
In  Lincolnshire,  master  :  come  blow  the  cow's  horn. 
A  halfpenny  pudding,  a  penny  pye, 
A  shoulder  of  mutton,  and  that  love  I. 


THE  man  in  the  moon 

Came  tumbling  down, 
And  ask'd  his  way  to  Norwich. 

He  went  by  the  south, 

And  burnt  his  mouth, 
With  supping  hot  pease  porridge. 

FOUR-AND-TWENTY  tailors 

Went  to  kill  a  snail ; 
The  best  man  among  them 
Durst  not  touch  her  tail : 

She  put  out  her  horns 
Like  a  little  kyloe  cow  : 

Run,  tailors,  run, 

Or  she'll  kill  you  all  e'en  now. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND.  27 


JACK  and  Gill 

Went  up  the  hill, 
To  fetch  a  bottle  of  water  ; 

Jack  fell  down, 

And  broke  his  crown, 
And  Gill  came  tumbling  after. 


O  RARE  Harry  Parry, 
When  will  you  marry  ? 
When  apples  and  pears  are  ripe. 
I'll  come  to  your  wedding, 
Without  any  bidding, 
And  lye  with  your  bride  all  night. 


SEE  SAW,  Margery  Daw, 
Sold  her  old  bed  to  lay  on  the  straw ; 

Was  not  she  a  nasty  slut 
To  sell  her  old  bed  to  lay  on  the  dirt. 


THERE  was  an  old  woman,  she  liv'd  in  a  shoe, 
She  had  so  many  children  she  didn't  know  what  to  do 
She  gave  them  some  broth,  without  any  bread, 
She  whipp'd  all  their  bums,  and  sent  them  to  bed. 


28  GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 


SHOE  the  colt, 
Shoe  the  colt, 

Shoe  the  wild  mare  ; 
Here  a  nail, 
There  a  nail, 

Yet  she  goes  bare. 


Is  John  Smith  within  ? 

Yes,  that  he  is. 

Can  he  set  on  a  shoe  ? 

Ay,  marry,  two, 

Here  a  nail,  there  a  nail, 

Tick,  tack,  too. 


RIDE  a  cock  horse, 

To  Banbury  cross, 
To  see  what  Tommy  can  buy ; 

A  penny  white  loaf, 

A  penny  white  cake, 
And  a  twopenny  apple  pye. 


RIDE  a  cock  horse,  to  Banbury  cross, 
To  see  an  old  woman  get  up  on  her  horse ; 
Rings  on  her  fingers,  and  bells  at  her  toes, 
And  so  she  makes  music  wherever  she  goes. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND.  29 


O  THAT  I  was  where  I  would  be, 
Then  would  I  be  where  I  am  not ; 
But  where  I  am  I  must  be. 
And  where  I  would  be  I  cannot. 


I  SEE  the  moon,  and  the  moon  sees  me, 
God  bless  the  moon,  and  God  bless  me  ! 


COCK  a  doodle  doo, 

My  dame  has  lost  her  shoe ; 

My  master  has  lost  his  fiddlestick, 

And  knows  not  what  to  do. 


ROUND  about,  round  about, 

Maggotty  pie, 
My  father  loves  good  ale, 

And  so  do  I. 


THERE  was  an  old  man  in  a  velvet  coat, 
He  kiss'd  a  maid  and  gave  her  a  groat ; 
The  groat  was  crack'd,  and  would  not  go ; 
Ah,  old  man,  d'ye  serve  me  so  ? 


30  GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 

LITTLE  Jack  Horner 

Sat  in  a  corner, 
Eating  of  Christmas  pye  ; 

He  put  in  his  thumb, 

And  pull'd  out  a  plum, 
And  cry'd,  What  a  good  boy  am  I ! 

LITTLE  Tom  Tucker, 
Sings  for  his  supper  ; 
What  shall  he  eat  ? 
White  bread  and  butter. 
How  shall  he  cut  it 
Without  e'er  a  knife  ? 
How  will  he  be  marred, 
Without  e'er  a  wife. 


A  DILLER,  a  doller, 

A  ten  o'clock  scholar, 

What  makes  you  come  so  soon  1 

You  us'd  to  come  at  ten  o'clock, 

And  now  you  come  at  noon. 

I  AM  a  pretty  wench, 

And  I  come  a  great  way  hence, 
And  sweethearts  I  can  get  none  : 

But  every  dirty  sow, 

Can  get  sweethearts  enow, 
And  I,  pretty  wench,  can  get  never  a  one. 


GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND,  31 

\ 

WHAT  care  I  how  black  I  be, 
Twenty  pounds  will  marry  me  ; 
If  twenty  wont,  forty  shall, 
I  am  my  mother's  bouncing  girl, 


LADY  BIRD,  lady  bird, 
Fly  away  home  ; 
Your  house  is  on  fire, 
Your  children  will  burn. 


JOHN,  come  sell  thy  fiddle, 
And  buy  thy  wife  a  gown. 
No,  I'll  not  sell  my  fiddle, 
For  ne'er  a  wife  in  town. 


GOOSE-A,  goose-a,  gander, 
Where  shall  I  wander  1 
Up  stairs,  down  stairs, 
In  my  lady's  chamber ; 
There  you'll  find  a  cup  of  sack 
And  a  race  of  ginger. 


32  GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 


THE  SPEECH  OF  THE  HORSE  THAT  SPOKE 
TO  HIS  MASTER. 

UP  the  hill  take  care  of  me, 
Down  the  hill  take  care  of  thee, 
Give  me  no  water  while  I  am  hot, 
On  level  ground  spare  me  not.* 


COME,  let's  to  bed, 

Says  Sleepy-head ; 
Sit  up  awhile,  says  Slow ; 

Hang  on  the  pot, 

Says  greedy-gut, 
Let's  sup  before  we  go. 

*  N.B. — Don't  you  think  he  might  as  well  have  kept  the  last 
piece  of  advice  to  himself  ? 

Sometimes  the  speech  of  the  horse  reminds  his  master  of  that 
which  is  better : 

Up  hill  ride  me  not ; 
Down  hill  gallop  me  not ; 
On  level  ground  spare  me  not ; 
And  in  the  stable  forget  me  not. 

Before  the  cock-horse  is  mounted,  we  should  learn  to  remember  : 
The  rule  of  the  road  is  a  paradox  quite, 

And  custom  has  proVd  it  so  long  : 
He  that  goes  to  the  left  is  sure  to  go  right, 

And  he  that  goes  right  must  go  wrong. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND.  33 

THERE  was  an  old  woman 

Liv'd  under  a  hill, 
She  put  a  mouse  in  a  bag, 

And  sent  it  to  mill : 

The  miller  did  swear, 

By  the  point  of  his  knife, 
He  never  took  toll 

Of  a  mouse  in  his  life. 


THERE  was  an  old  woman, 
And  she  sold  puddings  and  pies, 
She  went  to  the  mill, 
And  the  dust  flew  into  her  eyes  : 
Hot  pies  and  cold  pies  to  sell ! 
Wherever  she  goes  you  may  follow  her  by  the  smell. 

To  make  your  candles  last  for  aye, 
You  wives  and  maids  give  ear  O  ! 
To  put  'em  out's  the  only  way, 
Says  honest  John  Boldero. 

I  DOUBT,  I  doubt, 

My  fire  is  out, 
My  little  dame  an't  at  home  ; 

Come,  bridle  my  hog, 

And  saddle  my  dog, 
And  fetch  my  little  dame  home. 


34  GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 

HARK,  hark,  the  dogs  do  bark, 
Beggars  are  coming  to  town ; 
Some  in  jags,  and  some  in  rags, 
And  some  in  velvet  gowns. 


WHEN  I  was  a  batchelor, 
I  lived  by  myself, 

And  all  the  bread  and  cheese  I  had 

I  laid  upon  a  shelf; 

The  rats  and  the  mice  they  made  such  a  strife, 
I  was  forc'd  to  go  to  London  to  buy  me  a  wife  ; 
The  roads  were  so  bad,  and  the  lanes  were  so  narrow, 
I  was  forc'd  to  bring  my  wife  home  in  a  wheel-barrow 
The  wheel-barrow  broke,  and  my  wife  got  a  fall, 
Deuce  take  the  wheel-barrow,  wife,  and  all. 


TAFFY  was  a  Welchman, 

Taffy  was  a  thief; 
Taffy  came  to  my  house, 

And  stole  a  piece  of  beef : 

I  went  to  Taffy's  house, 
Taffy  wasn't  at  home, 

Taffy  came  to  my  house, 
And  stole  a  marrow-bone. 


GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND.  35 

I  HAD  a  little  husband, 
No  bigger  than  my  thumb, 
1  put  him  in  a  pint  pot, 
And  there  I  bade  him  drum ; 
I  bridled  him  and  saddled  him, 
And  sent  him  out  of  town  ; 
I  gave  him  a  pair  of  garters 
To  garter  up  his  hose, 
And  a  little  silk  handkerchief, 
To  wipe  his  snotty  nose. 


OLD  father  Greybeard, 
Without  tooth  or  tongue, 

If  you'll  give  me  your  finger, 
I'll  give  you  my  thumb. 


I  WILL  tell  my  own  daddy  when  he  comes  home, 
What  little  good  work  my  mammy  has  done. 
She  has  earnt  a  penny,  spent  a  groat, 
And  burnt  a  hole  in  the  child's  new  coat. 


I  HAD  a  little  moppet, 

I  put  it  in  my  pocket, 
And  fed  it  with  corn  and  hay ; 

There  came  a  proud  beggar, 

And  swore  he  would  have  her. 
And  stole  my  little  moppet  away. 


GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 

UP  hill  and  down  dale  ; 
Butter  is  made  in  every  vale  ; 
And  if  that  Nancy  Cock 
Is  a  good  girl, 
She  shall  have  a  spouse, 
And  make  butter  anon, 
Before  her  old  grandmother 
Grows  a  young  man. 


PART    III. 


THE   MERRY   BELLS   OF   LONDON. 


AY  go  up  and  gay  go  down, 
To  ring  the  bells  of  London  Town. 


Bull's  eyes  and  targets, 
Say  the  bells  of  St.  Marg'ret's. 

Brick-bats  and  tiles, 
Say  the  bells  of  St.  Giles. 

Halfpence  and  farthings, 
Say  the  bells  of  St.  Martin's. 

Oranges  and  lemons, 

Say  the  bells  of  St.  Clement's. 

Pancakes  and  fritters, 
Say  the  bells  at  St.  Peter's. 

Two  sticks  and  an  apple, 
Say  the  bells  at  Whitechapel. 


38  GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 

Old  Father  Baldpate, 

Say  the  slow  bells  at  Aldgate. 

You  owe  me  ten  shillings, 
Say  the  bells  at  St.  Helen's. 

When  will  you  pay  me  ? 
Say  the  bells  at  Old  Bailey. 

When  I  shall  grow  rich, 
Say  the  bells  at  Shoreditch. 

Pray,  when  will  that  be  ? 
Say  the  bells  at  Stepney. 

I  am  sure  I  don't  know, 
Says  the  great  bell  at  Bow. 


THE   GAY  LADY  THAT  WENT  TO    CHURCH. 

THERE  was  a  lady  all  skin  and  bone  ; 
Sure  such  a  lady  was  never  known  : 
It  happen'd  upon  a  certain  day, 
This  lady  went  to  church  to  pray. 

When  she  came  to  the  church  stile, 
There  she  did  rest  a  little  while ; 
When  she  came  to  the  churchyard, 
There  the  bells  so  loud  she  heard. 


GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND.  39 

When  she  came  to  the  church  door, 
She  stopt  to  rest  a  little  more ; 
When  she  came  the  church  within, 
The  parson  pray'd  'gainst  pride  and  sin. 

On  looking  up,  on  looking  down, 

She  saw  a  dead  man  on  the  ground  ; 

And  from  his  nose  unto  his  chin, 

The  worms  crawl'd  out,  the  worms  crawl'd  in.* 

Then  she  unto  the  parson  said, 
Shall  I  be  so  when  I  am  dead  : 
O  yes  !  O  yes,  the  parson  said, 
You  will  be  so  when  you  are  dead. 
Here  the  lady  screams. 


ARITHMETICS 

ONE,  two, 
Buckle  my  shoe ; 
Three,  four, 
Lay  down  lower ; 
Five,  six, 
Pick  up  sticks ; 
Seven,  eight, 
Lay  them  straight ; 

*  This  line  has  been  adopted  in  the  modern  ballad  01  Aloni 
and  Fair  Itnogene. 


40  GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND. 

Nine,  ten, 
A  good  fat  hen  ; 
Eleven,  twelve, 
Who  will  delve? 
Thirteen,  fourteen, 
Maids  a-courting ; 
Fifteen,  sixteen, 
Maids  a-kissing ; 
Seventeen,  eighteen, 
Maids  a-waiting  ; 
Nineteen,  twenty, 
My  belly's  empty. 


TELLING   OUT. 

ONE-ERY,  two-ery, 

Ziccary  zan ; 
Hollow  bone,  crack  a  bone, 

Ninery  ten  : 
Spittery  spot, 

It  must  be  done  ; 
Twiddleum  twaddleum 

Twenty-ONE. 
Hink  spink,  the  puddings  stink, 

The  fat  begins  to  fry, 
Nobody  at  home,  but  jumping  Joan, 
Father,  mother,  and  I. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND.  41 

Stick,  stock,  stone  dead, 

Blind  man  can't  see, 
Every  knave  will  have  a  slave, 

You  or  I  must  be  HE. 


THE   SEDATE   PREACHER. 

OLD  Dr.  Forster, 

Went  to  Glo'ster, 
To  preach  the  word  of  God  : 

When  he  came  there, 

He  sate  in  his  chair, 
And  gave  all  the  people  a  nod. 


THE   DEAF   OLD  WOMAN. 

OLD  woman,  old  woman,  shall  we  go  a-shearing  ? 
Speak  a  little  louder,  Sir,  I'm  very  thick  of  hearing. 
Old  woman,  old  woman,  shall  I  kiss  you  dearly  1 
Thank  you,  kind  Sir  ;   I  hear  you  very  clearly. 


EVENING   DITTY. 

GIRLS  and  boys  come  out  to  play, 
The  moon  doth  shine  as  bright  as  day  : 
Come  with  a  hoop,  come  with  a  call, 
Come  with  a  good  will,  or  not  at  all : 


42  GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND. 

Leave  your  supper  and  leave  your  sleep, 
Come  to  your  playfellows  in  the  street : 
Up  the  ladder  and  down  the  wall, 
A  penny  loaf  will  serve  us  all. 


SNAIL,  snail,  come  out  of  your  hole, 

Or  else  I'll  make  you  as  black  as  a  coal* 


SING  jig  my  jole,  the  pudding  bowl, 

The  table  and  the  frame, 
My  master  he  did  cudgel  me, 

For  kissing  of  my  dame. 

BELL  horses,  bell  horses, 

What  time  o'  day  1 
One  a  clock,  two  a  clock, 

Time  to  away. 

O  THE  little  rusty,  dusty,  rusty  miller  : 

I'll  not  change  my  wife  for  either  gold  or  siller. 

*  It  was  probably  the  custom,  on  repeating  these  lines,  to  hold 
the  snail  to  a  candle,  in  order  to  make  it  quit  the  shell.     In  Nor- 
mandy it  was  the  practice,  at  Christmas,  for  boys  to  run  round  fruit- 
trees,  with  lighted  torches,  singing  these  lines  : 
Taupes  et  mulcts, 
Sortez  de  vos  clos, 
Sinon  vous  brulerai  et  la  barbe  et 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND.  43 

THE  rose  is  red,  the  grass  is  green, 
Serve  King  George  our  noble  King  : 
Kitty  the  spinner  will  sit  down  to  dinner, 

And  eat  the  leg  of  a  frog ; 
All  good  people  look  over  the  steeple, 

And  see  the  cat  play  with  the  dog. 


DOCTOR  FOSTER  was  a  good  man, 
He  whipped  his  scholars,  now  and  then, 
And  when  he  had  done,  he  took  a  dance, 
Out  of  England  into  France. 
He  had  a  brave  beaver  with  a  fine  snout, 
Stand  you  there  out. 


THE  cat  sat  asleep  by  the  side  of  the  fire, 
The  mistress  snored  loud  as  a  pig  : 

Jack  took  up  his  fiddle,  by  Jenny's  desire, 
And  struck  up  a  bit  of  a  jig. 


LITTLE  maid,  pretty  maid,  whither  goest  thou  ? 
Down  in  the  forest  to  milk  my  cow. 
Shall  I  go  with  thee  1 — No,  not  now ; 
When  I  send  for  thee,  then  come  thou. 


GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 

THE  cock's  on  the  dunghill  a-blowing  his  horn  \ 
The  bull's  in  the  barn  a-threshing  of  corn  ; 
The  maids  in  the  meadows  are  making  of  hay  ; 
The  ducks  in  the  rivers  are  swimming  away. 


UP  street  and  down  street,  each  window's  made  of  glass ; 
If  you  go  to  Tom  Tickler's  house,  you'll  find  a  pretty 

lass  : 

Hug  her,  and  kiss  her,  and  take  her  on  your  knee, 
And  whisper  very  close  :  Darling  girl,  do  you  love  me  1 

As  I  was  going  up  Pippen  hill, 

Pippen  hill  was  dirty, 
There  I  met  a  pretty  Miss, 

And  she  dropt  me  a  curtsey. 

Little  Miss,  pretty  Miss, 

Blessings  light  upon  you, 
If  I  had  half-a-crown  a  day, 

I'd  spend  it  all  upon  you. 


DICKERY,  dickery,  dock, 
The  mouse  ran  up  the  clock  : 
The  clock  struck  one, 
And  down  he  run ; 
Dickery,  dickery,  dock. 


GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND.  45 

f. 

BARNABY  BRIGHT  he  was  a  sharp  cur, 
He  always  would  bark  if  a  mouse  did  but  stir  : 
But  now  he's  grown  old,  and  can  no  longer  bark, 
He's  condemn'd  by  the  parson  to  be  hang'd  by  the 
clerk. 


IF  all  the  world  was  apple-pie, 

And  all  the  sea  was  ink  ; 

And  all  the  trees  were  bread  and  cheese, 

What  could  we  do  for  drink  ? 


OLD  Mother  Niddity  Nod  swore  by  the  pudding-bag, 

She  would  go  to  Stoken  Church  fair ; 
And  then  old  Father  Peter  said  he  would  meet  her, 

Before  she  got  half-way  there. 


LITTLE  brown  Betty  lived  at  the  Golden  Can, 
Where  she  brew'd  good  ale  for  gentlemen  ; 
And  gentlemen  came  every  day, 
Till  little  brown  Betty  she  hopt  away. 


TOM  THUMB  the  piper's  son, 
Stole  a  pig,  and  away  did  run  ; 
The  pig  was  eat,  and  Tom  was  beat, 
Till  he  ran  crying  down  the  street. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND. 


JACK  SPRAT  would  eat  no  fat, 
His  wife  would  eat  no  lean ; 

Now  was  not  this  a  pretty  trick, 
To  make  the  platter  clean. 


As  I  was  going  to  sell  my  eggs, 

I  met  a  man  with  bandy  legs  ; 

Bandy  legs  and  crooked  toes, 

I  tript  up  his  heels,  and  he  fell  on  his  nose. 


YANKEY  DOODLE  came  to  town, 

How  do  you  think  they  serv'd  him  1 

One  took  his  bag,  another  his  scrip, 
The  quicker  for  to  starve  him. 


THERE  was  an  old  woman  had  nothing, 
And  there  came  thieves  to  rob  her ; 

When  she  cried  out  she  made  no  noise, 
But  all  the  whole  country  heard  her. 


PILLYCOCK,  pillycock,  sate  on  a  hill : 
If  he's  not  gone — he  sits  there  still. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND.  47 

HUMPTY-DUMPTY  sate  on  a  wall,       \ 
Humpti-dumpti  had  a  great  fall ; 
Threescore  men  and  threescore  more, 
Cannot  place  Humpty-dumpty  as  he  was  before. 

LITTLE  boy  Bluet,  come  blow  me  your  horn, 
The  cow's  in  the  meadow,  the  sheep  in  the  corn  : 
But  where  is  the  little  boy  tenting  the  sheep  ? 
He's  under  the  hay-cock  fast  asleep. 

PUSSY  CAT,  pussy  cat,  wilt  thou  be  mine, 

Thou  shalt  neither  wash  dishes  nor  feed  the  swine  : 

But  sit  on  a  cushion  and  sew  a  silk  seam, 

And  eat  fine  strawberries,  sugar,  and  cream. 

DANTY  baby  diddy, 
What  can  mammy  do  wid'e, 

But  sit  in  a  lap, 

And  give  'un  a  pap, 
Sing  danty  baby  diddy. 

DINGLE,  dingle,  doosey, 

The  cat's  in  the  well ; 
The  dog's  away  to  Bellingen, 

To  buy  the  bairn  a  bell.* 

*  This  is  a  Scottish  ditty,  on  whirling  round  a  piece  of  lighted 
paper  to  the  child.     The  paper  is  called  the  dingle  doosey. 


48  GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 

I'LL  sing  you  a  song, 
Nine  verses  long, 

For  a  pin ; 

Three  and  three  are  six, 
And  three  are  nine ; 
You  are  a  fool, 

And  the  pin  is  mine. 


TOM  BROWN'S  two  little  Indian  boys,  two,  etc. 

One  ran  away, 

The  other  would  not  stay, 
Tom  Brown's  two  little  Indian  boys. 


OLD  Mother  Hubbard,  she  went  to  the  cupboard, 

To  fetch  her  poor  dog  a  bone  : 
When  she  came  there,  the  cupboard  was  bare, 

And  so  the  poor  dog  had  none. 


PART    IV 


GILES   COLLINS  AND   PROUD  LADY  ANNA. 


ILES  COLLINS  he  said  to  his  old  mother, 

Mother,  come  bind  up  my  head ; 
And  send  to  the  parson  of  our  parish, 
For  to-morrow  I  shall  be  dead,  dead, 
For  to-morrow  I  shall  be  dead. 


His  mother  she  made  him  some  water-gruel, 
And  stirr'd  it  round  with  a  spoon  ; 

Giles  Collins  he  ate  up  his  water-gruel, 

And  died  before  'twas  noon,  noon, 

And  died  before  'twas  noon. 

Lady  Anna  was  sitting  at  her  window, 
Mending  her  night-robe  and  coif ; 

She  saw  the  very  pretest  corpse, 

She'd  seen  in  all  her  life,  life, 

She'd  seen  in  all  her  life. 

E 


50  GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND. 

What  bear  ye  there,  ye  six  strong  men, 

Upon  your  shoulders  so  high  ? 
We  bear  the  body  of  Giles  Collins, 

Who  for  love  of  you  did  die,  die, 
Who  for  love  of  you  did  die. 

Set  him  down  !  set  him  down  !  Lady  Anna  she  cry'd, 

On  the  grass  that  grows  so  green ; 
To-morrow  before  the  clock  strikes  ten, 

My  body  shall  lye  by  his'n,  his'n, 
My  body  shall  lye  by  his'n. 

Lady  Anna  was  buried  in  the  East, 
Giles  Collins  was  buried  in  the  West ; 

There  grew  a  lily  from  Giles  Collins, 

That  touch'd  Lady  Anna's  breast,  breast, 
That  touch'd  Lady  Anna's  breast. 

There  blew  a  cold  north-easterly  wind, 

And  cut  this  lily  in  twain, 
Which  never  there  was  seen  before ; 

And  it  never  will  again,  again, 
And  it  never  will  again. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND.  51 


LITTLE   BO-PEEP. 

LITTLE  BO-PEEP  has  lost  her  sheep, 

And  can't  tell  where  to  find  them  : 
Let  them  alone,  and  they'll  come  home, 

And  bring  their  tails  behind  them. 

Little  Bo-peep  fell  fast  asleep, 

And  dreamt  she  heard  them  bleating  : 

But  when  she  awoke,  she  found  it  a  joke, 
For  they  still  were  all  fleeting. 

Then  up  she  took  her  little  crook, 

Determin'd  for  to  find  them  ; 
She  found  them  indeed,  but  it  made  her  heart  bleed, 

For  they'd  left  all  their  tails  behind  'em. 

It  happen'd  one  day,  as  Bo-peep  did  stray, 

Unto  a  meadow  hard  by ; 
There  she  espyM  their  tails  side  by  side, 

All  hung  on  a  tree  to  dry. 

She  heav'd  a  sigh,  and  wip'd  her  eye, 

And  over  the  hillocks  went  stump-o, 
And  tried  what  she  could,  as  a  shepherdess  should, 

To  tack  each  again  to  its  rump-o. 


52  GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 


WATER   SKIMMING. 

A  DUCK  and  a  drake, 

A  nice  barley  cake, 
With  a  penny  to  pay  the  old  baker, 

A  hop  and  a  scotch, 

Is  another  notch, 
Slitherum,  slatherum,  take  her. 


THE   JOLLY   TESTER. 

I  LOVE  sixpence,  a  jolly,  jolly  sixpence, 

I  love  sixpence  as  my  life ; 
I  spent  a  penny  of  it,  I  spent  a  penny  of  it, 

I  took  a  penny  home  to  my  wife. 

I  love  fourpence,  a  jolly,  jolly  fourpence, 

I  love  fourpence  as  my  life  ; 
I  spent  twopence  of  it,  I  spent  twopence  of  it, 

I  took  twopence  home  to  my  wife. 

I  love  nothing,  a  jolly,  jolly  nothing, 

I  love  nothing  as  my  life, 
I  spent  nothing  of  it,  I  spent  nothing  of  it. 

I  took  nothing  home  to  my  wife. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND.  53 


THE  LAST  WILL  AND  TESTAMENT  OF 
THE   GREY   MARE. 

JOHN  COOK  had  a  little  grey  mare ;  he,  haw,  hum  : 
Her  back  stood  up  and  her  bones  they  were  bare  ;  he, 
haw,  hum. 

John  Cook  was  riding  up  Shuter's  bank ;  he,  haw,  hum  : 
And  there  his  nag  did  kick  and  prank ;  he,  haw,  hum. 

John  Cook  was  riding  up  Shuter's  hill ;  he,  haw,  hum  : 
His  mare  fell  down  and  she  made  her  will ;  he,  haw,  hum. 

The  bridle  and  saddle  were  laid  on  the  shelf;  he,  haw, 

hum  : 
If  you  want  any  more,  you  may  sing  it  yourself:  he, 

haw,  hum. 


THE   SEARCH   AFTER    FORTUNE. 

MY  father  he  died,  but  I  can't  tell  you  how, 
He  left  me  six  horses  to  drive  in  my  plough  : 

With  my  wing  wang  waddle  oh, 

Jack  sing  saddle  oh, 

Blowsey  boys  bubble  oh, 

Under  the  broom. 


54  GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND. 

I  sold  my  six  horses  and  I  bought  me  a  cow, 
I'd  fain  have  made  a  fortune,  but  did  not  know  how 
With  my  wing  wang,  etc. 

I  sold  my  cow,  and  I  bought  me  a  calf; 
I'd  fain  have  made  a  fortune,  but  lost  the  best  half : 
With  my  wing  wang,  etc. 

I  sold  my  calf,  and  I  bought  me  a  cat ; 
A  pretty  thing  she  was,  in  my  chimney-corner  sat : 
With  my  wing  wang,  etc. 

I  sold  my  cat,  and  I  bought  me  a  mouse  ; 
He  carried  fire  in  his  tail,  and  burnt  down  my  house 
With  my  wing  wang,  etc. 


DAME  WIDDLE  WADDLE. 

OLD  Mother  Widdle  Waddle  jumpt  out  of  bed, 
And  out  at  the  casement  she  popt  out  her  head  : 
Crying  the  house  is  on  fire,  the  grey  goose  is  dead, 
And  the  fox  he  is  come  to  the  town,  oh  ! 


GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND.  55 


THE  MAD  FOLKS  OF  THE  MAD  TOWN. 

THERE  was  a  mad  man  and  he  had  a  mad  wife, 

And  they  lived  in  a  mad  town  : 
And  they  had  children  three  at  a  birth, 

And  mad  they  were  every  one. 

The  father  was  mad,  the  mother  was  mad, 

And  the  children  mad  beside ; 
And  they  all  got  on  a  mad  horse, 

And  madly  they  did  ride. 

They  rode  by  night  and  they  rode  by  day, 

Yet  never  a  one  of  them  fell ; 
They  rode  so  madly  all  the  way, 

Till  they  came  to  the  gates  of  hell. 

Old  Nick  was  glad  to  see  them  so  mad, 

And  gladly  let  them  in  : 
But  he  soon  grew  sorry  to  see  them  so  merry, 

And  let  them  out  again. 


THE   TAYLOR'S   COURTSHIP. 

IN  love  be  I,  fifth  button  high, 

On  velvet  runs  my  courting, 
Sheer  buckram  twist,  best  broadcloth  list, 

I  leave  for  others  sporting. 


$6  GAMMER  GURTOATS  GARLAND. 

From  needle,  thread,  my  fingers  fled, 

My  heart  is  set  a-throbbing ; 
And  no  one  by,  I  cross-legg'd  sigh, 
For  charming  Betsey  Bobbin  : 
Betsey  Bobbin,  Betsey  Bobbin, 
For  charming  Betsey  Bobbin. 

Her  lips  so  sweet,  are  velveret, 

Her  eyes  do  well  their  duty ; 
Her  skin's  to  me  like  dimity, 

The  pattern  gay  of  beauty. 
Her  hand  squeez'd  oft  is  satin  soft, 

And  sets  my  heart  a-throbbing, 
Her  cheeks,  O  dear,  red  cassimere, 

Lord  !  what  a  Betsey  Bobbin  !  etc. 

Her  roguish  smile  can  well  beguile, 

Her  every  look  bewitches  ; 
Yet  never  stir,  when  tacked  to  her, 

For  Tim  will  wear  the  breeches  ; 
I've  face  and  mien,  am  spruce  and  keen, 

And  though  my  heart  keeps  throbbing, 
There's  not,  in  fine,  one  man  in  nine, 

So  fit  for  Betsey  Bobbin,  etc. 


GAMMER  Gf/R  TON'S  GARLAND.  57 


OLD   CHAIRS   AND   OLD   CLOTHES. 

IF  I'd  as  much  money  as  I  could  spend, 
I  never  would  cry  old  chairs  to  mend  : 
Old  chairs  to  mend,  old  chairs  to  mend, 
I  never  would  cry  old  chairs  to  mend. 

If  I'd  as  much  money  as  I  could  tell, 
I  never  would  cry  old  clothes  to  sell, 
Old  clothes  to  sell,  old  clothes  to  sell, 
I  never  would  cry  old  clothes  to  sell. 


THE   LITTLE   LOVERS. 

THERE  was  a  little  boy  and  a  little  girl 

Liv'd  in  an  alley  ; 
Says  the  little  boy  to  the  little  girl, 

Shall  I,  oh,  shall  I  ? 

Says  the  little  girl  to  the  little  boy, 

What  shall  we  do  ? 
Says  the  little  boy  to  the  little  girl, 

I  will  kiss  you. 


58  GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 


NEW   BROOMS,   BROOMS,    O  ! 

THERE  was  an  old  man,  and  he  lived  in  a  wood ; 

And  his  lazy  son  Jack  would  snooze  till  noon  : 
Nor  followed  his  trade  although  it  was  good, 

With  a  bill  and  a  stump  for  making  of  brooms,  green 
brooms ; 

With  a  bill  and  a  stump  for  making  of  brooms. 

One  morn  in  a  passion,  and  sore  with  vexation, 

He  swore  he  would  fire  the  room, 
If  he  did  not  get  up  and  go  to  his  work, 

And  fall  to  the  cutting  of  brooms,  green  brooms,  etc. 

Then  Jack  he  arose  and  slipt  on  his  clothes, 

And  away  to  the  woods  very  soon, 
Where  he  made  up  his  pack,  and  put  it  on  his  back, 

Crying,   Maids,  do    you  want  any  brooms  ?    green 
brooms,  etc. 


THE   PARLIAMENT   SOLDIERS. 

HIGH  ding  a  ding,  and  ho  ding  a  ding, 
The  parliament  soldiers  are  gone  to  the  King  ; 
Some  with  new  beavers,  some  with  new  bands, 
The  parliament  soldiers  are  all  to  be  hanged. 


GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND.  59 

JACK   DANDY- PRAT. 

LITTLE  Jack  Dandy-prat  was  my  first  suitor ; 
He  had  a  dish  and  a  spoon,  and  he'd  some  pewter ; 
He'd  linen  and  woollen,  and  woollen  and  linen, 
A  little  pig  in  a  string  cost  him  five  shilling. 


TWO   BLACKBIRDS. 

THERE  were  two  blackbirds  set  upon  a  hill, 
The  one  named  Jack,  the  other  named  Gill : 

Fly  away,  Jack  ;  fly  away,  Gill ; 

Come  again,  Jack ;  come  again,  Gill. 


THE   DUCK  AND   THE   DRAKE. 

THERE  was  a  little  man 

And  he  had  a  little  gun, 
And  his  bullets  were  made  of  lead,  lead,  lead  : 

He  went  to  the  brook, 

And  he  saw  a  little  duck, 
And  he  shot  it  through  the  head,  head,  head. 

He  carried  it  home, 

To  his  old  wife  Joan, 
And  bid  her  a  fire  for  to  make,  make,  make, 

To  roast  the  little  duck, 

He'd  shot  in  the  brook, 
And  he'd  go  and  fetch  her  the  drake,  drake,  drake. 


60  GAMMER  GURTOWS  GARLAND. 


THE   MILK   PAILS. 

BETTY'S  gone  a-milking,  mother,  mother  ; 

Betty's  gone  a-milking,  dainty  fine  mother  of  mine  : 

Then  you  may  go  after,  daughter,  daughter  ; 

Then  you  may  go  after,  dainty  fine  daughter  of  mine. 

Buy  me  a  pair  of  milk  pails,  mother,  etc. 
Where's  the  money  to  come  from,  daughter?  etc. 

Pawn  my  father's  feather-bed,  mother,  etc. 
Where's  your  father  to  lay,  daughter  ?  etc. 

Lay  him  in  the  maid's  bed,  mother,  etc. 
Where  is  the  maid  to  lay,  daughter  1  etc. 

Lay  her  in  the  pig-stye,  mother,  etc. 
Where  are  the  pigs  to  lay,  daughter  ?  etc. 

Lay  them  at  the  stair-foot,  mother,  etc. 

There  they  will  be  trod  to  death,  daughter,  etc. 

Lay  them  by  the  water-side,  mother,  etc. 
There  they  will  be  drowned,  daughter,  etc. 
Then  take  a  rope  and  hang  yourself,  mother,  etc. 


GAMMER  GURTON'S  GARLAND. 


THE    LADY'S    SONG    IN    LEAP  YEAR. 

ROSES  are  red,  diddle,  diddle, 

Lavender's  blue  : 
If  you  will  have  me,  diddle,  diddle, 

I  will  have  you. 

Lilies  are  white,  diddle,  diddle, 

Rosemary's  green ; 
When  you  are  king,  diddle,  diddle, 

I  will  be  queen. 

Call  up  your  men,  diddle,  diddle, 

Set  them  to  work  ; 
Some  to  the  plough,  diddle,  diddle, 

Some  to  the  cart. 

Some  to  make  hay,  diddle,  diddle, 

Some  to  cut  corn  ; 
Whilst  you  and  I,  diddle,  diddle, 

Keep  the  bed  warm. 


THE    END. 


INDEX    OF    FIRST    LINES. 


PAGE 

A  diller,  a  dollar  .  .  30 
A  duck  and  a  drake  .  52 

A  little  old  man  and  I  fell  out  26 
A  man  of  words  and  not  of 

deeds  .         .          .  19 

As  I  was  going  to  sell  my  eggs  46 
As  I  was  going  up  Pippen  hill  44 
Bah,  bah,  black  sheep  .  22 
Barnaby  Bright,  he  was  a 

sharp  cur  .  .  -45 
Bee  baw  babby  lou,  on  a  tree 

top  .          .         .17 

Bee  baw  bunting  .  .  17 
Bell  horses,  bell  horses  .  42 
Betty's  gone  a  -  milking, 

mother,  mother  .  .  60 
Bye,  O  my  baby  .  .18 
Can  you  make  me  a  cam- 
brick  shirt  ?  4 
Cock-a-doodle-doo  .  •  *9 
Come,  let's  to  bed  .  .  32 
Cross  patch,  draw  the  latch  23 
Danty  baby  deddy  .  .  47 
Did  you  hear  of  Betty 

Pringle's  pig  '_  »  ".'.'.  16 
Dickery,  dickery  dock  .  '44 
Ding  dong  bell  .  .II 
Dingle,  dingle  doosey  .  47 
Doctor  Foster  was  a  good  man  43 
Four-and-twenty  tailors  .  26 
Gay  go  up  and  gay  go  down  37 


Giles  Collins,  he  said  to  his 

old  mother  .  .  -49 
Girls  and  boys  come  out  to 

play  .  .  .  .41 
Goose-a  goose-a  gander  .  3 1 
Great  A,  little  a  .  -25 
Hark,  hark,  the  dogs  do  bark  34 
Here  comes  a  lusty  wooer  9 
Here  stands  a  fist  .  .25 
High  ding-a-ding,  and  ho 

ding-a-ding  .  .  .  58 
Humptydumptysate  on  a  wall  47 
I  am  a  pretty  wench  .  30 

I  doubt,  I  doubt  .  -33 
I  had  a  little  husband  .  35 
I  had  a  little  moppet  .  35 
If  all  the  world  was  apple-pie  45 
If  I'd  as  much  money  as  I 

could  spend  -  .  '•.--.  57 
I'll  sing  you  a  song  .  »  14 
I'll  sing  you  a  song  .  . .-.  48 
I'll  tell  you  a  story  .  .  24 
I  love  a  sixpence,  a  jolly, 

jolly  sixpence  .  -52 
In  love  be  I,  filth  button  high  55 
I  see  the  moon,  and  the 

moon  sees  me  .  .29 
Is  John  Smith  within  ?  --  .  a&. 
I  will  tell  my  own  daddy 

when  he  comes  home  .  35 
Jack  and  Gill  .  .  .27 


64 


INDEX  OF  FIRST  LINES. 


PAGE 

Jack  Sprat  would  eat  no  fat  46 
John  Cook  had  a  little  grey 

mare,  he,  haw,  hum  .  53 
John,  come  sell  thy  fiddle  .  3 1 
Lady  bird,  lady  bird  .  31 

Little  bo-peep  has  lost  her 

sheep  .  .  .  -51 
Little  boy-bluet  come  blow 

me  your  horn  .  -47 
Little  boy,  pretty  boy,  where 

was  you  born?  .  .  26 
Little  brown  Betty  lived  at 

the  Golden  Can  .  .  45 
Little  Jack  Dandy-prat  was 

my  first  suitor  .  -59 
Little  Jack  Horner  .  .  30 
Little  maid,  pretty  maid, 

whither  goest  thou  ?  .  43 
Little  Tom  Tucker  .  .  30 
London  Bridge  is  broken  down  5 
Mistress  Mary  .  .  .24 
My  father  he  died,  but  I 

can't  tell  you  how  .      53 

Old  Dr.  Forster  .  .41 
Old  Father  Greybeard  .  35 
Old  Mother  Hubbard  she 

went  to  the  cupboard  .  48 
Old  Mother  Niddity-Nod 

swore  by  the  pudding-bag  45 
Old  Mother  Widdle  Waddle 

jumpt  out  of  bed  .  .  54 
Old  woman,  old  woman, 

shall  we  go  a-shearing?  .  41 
One-ery,  two-ery  .  .  40 
One,  two  .  .  -39 
O  rare  Harry  Parry  .  .  27 
O  that  I  was  where  I  would  be  29 
O  the  little  rusty,  dusty, 

rusty  miller  .          .     42 

Patty-cake,  patty-cake  .  22 
Pillycock,  pillycock  sate  on 

a  hill  .  .  .  .46 
Pussy  cat,  pussy  cat,  wilt 

thou  be  mine  .  .  47 
Ride  a  cock  horse  .  ,28 


Ride  a  cock  horse  to  Ban- 
bury  cross     .         .          .28 
Robin  and  Richard    .          .21 
Robin,  the  robin,  the  high- 
bellied  hen    .          .          .22 
Roses  are  red,  diddle,  diddle     6 1 
Round  about,  round  about     29 
Says  t'  auld  man  tit  oak  tree     10 
See-saw,  Margery  Daw       .     27 
See-saw  sacaradown  .  25 

Shoe  the  colt    .         .         .28 
Sing  a  song  of  sixpence,  a 

bag  full  of  rye        .  1 3 

Sing  hey  diddle  diddle        .      13 
Sing  jig-my-jole,   the  pud- 
ding bowl      .          .          .42 
Snail,  snail,  come  out  of  your 

hole  .  .  .  .42 
Taffy  was  a  Welchman  .  34 
The  cat  sat  asleep  by  the  side 

of  the  fire  .  .  -43 
The  cock's  on  the  dunghill 

a-blowing  his  horn  .     44 

The  man  in  the  moon         .      26 
The  rose  is  red,  the  grass  is 

green  .  .  .  -43 
The  rose  is  red,  the  violets  blue  20 
The  rule  of  the  road  is  a 

paradox  quite  .  -32 
There  was  a  frog  liv'd  in  a 

well  ....  I 
There  was  a  lady  all  skin 

and  bone  .  .  .  38 
There  was  a  lady  lov'd  a  swine  3 
There  was  a  little  boy  and  a 

little  girl  .  .  -57 
There  was  a  little  guinea-pig  1 5 
There  was  a  little  man  .  59 
There  was  a  mad  man,  and 

he  had  a  mad  wife  .     55 

There  was  an  old  man         .     24 
There  was  an  old  man,  and 

he  liv'd  in  a  wood  .      58 

There  was  an  old  man  in  a 
velvet  coat    .         .         .29 


INDEX  OF  FIRST  LINES. 


PAGE 

There  was  an  old  woman  .  33 
There  was  an  old  woman  .  33 
There  was  an  old  woman, 

and  what  do  you  think?  15 
There  was  an  old  woman 

had  nothing  .  -/  46 

There  was  an  old  woman, 

she  liv'd  in  a  shoe  .  *7 

There  was  an  old  woman 

toss'd  in  a  blanket  .  JO 

There  were  two  birds  sat  on 

a  stone  .  .  -14 
There  were  two  blackbirds 

set  upon  a  hill  .  .  39 
Three  children  sliding  on 

the  ice  ...  7 

Three  wise  men  of  Gotham  12 
To  make  your  candles  last 

for  aye  ...  33 

Tom  Brown's  two  little 

Indian  boys,  two,  etc.     .     48 


PAGE 

Tom  Thumb  the  piper's  son  45 
Trip  upon  trenches,  and 

dance  upon  dishes  .  1 1 

Up  hill  and  down  dale  .36 
Up  hill  ride  me  not  .  •  '  3f 
Up  street  and  down  street, 

each  window's  made   of 

glass  ....  44 
Up  the  hill,  take  care  of  me  32 
We  are  three  brethren  out 

of  Spain  .  .  .20 
We'll  go  a  shooting,  says 

Robin  to  Bobbin  .  .  7 
We're  all  dry  with  drinking 

on't  .  .  .  .16 
What  care  I  how  black  I  be?  31 
When  I  was  a  batchelor  .  34 
Who's  there  .  .  .'  33 
Won't  be  my  father's  Jack  .  1 2 
Yankey  doodle  came  to  town  49 
i,  2,  3,  4,  5  .  .  /  *s