The Nursery Rhymes of England Part 14

Cx.x.xIX.

Lend me thy mare to ride a mile?

She is lamed, leaping over a stile.

Alack! and I must keep the fair!

I'll give thee money for thy mare.

Oh, oh! say you so?

Money will make the mare to go!

CXL.

About the bush, w.i.l.l.y, About the bee-hive, About the bush, w.i.l.l.y, I'll meet thee alive.

Then to my ten shillings, Add you but a groat, I'll go to Newcastle, And buy a new coat.

Five and five shillings, Five and a crown; Five and five shillings, Will buy a new gown.

Five and five shillings, Five and a groat; Five and five shillings, Will buy a new coat.

CXLI.

A pretty little girl in a round-eared cap I met in the streets t'other day; She gave me such a thump, That my heart it went b.u.mp; I thought I should have fainted away!

I thought I should have fainted away!

CXLII.

My father he died, but I can't tell you how, He left me six horses to drive in my plough: With my wing w.a.n.g waddle oh, Jack sing saddle oh, Blowsey boys bubble oh, Under the broom.

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, &c.

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

I sold my calf, and I bought me a cat; A pretty thing she was, in my chimney corner sat: With my, &c.

I sold my cat, and bought me a mouse; He carried fire in his tail, and burnt down my house: With my, &c.

CXLIII.

Little Bo-peep has lost her sheep, And can't tell where to find them; Leave 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.

CXLIV.

Jeanie come tie my, Jeanie come tie my, Jeanie come tie my bonnie cravat; I've tied it behind, I've tied it before, And I've tied it so often, I'll tie it no more.

CXLV.

Trip upon trenchers, 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.

CXLVI.

[From 'Histrio-mastix, or, the Player Whipt,' 4to, Lond. 1610.

Mr. Rimbault tells me this is common in Yorkshire.]

Some up, and some down, There's players in the town, You wot well who they be; The sun doth arise, To three companies, One, two, three, four, make wee!

Besides we that travel, With pumps full of gravel, Made all of such running leather: That once in a week, New masters we seek, And never can hold together.

CXLVII.

Johnny shall have a new bonnet, And Johnny shall go to the fair, And Johnny shall have a blue ribbon To tie up his bonny brown hair.

And why may not I love Johnny?

And why may not Johnny love me?

And why may not I love Johnny As well as another body?

And here's a leg for a stocking, And here is a leg for a shoe, And he has a kiss for his daddy, And two for his mammy, I trow.

And why may not I love Johnny?

And why may not Johnny love me?

And why may not I love Johnny, As well as another body?

CXLVIII.

As I was walking o'er little Moorfields, I saw St. Paul's a running on wheels, With a fee, fo, fum.

Then for further frolics I'll go to France.

While Jack shall sing and his wife shall dance, With a fee, fo fum.

CXLIX.

The north wind doth blow, And we shall have snow, And what will poor Robin do then?

Poor thing!

He'll sit in a barn, And to keep himself warm, Will hide his head under his wing.

Poor thing!