The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume Ii Part 50

Our good will's to marry, &c.

Marry one of us then, &c.

You're too poor and shabby, &c.

We're quite as good as you are, &c.

Suppose we have one of you then, &c.

Which one will you have, &c.

We'll have -- to marry, &c.

Who will you send to fetch her, &c.

We'll send -- to fetch her.

-Roxton, St. Neots (Miss E. Lumley).

XXIV. Here come three dukes a-riding, With me rancy, tansy, tissimy tee, Here come three dukes a-riding, With a ransom, tansom, tissimy tee.

Here come three dukes a-riding, With a ransom, tansom, tissimy tee.

Pray which of us will you have, sir (repeat as above).

I think I will have this one (repeat).

[Forgotten, but the girls evidently decline to part with one of their number.]

You are all too black and too blousy (repeat).

We're far too good for you, sir (repeat).

-Isle of Man (A. W. Moore). Played at a Manx Vicarage nearly sixty years ago (Rev. T. G. Brown).

XXV. Here comes a Jew a riding, With the ransom, tansom, tissimi, O!

And pray what is your will, sir? (as above).

Then pray take one of my daughters, &c.

They are all too black and too browsy, &c.

They are good enough for you, sir, &c.

My house is lined with silver, &c.

But ours is lined with gold, sir, &c.

Then I'll take one of your daughters, &c.

-Forest of Dean, Gloucester (Miss Matthews).

XXVI. The Campsie dukes a-riding, a-riding, a-riding; The Campsie dukes a riding, come a rincey, dincey, dee.

-Biggar (Wm. Ballantyne).

XXVII. Five dukes comes here a-ridin', A-ridin' fast one day; Five dukes comes here a-riding, With a hansom, dansom day.

What do you want with us, sirs, With us, sirs, &c.

We want some wives to marry us, To marry us, to marry us, &c.

Will you marry us, Miss Nancy, Miss Nancy, Miss Nancy, &c.

We won't marry you to-day, sirs, &c.

Will you marry us to-day, Miss? &c. (to another girl).

We will marry you to-day, sirs, &c.

-London, Regent's Park (A. B. Gomme).

XXVIII. There's three dukes a-riding, a-riding, There's three dukes a-riding, Come a ransin, tansin, my gude wife.

Come a ransin, tansin te-dee, Before I take my evening walk, I'll have a handsome lady, The fairest one that I do see.

-Rosehearty, Pitsligo (Rev. W. Gregor).

XXIX. One duck comes a-ridin', sir, a-ridin', sir, A-ridin' to marry you.

And what do you want with me, sir?

I come to marry you two.

There's some of us ready to dance, sir; Ready to dance and sing; There's some of us ready to dance, sir, And ready to marry you.

Then come to me, my darlin', my darlin', darlin' day, With a ransom, tansom, tansom, tansom tay.

-London, Regent's Park (A. B. Gomme).

x.x.x. There's a young man that wants a sweetheart- Wants a sweetheart-wants a sweetheart- There's a young man that wants a sweetheart, To the ransom tansom tidi-de-o.

Let him come out and choose his own, Choose his own, choose his own; Let him come out and choose his own, To the ransom tansom tidi-de-o.

Will any of my fine daughters do, &c.

They are all too black and brawny, They sit in the sun uncloudy, With golden chains around their necks, They are too black and brawny.

Quite good enough for you, sir! &c.