Ancient Christmas Carols. In the modern printed editions, which are almost identical with ours, the term 'servantman' has been substituted for the more ancient designation.]

WEL

SERVINGMAN.

ELL met, my brother friend, all at this highway So simple all alone, as you can, [end, I pray you tell to me, what may your calling be, Are you not a servingman?

HUSBANDMAN.

No, no, my brother dear, what makes you to inquire
Of any such a thing at my hand?

Indeed I shall not feign, but I will tell you plain,
I am a downright husbandman.

SERVINGMAN.

If a husbandman you be, then go along with me,
And quickly you shall see out of hand,
How in a little space I will help you to a place,
Where you may be a servingman.

HUSBANDMAN.

Kind sir! I 'turn you thanks for your intelligence,
These things I receive at your hand;

[know

But something pray now show, that first I may plainly The pleasures of a servingman.

SERVINGMAN.

Why a servingman has pleasure beyond all sort of

measure,

With his hawk on his fist, as he does stand;

For the game that he does kill, and the meat that does Are pleasures for the servingman.

HUSBANDMAN.

[him fill,

And my pleasure's more than that, to see my oxen fat, And a good stock of hay by them stand;

My plowing and my sowing, my reaping and my mowing, Are pleasures for the husbandman.

SERVINGMAN.

Why it is a gallant thing to ride out with a king,
With a lord, duke, or any such man;

[in a row, To hear the horns to blow, and see the hounds all That is pleasure for the servingman.

HUSBANDMAN.

But my pleasure's more I know, to see my corn to grow,
So thriving all over my land;
[team,
And, therefore, I do mean, with my plowing with my
To keep myself a husbandman.

SERVINGMAN.

Why the diet that we eat is the choicest of all meat,
Such as pig, goose, capon, and swan;

Our pastry is so fine, we drink sugar in our wine,
That is living for the servingman.

HUSBANDMAN.

Talk not of goose nor capon, give me good beef or And good bread and cheese, now at hand; [bacon, With pudding, brawn, and souse, all in a farmer's That is living for the husbandman.

SERVINGMAN.

[house,

Why the clothing that we wear is delicate and rare, With our coat, lace, buckles, and band; [are silk, Our shirts are white as milk, and our stockings they That is clothing for a servingman.

HUSBANDMAN.

But I value not a hair your delicate fine wear,
Such as gold is laced upon;

Give me a good grey coat, and in my purse a groat,
That is clothing for the husbandman.

SERVINGMAN.

Kind sir! it would be bad if none could be had

Those tables for to wait upon;

[shire,

There is no lord, duke, nor squire, nor member for the Can do without a servingman.

HUSBANDMAN.

But, Jack! it would be worse if there was none of us To follow the plowing of the land;

[the shire, There is neither king, lord, nor squire, nor member for Can do without the husbandman.

SERVINGMAN.

Kind sir! I must confess 't, and I humbly protest

I will give you the uppermost hand;

[gainful,

Although your labour's painful, and mine it is so very I wish I were a husbandman.

HUSBANDMAN.

So come now, let us all, both great as well as small,
Pray for the grain of our land;

And let us, whatsoever, do all our best endeavour,
For to maintain the good husbandman.

THE CATHOLICK.

[THE following ingenious production has been copied literally from a broadside posted against the 'parlour' wall of a country inn in Gloucestershire. The verses are susceptible of two interpretations, being Catholic if read in the columns, but Protestant if read across.]

HOLD as faith

What England's church alows What Rotes church saith My coquand

Where the King's head
The flocks misled

Where the altars drest

The peoples blest
He's but an asse

Who shuns the masse

That church can have no shame
That holds the Pope supreame.
There's service scarce divine
With table, bread, and wine.
Who the communion flies
Is catholick and wise.

London printed for George Eversden, at the signe of the Maidenhead, in St. Powle's Church-yard, 1655. Cum privilegio.

ANCIENT POEMS, ETC.

4

50

Ballads.

THE THREE KNIGHTS.

(TRADITIONAL.)

[The Three Knights was first printed by the late Davies Gilbert, F.R.S., in the appendix to his work on Christmas Carols. Mr. Gilbert thought that some verses were wanting after the eighth stanza; but we entertain a different opinion. A conjectural emendation made in the ninth verse, viz., the substitution of far for for, seems to render the ballad perfect. The ballad is still popular amongst the peasantry in the West of England. The tune is given by Gilbert. The refrain, in the second and fourth lines, printed with the first verse, should be repeated in recitation in every verse.]

THERE did three Knights come from the west,
With the high and the lily oh!

And these three Knights courted one ladye,
As the rose was so sweetly blown.

The first Knight came was all in white,
And asked of her if she'd be his delight.
The next Knight came was all in green,
And asked of her if she'd be his queen.
The third Knight came was all in red,
And asked of her if she would wed.

'Then have you asked of my father dear?
Likewise of her who did me bear?

'And have you asked of my brother John? And also of my sister Anne?'

'Yes, I've asked of your

father dear,

Likewise of her who did you bear.

'And I've asked of your sister Anne,

But I've not asked of your brother John.'
Far on the road as they rode along,

There did they meet with her brother John.

She stoopèd low to kiss him sweet,

He to her heart did a dagger meet.*

'Ride on, ride on,' cried the servingman,
'Methinks your bride she looks wondrous wan.'

'I wish I were on yonder stile,

For there I would sit and bleed awhile.

'I wish I were on yonder hill,

There I'd alight and make my will.'

'What would you give to your father dear?'
'The gallant steed which doth me bear.'
'What would you give to your mother dear?'
'My wedding shift which I do wear.
'But she must wash it very clean,
For my heart's blood sticks in every seam.'
'What would you give to your sister Anne?'
'My gay gold ring, and my feathered fan.'
'What would you give to your brother John?'
'A rope, and a gallows to hang him on.'

'What would you give to your brother John's wife?" 'A widow's weeds, and a quiet life.'

THE BLIND BEGGAR OF BEDNALL GREEN. SHOWING HOW HIS DAUGHTER WAS MARRIED TO A KNIGHT, AND HAD THREE THOUSAND POUND TO HER PORTION.

[PERCY'S copy of The Beggar's Daughter of Bednall Green is known to be very incorrect: besides many alterations and improvements which it received at the hands of the Bishop, it contains no less than eight stanzas written by Robert Dodsley, the author of The Economy of Human Life. So far as poetry is concerned, there cannot be a question that the version in the Reliques is far superior to the original, which is still a popular favourite, and a correct copy of which is now given, as it appears in all the

This word seems to be used here in the sense of the French verb mettre, to put, to place.