ANCIENT SONGS and BALLADS: Written on Various Subjects, AND Printed betwéen the Years MDLX. and MDCC.
CHIEFLY COLLECTED BY ROBERT EARL OF OXFORD, And purchased at the Sale of the late MR. WEST's LIBRARY, in the Year 1773.
ENCREASED BY SEVERAL ADDITIONS.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. II.
These venerable ancient song-inditers
Soar'd many a pitch above our modern writers:
Our numbers may be more refin'd than those,
But what we've gained in verse we've lost in prose.
Their words no shuffling double meaning knew;
Their speech was homely, but their hearts were true.
ROWE.
LONDON, Arranged and Bound in the Year 1774.
Les Chanteurs de Chansons
Cantarine & Strada
P Tempest exc:
Cum privilegio
Printed and Sould by John Ouedan att the White-horse neere ye fountaine tauern without Norgate
An ANSWER TO Moggy's Misfortune: OR, The kind and courteous Courtship of Shakum Guy, after the Funeral of his cross and froward Wife; which proved the two Lovers happy Conclusion.
Tune of Robin Cushe.
Licensed according to Order.
MOggy now rejoyce and sing,
Ise present thee with a Ring,
Nay, and joyfull News I bring,
my Wife is dead and bury'd:
Therefore let's be jolly,
Drive hence Melancholly,
This Night let us dally,
next day we'll be marry'd.
To thy Shakum be not coy,
Thou'st have got a pretty Toy,
Which I'd willingly-enjoy,
and therefore sit down by me:
In my Arms I'll reaze thee,
Likewise kiss and squeeze thee,
Ise am sure 'twill please thee:
prithee do but try me.
Ise have muckle Gold in store,
What canst thou desire more?
We shall live and ne'er be poor,
but always blithe and bonny:
Drink good Sack and Sherry,
Always brisk and merry,
Never, never weary,
of my dearest Honey.
My Grandsire he is stiff and old,
Likewise I know his Bloud is cold,
And will e'er long be laid in Mold,
as being dead and bury'd:
Then Ise have his Riches,
Gray Coat, Leathern Breeches,
Oh how my Fingers Itches,
Dearest, to be Marry'd!
Once I led a weary Life,
With a cross and froward Wife,
Which treated Care and Strife,
with her I was offended:
Now the Fates betide her,
No such Scold beside her,
Now a Grave does hide her,
and my Plague is ended.
For she's clearly fled away,
And has left her Shakum Gay,
Long I wish'd to see this day,
but ne'er before could find it:
Now since she is buryed,
We will not defer it,
But with speed be Marryed,
and with this Kiss I bind it.
Shakum Gay she then reply'd,
Ise will freely be your Bride,
And lig closely by your side,
'tis my will and pleasure:
Ne'er will Ise forsake [...]
But in VVedlock take [...]
And resolve to make thee
Laird of all my Treasure.
Farewel Rock and farewel Reel,
Thrice farewel my Spinning-VVheel,
Let them gang unto the Deel,
Ise freely can refuse them:
Having time and leisure,
Likewise Gold and Treasure,
Here Ise take my pleasure,
and no [...] more will use them.
Printed for P. Brooksby, I. Dearon, I. Blare, I. Back.