Gammer Gurton's Garland.
OR
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 brochure, 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.
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[A] mouse in a mill.
Cock me cary, Kitty alone,
Kitty alone and I.
Kitty alone, etc.
This frog he would a wooing ride,
And on a snail he got astride.
Cock me cary, etc.
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.
Kitty alone, etc.
Quoth he, Miss Mouse, I'm come to thee,
To see if thou can fancy me.
Cock me cary, etc.
Kitty alone, etc.
Quoth she, Answer I'll give you none,
Until my uncle Rat come home.
Cock me cary, etc.
Kitty alone, etc.
And when her uncle Rat came home,
Who's been here since I've been gone?
Cock me cary, etc.
Kitty alone, etc.
Sir, there's been a worthy gentleman,
That's been here since you've been gone.
Cock me cary, etc.
Kitty alone, etc.
The frog he came whistling through the brook,
And there he met with a dainty duck.
Cock me cary, etc.
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.
[A] Merry.
THE LADY AND THE SWINE.
Honey, quoth she,
Pig-hog, wilt thou be mine?
Hoogh, quoth he.
Honey, quoth she,
And in it thou shalt lye;
Hoogh, quoth he.
Honey, quoth she,
That thou may go out and in,
Hoogh, quoth he.
Honey? quoth she,
Hoogh, hoogh, hoogh, quoth he,
And went his way.
THE CAMBRICK SHIRT.
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
Without any seam or needle work?
And you shall be a true lover of mine.
Parsley, etc.
Where never sprung water, nor rain ever fell?
And you, etc.
Parsley, etc.
Which never bore blossom since Adam was born?
And you, etc.
Parsley, etc.
I hope you'll answer as many for me,
And you, etc.
Parsley, etc.
Between the salt water and the sea sand?
And you,
Parsley, etc.
And sow it all over with one pepper corn?
And you, etc.
Parsley, etc.
And bind it up with a peacock's feather,
And you, etc.
Parsley, etc.
Then come to me for your cambrick shirt.
And you, etc.
THE CELEBRATED SONG OF
LONDON BRIDGE IS BROKEN DOWN.
Dance o'er my lady lee,
London Bridge is broken down,
With a gay lady.
Dance o'er my lady lee,
How shall we build it up again?
With a gay lady.
Dance o'er my lady lee,
Silver and gold will be stole away,
With a gay lady.
Dance o'er my lady lee,
Build it up with iron and steel,
With a gay lady.
Dance o'er my lady lee,
Iron and steel will bend and bow,
With a gay lady.
Dance o'er my lady lee,
Build it up with wood and clay,
With a gay lady.
Dance o'er my lady lee,
Wood and clay will wash away,
With a gay lady.
Dance o'er my lady lee,
Huzza! 'twill last for ages long,
With a gay lady.
THE SONG OF
THE THREE CHILDREN.
Tune—"Chevy Chace."
Upon a summer's day,
As it fell out, they all fell in,
The rest they ran away.
Or sliding on dry ground,
Ten thousand pounds to one penny,
They had not all been drown'd.
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 Richard to Robin;
We'll go a shooting, says John all alone;
We'll go a shooting, says every one.
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 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 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 Richard to Robin;
How shall we get her home? says John all alone;
How shall we get her home? says every one.
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 Richard to Robin;
Then hoist, boys, hoist, says John all alone;
Then hoist, boys, hoist, says every one.
And when they got home, shar'd the booty together.
THE SHORT COURTSHIP:
OR, THE LUSTY WOOER.
My a dildin, my a daldin;
Here comes a lusty wooer,
Lily bright and shine a.
My a dildin, my a daldin;
Pray, who do you woo?
Lily bright and shine a.
My a dildin, my a daldin;
For your fairest daughter,
Lily bright and shine a.
My a dildin, my a daldin;
Then there she is for you,
Lily bright and shine a.
THE SONG OF
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.
Whither, ah whither, ah whither so high?
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.
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.
A SOLEMN DIRGE.
The cat is in the well.
Who put her in?
Little Johnny Green.
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.
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.
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.
T'OTHER LITTLE TUNE.
A VERY PLEASANT SONG.
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.
Went to sea in a bowl,
And if the bowl had been stronger,
My song had been longer.
SONG OF SIXPENCE.
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 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.[B]
[B] Quoted in Beaumont and Fletcher's Bonduca, act v. sc. ii.
THE SONG OF
THE CAT AND THE FIDDLE.
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.
THE WOODCOCK, THE SPARROW, AND THE LITTLE DOG.
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.
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.
THE SURPRISING OLD WOMAN.
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.
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.
Who being little was not big,
He always walk'd upon his feet,
And never fasted when he
He never at that place did stay;
And while he ran, as I am told,
He ne'er stood still for young or old.
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.
He took a whim and fairly dy'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,
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.
It was not very little, nor yet very big;
The pig sat down upon a dunghill,
And there poor piggy he made his will.
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.
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.
When the wind blows the cradle will rock,
When the wind ceases the cradle will fall,
Down comes baby and cradle and all.
[C] A corruption of the French nurse's threat in the fable: He bas! la le loup! Hush! there's the wolf.
ANOTHER.
Daddy's gone a hunting,
To get a little lamb's skin,
To lap his little baby in.
ANOTHER.
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.
PART II.
A MAN OF WORDS.
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.
THE VALENTINE.
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.
Come to court your daughter Jane.
My daughter Jane she is too young,
And has not learn'd her mother tongue.
For her beauty she must be sold.
So fare you well, my lady gay,
We'll call again another day.
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.
And take the fairest in your sight.
The fairest maid that I can see,
Is pretty Nancy, come to me.
Every pocket with a thousand pound;
Every finger with a gay gold ring;
Please to take your daughter in.
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.
ROBIN THE ROBIN.
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.
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.
Baker's man;
That I will, master,
As fast as I can;
Prick it, and prick it,
And mark it with a T,
And there will be enough
For Jacky and me.
WHO'S THERE?
A grenadier.
What do you want?
A pot of beer.
Where's your money?
Quite forgot.
Get you gone,
You drunken sot.
CROSS PATCH.
Sit by the fire and spin;
Take a cup, and drink it up,
Then call your neighbours in.
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.
And he had a calf;
And that's half:
He took him out of the stall,
And put him on the wall;
And that's all.
JACK A NORY.
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.
GREAT A.
Bouncing B;
The cat's in the cupboard,
And she can't see.
SEE SAW.
Which is the way to London town?
One foot up, the other foot down,
That is the way to London town.
I caught a hare alive;
6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
I let her go again.
Who set it there?
A better man than you,
Touch him if you dare.
How shall we bring this matter about?
Bring it about as well as you can,
Get you gone, you little old man!
In Lincolnshire, master: come blow the cow's horn.
A halfpenny pudding, a penny pye,
A shoulder of mutton, and that love I.
Came tumbling down,
And ask'd his way to Norwich.
He went by the south,
And burnt his mouth,
With supping hot pease porridge.
Went to kill a snail;
The best man among them
Durst not touch her tail:
Like a little kyloe cow:
Run, tailors, run,
Or she'll kill you all e'en now.
Went up the hill,
To fetch a bottle of water;
Jack fell down,
And broke his crown,
And Gill came tumbling
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.
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.
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.
Shoe the colt,
Shoe the wild mare;
Here a nail,
There a nail,
Yet she goes bare.