CCLXV. Banbury ale! Where, where, where? At the blacksmith's house: I would I were there. Round. During the reign of Henry the Sixth there was a petition to Parliament against "that wicked weed called hops," from which we may infer that ale was introduced about that period. Many songs have been written in its praise, the best of which perhaps is one supposed to be by Beaumont, called "The Ex-ale-tation of Ale." Absurd as the foregoing little stanza may appear, there is yet a touch of nature about it. The blacksmith's house is to this day the gossiping shop of many a country village (although ale may not be drunk on the premises). It is easy to fancy with what a smack of the lips some jolly yeoman would exclaim, while anticipating a draught of his favourite beverage, "I would I were there." CCLXVI. Farewell, mine own sweet heart, Farewell, whom I love best; Adieu, all joy and rest! Round. CCLXVII. To Portsmouth, to Portsmouth,- There we will have a quart of wine, With a nutmeg brown. Diddle down. The gallant Ship, the Mermaid, Did make us to spend there, Our sixteen pence all out. Round. Penned in the true spirit of a British tar, never happy while there remains a single shot in the locker. I am not aware that any such signs as the Ship, Mermaid, or Lion exist in Portsmouth at the present time. CCLXVIII. Come drink to me, And I to thee, And then shall we Full well agree. I've loved the jolly tankard Full seven winters and more; I loved it so long, That I went upon the score. Who loveth not the tankard, That loveth not the can. Tap the cannikin, trole the cannikin, Hold now, good son, and fill us a fresh can, Round. A This is the only round from Pammelia which Hilton has reprinted in his Catch that catch can, 1652; in the index to which Byrd's name is given as the composer. snatch of an old ditty, sung by Iago, in Shakspeare's tragedy of Othello, is in a similar vein : "Then let me the cannikin clink, clink, "And let me the cannikin clink ; Let's have a peal for John Cooke's soul, For he was an honest man : With bells all in order, the cruse with the bowl, And I my own self will ring the treble bell, And drink to you every one. Stand fast now, my mates, ring merrily and well, Round. These two verses form a round for four voices. The two first lines are separately set for nine voices, and were lately sung (accompanied with appropriate action) at Mr. Bellamy's Concert in the Hanover Square Rooms. John Cooke was probably a boon companion of the jolly bell-ringers and ale-tipplers of yore: the name occurs again in another round from Deuteromelia. The letters of the first line I presume represent the words, "I see you be a knave.” Bell-ringing was formerly a most scientific pastime, but has fallen much out of repute during the last half century, although we still occasionally hear of a triple bob, major being performed by tintinnabulary enthusiasts. Hentzner, in his Itinerary, A.D. 1598, states that the English are "vastly fond of great noises that fill the ear; "such as the firing of cannon, beating of drums, and ring66 ing of bells; so that it is common for a number of them "that have got a glass in their heads to get up into some belfry, and ring for hours together for the sake of ex"ercise." 66 CCLXX. Sing after, fellows, as you hear me," Robin Hood, Robin Hood, said Little John, In a red petticoat, and eke a gown, Now foot it as I do, Tomboy, Tom; The cramp is in my purse full sore, Round. As the first stanza intimates, this round is composed of three different airs upon a bass or ground. They resemble much the old tunes, Cold and raw, or Up in the morning early, and a Cobler there was. CCLXXI. All in to service, The bells toll Ding dong bell. Round. This is often sung at the present day, and I have no doubt many people suppose it to be modern. CCLXXII. Now thanked be the great god Pan, Who ended hath this bloody strife. |