Popular Music Of The Olden Time Vol 1
Ancient Songs, Ballads, & Dance Tunes, Sheet Music & Lyrics - online book
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278 ENGLISH SONG AND BALLAD MUSIC. |
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" Would I had been created a shoemaker," (says the servant in a play of Dekker's) " for all the gentle craft are gentlemen every Monday by their copy, and scorn then to work one true stitch."—Dodsley's Old Plays, v. iii., p. 282. ■
Cobblers, too, were .proverbially a merry set. In the opening scene of Ben Jonson's play, The case is altered, Juniper, the cobbler, is discovered sitting at work in his shop, and singing; and Onion, who is sent for him, has great difficulty in stopping his song. When told that he must slip on his coat and go to assist, because they lack waiters, he exclaims," A pityful hearing! for now must I,' of a merry cobbler, become a mourning creature." (The family were in mourning). Juniper is also represented as a small poet; and when, in thex third act, Onion goes to him again (the cobbler being in his shop, and singing, as usual), and explains his distress because Valentine had not written the ditty he ordered of him, Juniper says, "No matter, I'll hammer out a ditty myself." |
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Troll the bowl, the nut-brown bowl,
And here, kind mate, to thee ! Let's sing a dirge for Saint Hugh's soul, And down it merrily.
Hey down a down, hey down a down,
Hey derry, derry, down a down; Ho! well done, to me let come, |
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