Popular Music Of The Olden Time Vol 1

Ancient Songs, Ballads, & Dance Tunes, Sheet Music & Lyrics - online book

Home Main Menu Singing & Playing Order & Order Info Support Search Easter Hymns



Share page  Visit Us On FB

Previous Contents Next
300
ENGLISH SONG AND BALLAD MUSIC.
the King's: to the tune of The Queen's Old Courlier." A copy of this latter, " printed for F. Coles," is among the Roxburghe Ballads.
Dr. King, in his " Preface to the Art of Cookery, in imitation of Horace's Art of Poetry," declares his love " to the old British Hospitality, charity and valour, when the arms of the family, the old pikes, muskets, and halberts, hung up in the hall over the long table, and Chevy Chase, and The Old Courtier of the Queen's were placed over the carved mantle-piece, and beef and brown bread were carried every day to the poor." (Dr. King's Works, vol. iii.)
About the middle of the last century the ballad was revived and sung by Mr. Vernon in Shad well's comedy, The Squire ofAlsatia, the burden being altered to " Moderation and Alteration," and, when comparing the young courtier to the old, to—                     " Alteration, alteration,
'Tis a wonderful alteration."
Finally, it has been again revived, with further " alteration," in the present century, under the title of " The old English Gentleman."
The ballad is to be chanted, ad libitum, upon one note, except the final syllable of each stanza, and the burden "Like an old Courtier," &c.
With an old lady whose anger a good word assuages,                                       [wages,
Who every quarter pays her old servants their
Who never knew what belonged to coachman, footmen, nor pages;
But kept twenty old fellows with blue coats and badges. Like an old Courtier, &c.
With an old study fill'd full of learned old books, With an old reverend parson, you may judge him by his looks.                             [hooks,
With an old buttery hatch worn quite off the And an old kitchen, that maintains half-a-dozen old cooks. Like an old, &c.