Popular Music Of The Olden Time Vol 1

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

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	326                                 ENGLISH BONG AND BALLAD MUSIC.
	The ballad of News from JEde Park is also printed, -with the tune, in Pills to purge Melancholy, ii. 138 (1700 and 1707). Cunningham, in his Hand-look of London, says of Hyde Park:—" In 1550, the French Ambassador hunted there with the King; in 1578, the Duke Casimer ' killed a barren doe with his piece, in Hyde Park, from amongst 300 other deer.' In Charles the First's reign, it became celebrated for its foot and horse races round the Ring; in Cromwell's time, for its musters and coach races; in Charles the Second's reign, for its drives and promenades—a reputation which it still retains." (Edit. 1850, p. 241.) This ballad was printed in the reign of Charles II. The following are the three first stanzas.
	The Park shone brighter than the skies, Sing tantara rara tantivee, With jewels, and gold, and ladies' eyes, That sparkled and cried, " Come see me; " Of all parts of England Hyde Park hath the [name For coaches, and horses, and persons of fame; It look'd, at first sight, like a field full of flame,	There hath notbeen such asight since Adam's, For perriwig, ribbon, and feather; Hyde Park may be termed the market for Or lady-fair, choose you whether, [madams, Their gowns were a yard too long for their legs, They show'd like the rainbow cut into rags, A garden of flowers, or navy of flags, When they did all mingle together.
	Which made me ride up tantivee Another tune called Hide Park is to be found in the earliest editions of Tlie Dancing Master, and there are ballads in a different metre, such as "A new ditty of a Lover, tost hither and thither, that cannot speak his mind when they are together," by Peter Lowberry (Roxburghe, i. 290); commencing thus:—