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REIGN OF CHARLES II. 553 |
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With that he'went to take his leave,
ISut, just as he turn'd aside, Joan stept and caught him by the sleeve,
" I was but in jest," she cried. " What makes you be in so much haste,
] f me thou art come to woo ? Wf must not part, thou hast my heart,
I'll marry witlrnone but you." |
Then Joan, in merry humour, smil'd,
And taking him round the waist, ' Said, " Prithee, John, be reconcil'd,
It was but a word in haste: A kind and virtuous wife I'll prove,
I'll honour and love thee, too." " Why then," quoth he, "I here agree
To marry with none but you." |
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GIVE EAB TO A FROLICSOME DITTY; on, THE RANT.
A black-letter copy of this ballad, in the possession of Mr. Payne Colliei^ is entitled, " The jolly Gentleman's frolick; or, The City Ramble: being an account of a young Gallant, who wager'd to pass any of the Watches without giving them an answer ; but, being stopp'd by the Constable of Cripplegate, was sent to the Counter; afterwards had before my Lord Mayor, and was clear'd by the intercession of my Lord Mayor's daughter: To a pleasant new tune."
A second ballad, in the Bagford Collection, is named " The Ranting Rambler; or, ii young Gentleman's frolick thro' the City by night," &c. " To a pleasant new tune, called The Rant, Dal derra, rara."
These are different ballads on the same subject, and to the same tune,βthe first " printed for C. Bates, at the Sun and Bible in Guiltspur St.;" the second by Brooksby, Deacon, Blare, and Back.
There are twenty stanzas in the former, of which a few are here printed with the music. The second has been republished in " Songs of the London Prentices and Trades," by C. Mackay. 8vo, 1841. It commences thus:β
" I pray now attend to this ditty, 'Tis of a young spark in the City,
A merry and frolicsome song, By night he went ranting along;
The Bant, dal derra, ra rara," &e.
A third ballad is in the RoxburgheCollection, ii. 359, entitled "Mark Noble's frolick," &c. " To the tune of The New Bant."
The tune is in one of the editions of Apollo's Banquet, entitled Tlie City Bauble, and in many ballad operas. Among the last may be cited The Beggars' Opera, Bon Quixote in England, The Sturdy Beggars, The Wanton Jesuit, and The Court Legacy.
In The Beggars'1 Opera, it is called " Have you heard of a frolicsome ditty ?" and the words adapted are :β
" How happy could I be with either, But,Whilst you thus teaze me together,
Were t'other dear charmer away; To neither a word will I say,
But, tol de rol," &c.
About fifty years later, we find it quoted in Ritson's Bishoprick Garland, or Durham Minstrel, as the tune of a song of " The Hare-skin;" commencing:β
" Come hither, attend to my ditty, - And, if you'll be silent a minute,
All you that delight in a gun, I'll tell you a rare piece of fun.
Fal, lal," &c. .And Mr. J. H. Dixon prints a ballad entitled " Saddle to rags," which is still sun^ in the North of England, to the same air. The last will be found in Ballads and Songs of the Peasantry of England, 8vo, 1846. It is the pld story of the |
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