Popular Music Of The Olden Time Vol 2

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

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588

ENGLISH SONG AND BALLAD MUSIC.

THREE MERRY MEN OF KENT. In the ballad-opera of The Jovial Crew, the old name of this air is given as Three merry men of Kent. In Folly in print, or a Book of Rymes, 1667, is a song entitled " Three merry boys of Kent," to the tune of I rode from Mngland into France ; but I have not found " Three merry men of Kent." The words sung to the tune in The Jovial Grew, form the fourth stanza of a song commencing, " He that will not merry be." It was printed on broadsides, and in several of the collections of old songs which were published in the early part of the last century. The three first stanzas are here copied from A complete Collection of old and new Mnglish and Scotch Songs, with their respective tunes prefixed, 8vo., 1735, i. 137 :—

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He that will not merry, merry be, With a ge - nerous howl and May he in Bride-well be shut up, And fast bound to         a

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toast, post.

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be mer - ry,         mer-ry, mer-ry there, And

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we will he merry, merry here;

For who can know where we may go To be

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mer - ry an - o - ther year, Brave hoys, To be mer - ry an - o - ther yea

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He that will not merry, merry be, And take his glass in course, May he he obliged to drink small beer, Ne'er a penny in his purse. Let him be merry, merry there, fy

He that will not merry, merry be, With a company of jolly boys, May he be plagued with a scolding wife, To confound him with her noise. Let. him be merry, Sgc.