Popular Music Of The Olden Time Vol 2

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

	664	ENGLISH SONG AND BALLAD MUSIC.
	taken an octave higher, is out of the compass of ordinary voices, and has there­fore been generally rejected. In A Complete Collection of Old and New English and Scotch Songs, ii. 172 (1735), the name is given as "Ye Commons and Peers," but Leveridge composed another tune to those words. See Pills. In " The Musical Mason, or Free Mason's Pocket Companion, being a Collec­tion of Songs used in all Lodges: to which are added The Free Mason's March and Ode," (avo., 1790), this is entitled " The Enter'd Apprentice's Song." Many stanzas have been added from time to time, and others have been altered. The following is the old copy:—
	The world is in pain Our secret to gain, But still let them wonder and gaze on, Till they're shewn the light They'll ne'er know the right Word or sign of an accepted Mason. 'Tis this, and 'tis that, They cannot tell what, Why so many great men of the nation Should aprons put on, To make themselves one With a free and an accepted Mason. Great kings, dukes, and lords, Have laid by their swords, This our myst'ry to put a good grace on, And ne'er been asham'd To hear themselves nam'd With a free and an accepted Mason.		Antiquity's pride We have on our side, It makes each man just in his station; There's nought but what's good, To he understood By a free and an accepted Mason. We're true and sincere, We're just to the fair, They'll trust us on ev'ry occasion; No mortal can more The ladies adore Than a free and an accepted Mason. Then join hand in hand, To each other firm stand, Let's he merry and put a bright face on; What mortal can boast So noble a toast As a free and an accepted Mason.
	CEASE YOUR FUNNING. This and Yotfll think ere many days ensue are the only two songs in The Beggars' Opera of which the original, or at least earlier, names are not given in the first edition. You'll think ere many days has been handed down through the