So soon as he was out of sight,
she for the quaker sent,

And ordered him to come at night,
that to their heart's content

They may be merry, sport, and play,
as her husband was from home.
The quaker said, by yea and nay,
I will not fail to come.

Now just about the close of day
they did to supper fall;

Now Jack was there as well as they,
and walk'd about the hall,

And did her fond behaviour note,
she on her friend did lean,
Jack having his enchanting coat
was not for to be seen.

Who perfectly did hear and see

when they did toy and play; Thought he, I'll be reveng'd on ye, before the morning day.

*

VII.

Jack slays a monstrous giant, and marries a knight's daughter.

JACK HORNER a fierce giant kill'd,

one Galligantus stout,

As large as ever man beheld

in all the world throughout.

This very giant could with ease,
step fifteen yards in length:
Up by the root he pluck'd oak trees,
so mighty was his strength.

His lips did open like two gates,
his beard hung down like wire,
His eyes were like two pewter plates,
he breathed smoke and fire.

'Tis said that he destroy'd as much
as ten score men could eat;
So that the people did him grudge
every bit of meat.

His mess was still continually

two bullocks in a dish;

Then he would drink whole rivers dry, and thus he starv'd the fish:

He went to drink it seems one day by a deep river side,

Whereat a lighter fall of straw did then at anchor ride;

Besides another full of hay;

a third with block and billet; He cramm'd all these into his maw, and yet they did not fill it.

He did annoy the nations then, by night and eke by day; Whoever passed by his den, became his fatal pray.

Hard by these liv'd a noble knight, who had one daughter dear; For youth and splendid beauty bright but few could her come near.

He preferr'd her to be the wife, of him that would destroy, The bruitish cruel giant's life, who did them so annoy.

At length Jack Horner being told, whoever did him slay,

Might have gold and silver eke,

likewise a lady gay;

Quoth Jack, now let me live or die,
I'll fight this swinging boar;
Though I'm but thirteen inches high,
and he ten yards and more.

A sword he got five inches long,
a little cap of steel.

A breast-plate too both stout and strong,

quoth Jack, I'll make him reel.

Upon a badgers back he got,

in order to proceed;

Thus being mounted cap-a-pee,

away he rode full speed.

With double courage stout and bralle,

he did his valour keep:

Then coming to the giant's cave, he found him fast asleep.

His mouth it was not open wide,

but stood it seems half-cock,

Jack down his throat with speed did ride, he never stood to knock.

Jack cut and slash'd his swinging tripes, this griev'd the giant sore;

Then did he play upon his pipes,
which made him dance and roar.

He cry'd, I dance, yet I'm not well,
there's no man minds my moan:
At length he died and down he fell,
Then gave a hideous groan.

With that he soon with speed did run,
and did in brief declare,

What by his valour he had done, and gain'd the lady fair.

He marry'd this fair beauty bright, her charms he did admire:

And since her father was a knight,

young Jack became a 'squire.

N

P. 39. 1. 11.

P. 39, 1. 19.

A couplet is wanting after this line.

She whipped them all, &c. Sometimes this line is thus given :

"She borrow'd a beetle, and she knock'd 'em all o' th' head."

P. 40, 1. 18. Taffy was a Welshman. Sung on the first of March on the Welsh borders, and other parts of England. P. 41, 1.9. Mary had a pretty bird. This is probably modern.

P. 43, 1.5. Three blind mice. The following version is from "Deuteromelia, or the second part of Musicks Melodie, 1609," where the music is also given:

"Three blinde mice, three blinde mice,

Dame Julian, the miller, and his merry old wife,
Shee scrapte her tripe, take thou the knife."

P. 46, 1. 7. Sing a song of sixpence. It is probable that Sir Toby alludes to this nursery song in "Twelfth Night," act ii. scene 3, when he says, "Come on; there is sixpence for you: let's have a song." The following additional stanza was obtained from the Isle of Man :

P. 48, 1. 1.

66

given at p. 57,

Jenny was so mad,

She didn't know what to do;
She put her finger in her ear,

And crackt it right in two."

Little Jenny Wren. This is part of the tale and is taken from a farthing merriment.

P. 60, 1. 19. Laughing. Probably loffin, to complete the rhyme. So in "Midsummer Night's Dream," act ii. scene 1 :

"And then the whole quire hold their hips, and loffe."

P. 61, 1. 1. She took a clean dish. Sometimes thus: "She went to the triper's."

P. 63, 1. 1. Old King Cole. This ought to have been placed in the first class. It is a singular fact that King Cole was one of the ancient British kings. The following two versions differ from that which I have printed in the text:

"Old King Coel

66

I.

Was a merry old soul,

And a merry old soul was he;

Old King Coel,

He sat in his hole,

And he call'd for his fiddlers three, &c.

The first, he was an Irishman;

The second, he was a Scot;
The third, he was a Welshman;
And all were rogues, I wot.

"The Irishman lov'd usquebaugh ;

The Scot was drown'd in ale;

The Welshman had like to be chok'd by a mouse,
But he pull'd her out by the tail."

"Old King Coel

II.

Was a merry old soul,

And a merry old soul was he;

Old King Coel,

He sat in his hole,

And he call'd for his pipers three.

"The first, he was a miller;

The second, he was a weaver ;

The third, he was a tailor;

And all were rogues together.