Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England

PART I.. This Indian Weed, Now Withered Quite,

THIS Indian weed, now withered quite, Though green at noon, cut down at night, Shows thy decay; All flesh is hay: Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

The pipe so lily-like and weak, Does thus thy mortal state bespeak; Thou art e’en such,— Gone with a touch: Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

And when the smoke ascends on high, Then thou behold’st the vanity Of worldly stuff, Gone with a puff: Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

And when the pipe grows foul within, Think on thy soul defiled with sin; For then the fire It does require: Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

And seest the ashes cast away, Then to thyself thou mayest say, That to the dust Return thou must. Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

PART II.. Was This Small Plant for Thee Cut Down?

Was this small plant for thee cut down? So was the plant of great renown, Which Mercy sends For nobler ends. Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

Doth juice medicinal proceed From such a naughty foreign weed? Then what’s the power Of Jesse’s flower? Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

The promise, like the pipe, inlays, And by the mouth of faith conveys, What virtue flows From Sharon’s rose. Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

In vain the unlighted pipe you blow, Your pains in outward means are so, Till heavenly fire Your heart inspire. Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

The smoke, like burning incense, towers, So should a praying heart of yours, With ardent cries, Surmount the skies. Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

THE MASONIC HYMN.

COME all you freemasons that dwell around the globe, That wear the badge of innocence, I mean the royal robe, Which Noah he did wear when in the ark he stood, When the world was destroyed by a deluging flood.

Noah he was virtuous in the sight of the Lord, He loved a freemason that kept the secret word; For he built the ark, and he planted the first vine, Now his soul in heaven like an angel doth shine.

Once I was blind, and could not see the light, Then up to Jerusalem I took my flight, I was led by the evangelist through a wilderness of care, You may see by the sign and the badge that I wear.

On the 13th rose the ark, let us join hand in hand, For the Lord spake to Moses by water and by land, Unto the pleasant river where by Eden it did rin, And Eve tempted Adam by the serpent of sin.

When I think of Moses it makes me to blush, All on mount Horeb where I saw the burning bush; My shoes I’ll throw off, and my staff I’ll cast away, And I’ll wander like a pilgrim unto my dying day.

When I think of Aaron it makes me to weep, Likewise of the Virgin Mary who lay at our Saviour’s feet; ’Twas in the garden of Gethsemane where he had the bloody sweat; Repent, my dearest brethren, before it is too late.

I thought I saw twelve dazzling lights, which put me in surprise, And gazing all around me I heard a dismal noise; The serpent passèd by me which fell unto the ground, With great joy and comfort the secret word I found.

Some say it is lost, but surely it is found, And so is our Saviour, it is known to all around; Search all the Scriptures over, and there it will be shown; The tree that will bear no fruit must be cut down.

Abraham was a man well belovèd by the Lord, He was true to be found in great Jehovah’s word, He stretchèd forth his hand, and took a knife to slay his son, An angel appearing said, The Lord’s will be done!

O, Abraham! O, Abraham! lay no hand upon the lad, He sent him unto thee to make thy heart glad; Thy seed shall increase like stars in the sky, And thy soul into heaven like Gabriel shall fly.

O, never, O, never will I hear an orphan cry, Nor yet a gentle virgin until the day I die; You wandering Jews that travel the wide world round, May knock at the door where truth is to be found.

Often against the Turks and Infidels we fight, To let the wandering world know we’re in the right, For in heaven there’s a lodge, and St. Peter keeps the door, And none can enter in but those that are pure.

St. Peter he opened, and so we entered in, Into the holy seat secure, which is all free from sin; St. Peter he opened, and so we entered there, And the glory of the temple no man can compare.

GOD SPEED THE PLOW, AND BLESS THE CORN-MOW.

A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE HUSBANDMAN AND SERVINGMAN.

The tune is, I am the Duke of Norfolk.

ARGUMENT.

The servingman the plowman would invite To leave his calling and to take delight; But he to that by no means will agree, Lest he thereby should come to beggary. He makes it plain appear a country life Doth far excel: and so they end the strife.

* * * * *

MY noble friends give ear, if mirth you love to hear, I’ll tell you as fast as I can, A story very true, then mark what doth ensue, Concerning of a husbandman. A servingman did meet a husbandman in the street, And thus unto him began:

SERVINGMAN.

I pray you tell to me of what calling you be, Or if you be a servingman?

HUSBANDMAN.

Quoth he, my brother dear, the coast I mean to clear, And the truth you shall understand: I do no one disdain, but this I tell you plain, I am an honest husbandman.

SERVINGMAN.

If a husbandman you be, then come along with me, I’ll help you as soon as I can Unto a gallant place, where in a little space, You shall be a servingman.

HUSBANDMAN.

Sir, for your diligence I give you many thanks, These things I receive at your hand; I pray you to me show, whereby that I might know, What pleasures hath a servingman?

SERVINGMAN.

A servingman hath pleasure, which passeth time and measure, When the hawk on his fist doth stand; His hood, and his verrils brave, and other things, we have, Which yield joy to a servingman.

HUSBANDMAN.

My pleasure’s more than that to see my oxen fat, And to prosper well under my hand; And therefore I do mean, with my horse, and with my team, To keep myself a husbandman.

SERVINGMAN.

O ’tis a gallant thing in the prime time of the spring, To hear the huntsman now and than His bugle for to blow, and the hounds run all a row: This is pleasure for a servingman! To hear the beagle cry, and to see the falcon fly, And the hare trip over the plain, And the huntsmen and the hound make hill and dale rebound: This is pleasure for a servingman!

HUSBANDMAN.

’Tis pleasure, too, you know, to see the corn to grow, And to grow so well on the land; The plowing and the sowing, the reaping and the mowing, Yield pleasure to the husbandman.

SERVINGMAN.

At our table you may eat all sorts of dainty meat, Pig, cony, goose, capon, and swan; And with lords and ladies fine, you may drink beer, ale, and wine! This is pleasure for a servingman.

HUSBANDMAN.

While you eat goose and capon, I’ll feed on beef and bacon, And piece of hard cheese now and than; We pudding have, and souse, always ready in the house, Which contents the honest husbandman.

SERVINGMAN.

At the court you may have your garments fine and brave, And cloak with gold lace laid upon, A shirt as white as milk, and wrought with finest silk: That’s pleasure for a servingman!

HUSBANDMAN.

Such proud and costly gear is not for us to wear; Amongst the briers and brambles many a one, A good strong russet coat, and at your need a groat, Will suffice the husbandman. A proverb here I tell, which likes my humour well, And remember it well I can, If a courtier be too bold, he’ll want when he is old. Then farewell the servingman.

SERVINGMAN.

It needs must be confest that your calling is the best, No longer discourse with you I can; But henceforth I will pray, by night and by day, Heaven bless the honest husbandman.

A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE HUSBANDMAN AND THE SERVINGMAN.

SERVINGMAN.

WELL met, my brother friend, all at this highway end, So simple all alone, as you can, I pray you tell to me, what may your calling be, Are you not a servingman?

HUSBANDMAN.

No, no, my brother dear, what makes you to inquire Of any such a thing at my hand? Indeed I shall not feign, but I will tell you plain, I am a downright husbandman.

SERVINGMAN.

If a husbandman you be, then go along with me, And quickly you shall see out of hand, How in a little space I will help you to a place, Where you may be a servingman.

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