Cavalier Songs and Ballads of England from 1642 to 1684 Part 5

And though the King be much misled By that malignant crew, He'll find us honest at the last, Give all of us our due.

For we do wisely plot, and plot Rebellion to alloy, He sees we stand for peace and truth The clean contrary way.

The publick faith shall save our souls And our good works together; And s.h.i.+ps shall save our lives, that stay Only for wind and weather: But when our faith and works fall down And all our hopes decay, Our acts will bear us up to heaven The clean contrary way.

Ballad: The Cameronian Cat

A well-known song from Hogg's Jacobite Relics; and popular among the Cavaliers both of England and Scotland in the days of the Commonwealth. It was usually sung to a psalm tune; the singers imitating the style and manner of a precentor at a Presbyterian church.

There was a Cameronian cat Was hunting for a prey, And in the house she catch'd a mouse Upon the Sabbath-day.

The Whig, being offended At such an act profane, Laid by his book, the cat he took, And bound her in a chain.

Thou d.a.m.n'd, thou cursed creature, This deed so dark with thee, Think'st thou to bring to h.e.l.l below My holy wife and me?

a.s.sure thyself that for the deed Thou blood for blood shalt pay, For killing of the Lord's own mouse Upon the Sabbath-day.

The presbyter laid by the book, And earnestly he pray'd That the great sin the cat had done Might not on him be laid.

And straight to execution Poor p.u.s.s.y she was drawn, And high hang'd up upon a tree - The preacher sung a psalm.

And when the work was ended, They thought the cat near dead, She gave a paw, and then a mew, And stretched out her head.

Thy name, said he, shall certainly A beacon still remain, A terror unto evil ones For evermore, Amen.

Ballad: The Royal Feast

A Loyall Song of the Royall Feast kept by the Prisoners in the Towre, August last, with the Names, t.i.tles, and Characters of every Prisoner. By Sir F. W., Knight and Baronet, Prisoner. (Sept.

16th, 1647.)

"In the negotiations between the King and the Parliament during the summer and autumn of this year," says Mr Thomas Wright in his Political Ballads of the Commonwealth, published for the Percy Society, "the case of the royalist prisoners in the Tower was frequently brought into question. The latter seized the occasion of complaining against the rigours (complaints apparently exaggerated) which were exerted against them, and on the 16th June, 1647, was published 'A True Relation of the cruell and unparallel'd Oppression which hath been illegally imposed upon the Gentlemen Prisoners in the Tower of London.' The several pet.i.tions contained in this tract have the signatures of Francis Howard, Henry Bedingfield, Walter Blount, Giles Strangwaies, Francis Butler, Henry Vaughan, Thomas Lunsford, Richard Gibson, Tho. Violet, John Morley, Francis Wortley, Edw. Bishop, John Hewet, Wingfield Bodenham, Henry Warren, W. Morton, John Slaughter, Gilbert Swinhow."

On the 19th of August (according to the MODERATE INTELLIGENCER of that date) the King sent to the royal prisoners in the Tower two fat bucks for a feast. This circ.u.mstance was the origin of the present ballad. It was written by Sir Francis Wortley, one of the prisoners. This ballad, as we learn by the concluding lines, was to be sung to the popular tune of "Chevy Chace."

G.o.d save the best of kings, King Charles!

The best of queens, Queen Mary!

The ladies all, Gloster and Yorke, Prince Charles, so like old harry! (5)

G.o.d send the King his own again, His towre and all his coyners!

And blesse all kings who are to reigne, From traytors and purloyners!

The King sent us poor traytors here (But you may guesse the reason) Two brace of bucks to mend the cheere, Is't not to eat them treason?

Let Selden search Cotton's records, And Rowley in the Towre, They cannot match the president, It is not in their power.

Old Collet would have joy'd to 've seen This president recorded; For all the papers he ere saw Scarce such an one afforded.

The King sent us, etc.

But that you may these traytors know, I'll be so bold to name them; That if they ever traytors prove Then this record may shame them: But these are well-try'd loyal blades (If England ere had any), Search both the Houses through and through You'ld scarcely finde so many.

The King sent us, etc.

The first and chiefe a marquesse (6) is, Long with the State did wrestle; Had Ogle (7) done as much as he, Th'ad spoyl'd Will Waller's castle.

Ogle had wealth and t.i.tle got, So layd down his commissions; The n.o.ble marquesse would not yield, But scorn'd all base conditions.

The King sent us, etc.

The next a worthy bishop (8) is, Of schismaticks was hated; But I the cause could never know, Nor see the reason stated.

The cryes were loud, G.o.d knowes the cause, They had a strange committee, Which was a-foot well neere a yeare, Who would have had small pitty.

The King sent us, etc.

The next to him is a Welsh Judge, (9) Durst tell them what was treason; Old honest David durst be good When it was out of season; He durst discover all the tricks The lawyers use, and knavery, And show the subtile plots they use To enthrall us into slavery.

The King sent us, etc.

Frank Wortley (10) hath a jovial soule, Yet never was good club-man; He's for the bishops and the church, But can endure no tub-man.

He told Sir Thomas in the Towre, Though he by him was undone, It pleased him that he lost more men In taking him then London.

The King sent us, etc.

Sir Edward Hayles (11) was wond'rous rich, No flower in Kent yields honey In more abundance to the bee Then they from him suck money; Yet hee's as chearfull as the best - Judge Jenkins sees no reason That honest men for wealth should be Accused of high treason.

The King sent us, etc.

Old Sir George Strangways (12) he came in, Though he himself submitted, Yet as a traytor he must be Excepted and committed: Yet they th' exception now take off, But not the sequestrations, Hee must forsooth to Goldsmith's-hall, The place of desolation.

The King sent us, etc.

Honest Sir Berr's a reall man, As ere was lapt in leather; But he (G.o.d blesse us) loves the King, And therefore was sent hither.

He durst be sheriff, and durst make The Parliament acquainted What he intended for to doe, And for this was attainted.

The King sent us, etc.

Sir Benefield, (13) Sir Walter Blunt, Are Romishly affected, So's honest Frank of Howard's race, And slaughter is suspected. (14) But how the devill comes this about, That Papists are so loyall, And those that call themselves G.o.d's saints Like devils do destroy all?

The King sent us, etc.

Jack Hewet (15) will have wholesome meat, And drink good wine, if any; His entertainment's free and neat, His choyce of friends not many; Jack is a loyall-hearted man, Well parted and a scholar; He'll grumble if things please him not, But never grows to choller.

The King sent us, etc.

Gallant Sir Thomas, (16) bold and stout (Brave Lunsford), children eateth; But he takes care, where he eats one, There he a hundred getteth; When Harlow's wife brings her long bills, He wishes she were blinded; When shee speaks loud, as loud he swears The woman's earthly-minded.

The King sent us, etc.

Sir Lewis (17) hath an able pen, Can cudgell a committee; He makes them doe him reason, though They others do not pitty.

Brave Cleaveland had a willing minde, Frank Wortley was not able, But Lewis got foure pound per weeke For's children and his table.

The King sent us, etc.

Giles Strangwayes (18) has a gallant soul, A brain infatigable; What study he ere undertakes To master it hee's able: He studies on his theoremes, And logarithmes for number; He loves to speake of Lewis Dives, (19) And they are ne'er asunder.

The King sent us, etc.