The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume Ii Part 20

XV. Here come seven sisters, And seven milken daughters, And with the ladies of the land, And please will you grant us.

I grant you once, I grant you twice, I grant you three times over; A for all, and B for ball, And please [ ] deliver the ball.

-Bocking, Ess.e.x (_Folk-lore Journal_, vi. 211).

[Ill.u.s.tration]

(_b_) Sides are chosen, and two lines are formed; the words are said by each line alternately. One line, in which is the Queen, standing still or sitting down, the other line advancing and retiring while singing the words. The latter line gives one of their number a ball or some other small object to hold in the hand in such a manner that it cannot be perceived. All the players on this side then a.s.sume the same position-either all put their hands behind them or fold their arms, put their hands under their armpits, or under their skirts or pinafores. The object of the other side is to guess which child in the line has the ball. The line which has the ball commences the game by advancing singing or saying the first three or four lines. Queen Anne answers, and then names one of the girls on the opposite side whom she suspects to have the ball, and if she be right in her guess the lines change sides.

If she be wrong, the line retires in triumph, the girl who possesses the ball holding it up to show the Queen she is wrong. The children all curtsey when leaving the Queen's presence. Another girl of the line then takes the ball and the game continues till the right holder of the ball is named. When the Queen tells the line of players to "turn," they all spin round, coming back to face the Queen, and then stand still again.

In the North Kelsey version (Miss Peac.o.c.k) there is only one player on Queen Anne's side, the rest form the line. This is also the case with the Cornish game.

(_c_) The a.n.a.lysis of the game-rhymes is as follows:-

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ No. Scotland (Chambers). Halliwell (1). Halliwell (2). +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ 1. - - - 2. - - - 3. Lady Q. Anne. Q. Anne, Anne. Queen Anne. 4. - - - 5. Sits in her stand. - - 6. - Sits on her throne. - 7. - - Sits in the sun. 8. Pair of green gloves - - on her hand. 9. White as a lily, fair Fair as lily, white as - as a swan. swan. 10. - - Fair as lily, white as wand. 11. Fairest lady in the - - land. 12. - - - 13. Smell my lily, smell - - my rose. 14. Which of my maidens do - - you choose? 15. - - - 16. - - - 17. - - - 18. - King sends three I send you three letters. letters. 19. - Begs you'll read one. Pray read one. 20. - - - 21. Choose you one and Cannot read one You must read one, choose you all. unless I read all. if you can't all. 22. - - - 23. Pray, Miss, yield up Pray [ ] deliver Pray, Miss [ ], the ball. the ball. throw up the ball. 24. - - - 25. The ball is mine, and The ball is mine, and - none of yours. none of thine. 26. - You, proud Queen, may - sit on your throne. 27. - While we, your - messengers, go and come. 28. Go to the woods and - - gather flowers. 29. - - - 30. - The ball is mine, and - none of thine. 31. - You are the fair lady - to sit on. 32. - And we're black gip- - sies to go and come. 33. - - - 34. - - - 35. Cats and kittens, bide - - within. 36. We young ladies walk - - out and in. 37. - - - 38. - - - 39. - - - +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ No. Halliwell (3). Dorsets.h.i.+re. Cornwall. +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ 1. Here we come a-piping. - - 2. First in Spring, then - - in May. 3. - Queen Anne. Lady Queen Anne. 4. Queen. - - 5. Sits upon the sand. - - 6. - - - 7. - Sot in the sun. - 8. - White glove on. Pair of white gloves to cover our hand. 9. - - White as lily, fair as rose. 10. Fair as lily, white as Fair as lily, white as - wand. nun. 11. - - - 12. - - Not so fair as you may suppose. 13. - - - 14. - - - 15. - Turn, ladies. Turn, ladies. 16. - More we turn, more we More we turn, more we may. may. 17. - Queen Anne was born on Q. Anne was born on midsummer day. midsummer day. 18. King John has sent We've brought three King sent me three three letters. letters. letters. 19. Begs you'll read them - - unto me. 20. - One of these only by - you must be seen. 21. We can't read one We can't read one, - without all. must read all. 22. - - I never read them all. 23. Pray, Miss [ ], Please [ ] deliver Pray, Miss [ ], deliver the ball. the ball. deliver the ball. 24. - - - 25. - - The ball is yours, and not ours. 26. - - - 27. - - - 28. - - Go to the garden and gather flowers. 29. - - - 30. - - The ball is ours, and none of yours. 31. - - - 32. - - - 33. - - We must go to the garden and gather flowers. 34. - - - 35. - - - 36. - - - 37. - - - 38. - - - 39. - - - +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ No. North Kelsey. Belfast. Swaffham. +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ 1. - - - 2. - - - 3. Queen Anne. Lady Queen Anne. Queen Anne. 4. - - - 5. - Sits on a stand. - 6. - - - 7. Sits in the sun. - Sits in the sun. 8. Pair of kid gloves in Pair of green gloves - her hand. all over her hand. 9. - Fair as lily, white as - swan. 10. Fair as lily, white - Fair as lily, brown as and wan. bun. 11. No such lady in the Fairest lady in the - land. land. 12. - - - 13. - Taste my lily, smell - my rose. 14. - Which of my babes do - you choose? 15. Turn all. - - 16. More we turn, better - - we are. 17. - - - 18. - - We've brought three letters. 19. - - Pray can you read one. 20. - - - 21. - Choose not one but - choose all. 22. - - - 23. - Please, Miss Nell, Pray deliver the ball. give up the ball. 24. We've got the ball - - between us. 25. - - You, old gipsy sit in the sun. 26. - - We fair ladies, go and come. 27. - The ball is ours, it The ball is mine, and is not yours. none of thine. 28. - We'll go to the woods - and gather flowers. 29. - - - 30. - - - 31. - - - 32. - - - 33. - - - 34. - - - 35. - - - 36. - - - 37. - We will get pins to - pin our clothes. 38. - You will get nails to - nail your toes. 39. - - So good morning Valentine. +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ No. London. Barnes. Hersham. +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ 1. - - - 2. - - - 3. Queen Anne. Queen Anne. Lady Queen Anne. 4. - - - 5. - - Sits in a tan. 6. - - - 7. Sits in the sun. Sits in the sun. - 8. - - - 9. - Fair as lily, white as Fair as lily, white as swan. swan. 10. Fair as lily, brown as - - bun. 11. - - - 12. - - - 13. - - - 14. - - - 15. - - - 16. - - - 17. - - - 18. We bring you three I bring you three Queen of Morocco sent letters. letters. you a letter. 19. Pray you read one. Pray you choose one. Please to read one. 20. - - - 21. Cannot read one Cannot read one I won't read one without all. without all. except all. 22. - - - 23. Please give up the Pray give up the ball. Please, Miss [ ], ball. deliver the ball. 24. - - - 25. - - - 26. - - - 27. The ball is ours, and The ball is ours, it - none of yours. is not yours. 28. - - - 29. And we've the right to And we've the right to - keep it. keep it. 30. The ball is yours, and The ball is yours, it - not ours. is not ours. 31. You, black gipsies, - - sit in the sun. 32. While we, fair ladies, - - go as we come. 33. - - - 34. - And you've the right - to keep it. 35. - - - 36. - - - 37. - - - 38. - - - 39. - - - +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

+---+----------------------+----------------------+ No. Suss.e.x. Devon. +---+----------------------+----------------------+ 1. - - 2. - - 3. Queen Ann. Queen Ann. 4. - - 5. - - 6. - - 7. Sits in the sun. Sat in the sun. 8. - Pair of white gloves to cover her hand. 9. - White as lily, red as rose. 10. Fair as lily, bright - as one. 11. - - 12. - - 13. - - 14. - To which young lady do you propose? 15. - - 16. - - 17. - - 18. King Geo. has sent you - three letters. 19. Desires you to read - one. 20. - - 21. Cannot read one - without all. 22. - - 23. Pray, Miss [ ], - deliver the ball. 24. - - 25. So, black gipsies, sit - in the sun. 26. We fair ladies, go as - we come. 27. The ball is ours, and - none of yours. 28. - - 29. - - 30. - - 31. - - 32. - - 33. - - 34. - - 35. - - 36. - - 37. - - 38. - - 39. - - +---+----------------------+----------------------+

This game appears to be in such a state of decadence that it is difficult to do more than suggest an origin. It may be that "Queen Anne"

represents an oracle, and the pet.i.tion is addressed to her to discover the stolen treasure; but more probably the players represent disguised damsels, one of whom is a bride whose ident.i.ty has to be found out by her showing or possessing some object which belongs to or has been given previously by her suitor. The "guessing" or "naming" a particular person runs through all the versions, and is undoubtedly the clue to the game.

If the Belfast version is the nearest to the original of those at present existing, and there is every probability that this is so, especially as Chambers' version is so similar, an early form of the game might be restored, and from this its origin may be ascertained. Using the first four lines of one of Halliwell's versions, and what appear to be the common lines of the other versions, the reading is-

_Suitor and Friends._

Here we come a-piping, First in Spring and then in May.

The Queen she sits upon the sand, Fair as a lily, white as a wand [swan].

Here's a pair of {white} gloves to cover the hands [suitors offer {green} gloves],

Of the fairest lady in all the land.

_Guardian (or Mother) and Maidens._

Come {taste} my lily, come {taste} my rose, {smell} {smell} For which of my maidens do you propose?

_Suitors or Queen Anne._

I chose but one, I chose from all, I pray, Miss ( ), receive the ball [throwing ball to one girl, who catches it].

Or-

I pray this hand receive the ball, [putting a ball into the extended hands of one of three girls.]

Guardian then disguises three girls (one with the ball) with veils or other coverings, so that they precisely resemble each other, and returns with the girls to the suitors, saying to the girls-

Turn, ladies, turn; turn, ladies, turn;

and to the suitors-

Come choose your own, come choose from all.

I've brought you three letters, pray can you read one?

_Suitor_

(touching one of the disguised girls).

I cannot read one without I read all.

I pray, Miss ( ), yield up the ball.

_Disguised Maiden_

(one who did not receive the ball).

The ball is mine, and none of thine, And so, good morning, Valentine.

_Chorus of Maidens_ (curtseying).

We will go to the wood and gather flowers, We will get pins to pin our clothes, You will get nails to nail your toes.

Cats and kittens bide within, But we, young maidens, come out and in.

The inference being that the chosen maiden is still free until the suitor can try again, and is fortunate enough to indicate the right maiden.

If this conjectural restoration of the verses be accepted on the evidence, it would suggest that this game originated from one of the not uncommon customs practised at weddings or betrothals-when the suitor has to discriminate between several girls all dressed precisely alike and distinguish his bride by some token. (See "King William.") This incident of actual primitive custom also obtains in folk tales, thus showing its strong hold upon popular tradition, and hence increasing the probability that it would reappear in games. It must be remembered that the giving of gloves was a significant fact in betrothals.

This game is said by some to have its origin in the use of the sedan chair. A version taken from a newspaper cutting (unfortunately I had not recorded the name and date, but think it was probably the _Leeds Mercury_ some years ago) gives the following rhyme. The writer does not say whether he knows it as a game-

Lady Lucan she sits in a sedan, As fair as a lily, as white as a swan; A pair of green gloves to doff and to don.

My mistress desires you will read one, I can't read one without them all, So I pray this hand decline the ball.

In this version there is still the puzzle to solve, or riddle to read.

Queen Mary

[Music: Verses 1, 2.]

[Music: Verses 3, 4, 5.]

-Hexham (Miss J. Barker).

I. Queen Mary, Queen Mary, my age is sixteen, My father's a farmer on yonder green; He has plenty of money to dress me in silk- Come away, my sweet laddie, and take me a walk.

One morning I rose and I looked in the gla.s.s, I thought to myself what a handsome young la.s.s; My hands by my side, and a gentle ha, ha, Come away, my sweet la.s.sie, and take me a walk.

Father, mother, may I go, may I go, may I go; Father, mother, may I go, to buy a bunch of roses?