The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume Ii Part 48

We're quite as white as you, sir, &c.

Up of the kitchen, down of the hall, Pick the fairest girl of all; The fairest one that I can see Is -- --, come to me.

-Suffolk (Mrs. Haddon).

XIII. Here comes the Duke of Rideo, Of Rideo, of Rideo; Here comes the Duke of Rideo, Of a cold and frosty morning.

My will is for to get married, &c.

Will any of my fair daughters do? &c.

[The word "do" must be said in a drawling way.]

They are all too black or too proudy, They sit in the sun so cloudy; With golden chains around their necks, That makes them look so proudy.

They're good enough for you, sir! &c.

I'll walk the kitchen and the hall, And take the fairest of them all; The fairest one that I can see Is Miss -- So Miss --, come to me.

Now we've got this pretty girl, This pretty girl, this pretty girl; Now we've got this pretty girl, Of a cold and frosty morning.

-Symondsbury, Dorsets.h.i.+re (_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 222-223).

XIV. Here come three dukes a-riding, a-riding, a-riding, Here come three dukes a-riding; With a ransom, tansom, tisamy, tea!

What is your good will, sirs? &c.

My good will is to marry, &c.

One of my fair daughters? &c.

You're all too black and browsy, &c.

Quite as good as you, sirs, &c.

[The dukes select a girl who refuses to go to them.]

O, naughty maid! O, naughty maid!

You won't come out to me!

You shall see a blackbird, A blackbird and a swan; You should see a nice young man Persuading you to come.

-Wrotham, Kent (Miss Dora Kimball).

XV. Here comes a duke a-riding, a-riding, a-riding; Here comes a duke a-riding, to my nancy, pancy, disimi, oh!

Which of us will you have, sir? &c.

You're all so fat and greasy, &c.

We're all as clean as you, sir, &c.

Come down to my kitchen, come down to my hall, I'll pick the finest of you all. The fairest is that girl I shall say, "Come to me."

I will buy a silk and satin dress, to trail a yard as we go to church, Madam, will you walk? madam, will you talk?

Madam, will you marry me?

I will buy you a gold watch and chain, to hang by your side as we go to church; Madam, will you walk? madam, will you talk?

Madam, will you marry me?

I will buy you the key of the house, to enter in when my son's out; Madam, will you walk? madam, will you talk?

Madam, will you marry me?

-Earls Heaton, Yorks. (H. Hardy).

XVI. Here comes one duke a-riding, With a rancey, tancey, tiddy boys, O!

Rancey, tancey, tay!

Pray which will you take of us, sir? &c.

You're all as dark as gipsies, &c.

Quite good enough for you, &c.

Then we'll take this one, &c.

[After all are taken, the dukes say]-

Now we've got this bonny bunch, &c.

-Hurstmonceux, Suss.e.x, about 1880 (Miss E. Chase).

[A Devon variant gives for the third verse-

You are all too black and ugly, and ugly, and ugly.

And-

You are all too black and _browsie_, &c.

With the additional verse-

I walked through the kitchen, I walked through the hall, For the prettiest and fairest Of you all.

Ending with-

Now I have got my bonny la.s.s, &c.

And something like-