The Nursery Rhymes of England Part 2

William and Mary, George and Anne, Four such children had never a man: They put their father to flight and shame, And call'd their brother a shocking bad name.

XXV.

[A song on King William the Third.]

As I walk'd by myself, And talked to myself, Myself said unto me, Look to thyself, Take care of thyself, For n.o.body cares for thee.

I answer'd myself, And said to myself In the self-same repartee, Look to thyself, Or not look to thyself, The self-same thing will be.

XXVI.

[From MS. Sloane, 1489, fol. 19, written in the time of Charles I. It appears from MS. Harl. 390, fol. 85, that these verses were written in 1626, against the Duke of Buckingham.]

There was a monkey climb'd up a tree, When he fell down, then down fell he.

There was a crow sat on a stone, When he was gone, then there was none.

There was an old wife did eat an apple, When she had eat two, she had eat a couple.

There was a horse going to the mill, When he went on, he stood not still.

There was a butcher cut his thumb, When it did bleed, then blood did come.

There was a lackey ran a race, When he ran fast, he ran apace.

There was a cobbler clowting shoon, When they were mended, they were done.

There was a chandler making candle, When he them strip, he did them handle.

There was a navy went into Spain, When it return'd it came again.

XXVII.

[The following may possibly allude to King George and the Pretender.]

Jim and George were two great lords, They fought all in a churn; And when that Jim got George by the nose, Then George began to gern.

XXVIII.

Little General Monk Sat upon a trunk, Eating a crust of bread; There fell a hot coal And burnt in his clothes a hole, Now General Monk is dead.

Keep always from the fire: If it catch your attire, You too, like Monk, will be dead.

XXIX.

Eighty-eight wor Kirby feight, When nivver a man was slain; They yatt their meaat, an drank ther drink An sae com merrily heaam agayn.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

SECOND CLa.s.s--LITERAL.

x.x.x.

One, two, three, I love coffee, And Billy loves tea.

How good you be, One, two, three.

I love coffee, And Billy loves tea.

x.x.xI.

A, B, C, tumble down D, The cat's in the cupboard and can't see me.

x.x.xII.

[_Finis._]

F for fig, J for jig, And N for knuckle bones, I for John the waterman, And S for sack of stones.

x.x.xIII.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5!

I caught a hare alive; 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!

I let her go again.

x.x.xIV.

Great A, little a, Bouncing B!

The cat's in the cupboard, And she can't see.

x.x.xV.

One's none; Two's some; Three's a many; Four's a penny; Five is a little hundred.

x.x.xVI.