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                      _Gammer Gurton's Garland._



                           Gammer Gurton's
                               Garland

                                  OR

                       _THE NURSERY PARNASSUS_


          A Choice Collection of Pretty Songs and Verses for
              the Amusement of all Little Good Children
                    who can neither read nor run.

                            [Illustration]

                             LONDON, 1810
                            REPRINTED FOR
                        HUGH HOPKINS, GLASGOW
                                 1866



                 _Printed by_ R. CLARK, _Edinburgh_.




"GAMMER GURTON'S GARLAND, or the Nursery Parnassus," was originally
issued at Stockton, as a small twopenny _brochure_, in 32mo, without a
date, "printed by and for R. Christopher." Sir Harris Nicholas says it
appeared in the year 1783, "one of the most prolific of Ritson's pen."
Haslewood is of opinion that it appeared about the same period as "The
Bishopric Garland, or Durham Minstrel," which was printed at Stockton
for the same R. Christopher in 1784. "Gammer Gurton's Garland" was again
printed, with additions, 1809, in 8vo. This little work, a great
favourite with those for whose amusement it was compiled, has been more
than once reprinted since. The present edition has been very carefully
executed, and rendered complete by the addition of an index.

The impression has been limited to one hundred copies small paper, and
twelve copies large paper.

  GLASGOW, MDCCCLXVI.

       *       *       *       *       *




                            [Illustration]

                                PART I.


THE FROG AND MOUSE.

  There was a frog liv'd in a well,
      Kitty alone, Kitty alone;
  There was a frog liv'd in a well,
      Kitty alone and I.
  There was a frog liv'd in a well,
  And a farce[A] mouse in a mill.
      Cock me cary, Kitty alone,
      Kitty alone and I.

  This frog he would a wooing ride,
      Kitty alone, etc.
  This frog he would a wooing ride,
  And on a snail he got astride.
      Cock me cary, etc.

  He rode till he came to my Lady Mouse hall,
      Kitty alone, etc.
  He rode till he came to my Lady Mouse hall,
  And there he did both knock and call.
      Cock me cary, etc.

  Quoth he, Miss Mouse, I'm come to thee,
      Kitty alone, etc.
  Quoth he, Miss Mouse, I'm come to thee,
  To see if thou can fancy me.
      Cock me cary, etc.

  Quoth she, Answer I'll give you none,
      Kitty alone, etc.
  Quoth she, Answer I'll give you none,
  Until my uncle Rat come home.
      Cock me cary, etc.

  And when her uncle Rat came home,
      Kitty alone, etc.
  And when her uncle Rat came home,
  Who's been here since I've been gone?
      Cock me cary, etc.

  Sir, there's been a worthy gentleman,
      Kitty alone, etc.
  Sir, there's been a worthy gentleman,
  That's been here since you've been gone.
      Cock me cary, etc.

  The frog he came whistling through the brook,
      Kitty alone, etc.
  The frog he came whistling through the brook,
  And there he met with a dainty duck.
      Cock me cary, etc.

  This duck she swallow'd him up with a pluck,
      Kitty alone, Kitty alone,
  This duck she swallow'd him up with a pluck,
  So there's an end of my history book.
      Cock me cary, Kitty alone,
      Kitty alone and I.

    [A] Merry.

       *       *       *       *       *


THE LADY AND THE SWINE.

  There was a lady lov'd a swine,
      Honey, quoth she,
  Pig-hog, wilt thou be mine?
      Hoogh, quoth he.

  I'll build thee a silver stye,
      Honey, quoth she,
  And in it thou shalt lye;
      Hoogh, quoth he.

  Pinn'd with a silver pin,
      Honey, quoth she,
  That thou may go out and in,
      Hoogh, quoth he.

  Wilt thou now have me now,
      Honey? quoth she,
  Hoogh, hoogh, hoogh, quoth he,
      And went his way.

       *       *       *       *       *


THE CAMBRICK SHIRT.

  Can you make me a cambrick shirt,
    Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
  Without any seam or needle work?
    And you shall be a true lover of mine.

  Can you wash it in yonder well,
    Parsley, etc.
  Where never sprung water, nor rain ever fell?
    And you, etc.

  Can you dry it on yonder thorn,
    Parsley, etc.
  Which never bore blossom since Adam was born?
    And you, etc.

  Now you have ask'd me questions three,
    Parsley, etc.
  I hope you'll answer as many for me,
    And you, etc.

  Can you find me an acre of land,
    Parsley, etc.
  Between the salt water and the sea sand?
    And you, etc.

  Can you plow it with a ram's horn,
    Parsley, etc.
  And sow it all over with one pepper corn?
    And you, etc.

  Can you reap it with a sickle of leather,
    Parsley, etc.
  And bind it up with a peacock's feather,
    And you, etc.

  When you have done and finish'd your work,
    Parsley, etc.
  Then come to me for your cambrick shirt.
    And you, etc.

       *       *       *       *       *


THE CELEBRATED SONG OF

LONDON BRIDGE IS BROKEN DOWN.

  London bridge is broken down,
      Dance o'er my lady lee,
  London Bridge is broken down,
      With a gay lady.

  How shall we build it up again?
      Dance o'er my lady lee,
  How shall we build it up again?
      With a gay lady.

  Silver and gold will be stole away,
      Dance o'er my lady lee,
  Silver and gold will be stole away,
      With a gay lady.

  Build it up with iron and steel,
      Dance o'er my lady lee,
  Build it up with iron and steel,
      With a gay lady.

  Iron and steel will bend and bow,
      Dance o'er my lady lee,
  Iron and steel will bend and bow,
      With a gay lady.

  Build it up with wood and clay,
      Dance o'er my lady lee,
  Build it up with wood and clay,
      With a gay lady.

  Wood and clay will wash away,
      Dance o'er my lady lee,
  Wood and clay will wash away,
      With a gay lady.

  Build it up with stone so strong,
      Dance o'er my lady lee,
  Huzza! 'twill last for ages long,
      With a gay lady.

       *       *       *       *       *


THE SONG OF

THE THREE CHILDREN.

_Tune_--"Chevy Chace."

  Three children sliding on the ice,
    Upon a summer's day,
  As it fell out, they all fell in,
    The rest they ran away.

  Now had these children been at home,
    Or sliding on dry ground,
  Ten thousand pounds to one penny,
    They had not all been drown'd.

  You parents that have children dear,
    And eke you that have none,
  If you will have them safe abroad,
    Pray keep them safe at home.

       *       *       *       *       *


ROBIN, BOBBIN, RICHARD, AND JOHN:

OR, THE WREN SHOOTING.

    We'll go a shooting, says Robin to Bobbin;
    We'll go a shooting, says Richard to Robin;
    We'll go a shooting, says John all alone;
    We'll go a shooting, says every one.

    What shall we kill? says Robin to Bobbin;
    What shall we kill? says Richard to Robin;
    What shall we kill? says John all alone;
    What shall we kill? says every one.

    We'll shoot at that wren, says Robin to Bobbin;
    We'll shoot at that wren, says Richard to Robin;
    We'll shoot at that wren, says John all alone;
    We'll shoot at that wren, says every one.

    She's down, she's down, says Robin to Bobbin;
    She's down, she's down, says Richard to Robin;
    She's down, she's down, says John all alone;
    She's down, she's down, says every one.

    How shall we get her home? says Robin to Bobbin;
    How shall we get her home? says Richard to Robin;
    How shall we get her home? says John all alone;
    How shall we get her home? says every one.

    We'll hire a cart, says Robin to Bobbin;
    We'll hire a cart, says Richard to Robin;
    We'll hire a cart, says John all alone;
    We'll hire a cart, says every one.

    Then hoist, boys, hoist, says Robin to Bobbin;
    Then hoist, boys, hoist, says Richard to Robin;
    Then hoist, boys, hoist, says John all alone;
    Then hoist, boys, hoist, says every one.

  So they brought her away, after each pluck'd a feather,
  And when they got home, shar'd the booty together.

       *       *       *       *       *


THE SHORT COURTSHIP:

OR, THE LUSTY WOOER.

  Here comes a lusty wooer,
    My a dildin, my a daldin;
  Here comes a lusty wooer,
    Lily bright and shine a.

  Pray, who do you woo?
    My a dildin, my a daldin;
  Pray, who do you woo?
    Lily bright and shine a.

  For your fairest daughter,
    My a dildin, my a daldin;
  For your fairest daughter,
    Lily bright and shine a.

  Then there she is for you,
    My a dildin, my a daldin;
  Then there she is for you,
    Lily bright and shine a.

       *       *       *       *       *


THE SONG OF

THE OLD WOMAN THAT WAS TOSS'D IN A BLANKET.

  There was an old woman toss'd in a blanket
    Seventeen times as high as the moon;
  But where she was going no mortal could tell,
    For under her arm she carry'd a broom.

  Old woman, old woman, old woman, said I,
    Whither, ah whither, ah whither so high?
  To sweep the cobwebs from the sky,
    And I'll be with you by and by.

       *       *       *       *       *


THE OLD MAN AND THE OAK.

A NORTH-COUNTRY SONG.

  Says t' auld man tit oak tree,
  Young and lusty was I when I kenn'd thee;
  I was young and lusty, I was fair and clear,
  Young and lusty was I mony a lang year,
  But sair fail'd am I, sair fail'd now,
  Sair fail'd am I sen kenn'd thou.

       *       *       *       *       *


A SOLEMN DIRGE.

  Ding dong bell,
  The cat is in the well.
  Who put her in?
  Little Johnny Green.

  What a naughty boy was that,
  To drown poor pussy cat,
  Who never did him any harm,
  And kill'd the mice in his father's barn.

       *       *       *       *       *


TRIP UPON TRENCHES.

A MELANCHOLY SONG.

  Trip upon trenches, and dance upon dishes,
  My mother sent me for some barm, some barm;
  She bid me tread lightly, and come again quickly,
  For fear the young men should do me some harm.

  Yet didn't you see, yet didn't you see,
  What naughty tricks they put upon me:
        They broke my pitcher,
          And spilt the water,
        And huff'd my mother,
          And chid her daughter,
  And kiss'd my sister instead of me.

       *       *       *       *       *


T'OTHER LITTLE TUNE.

A VERY PLEASANT SONG.

  Won't be my father's Jack,
    I wont be my mother's Gill,
  I will be the fiddler's wife,
    And have music when I will.
        T'other little tune,
        T'other little tune,
        Pr'ythee, love, play me
        T'other little tune.

       *       *       *       *       *


THE SONG OF

THE THREE WISE MEN OF GOTHAM,

WHO WENT TO SEA IN A BOWL.

  Three wise men of Gotham
  Went to sea in a bowl,
  And if the bowl had been stronger,
  My song had been longer.

       *       *       *       *       *


SONG OF SIXPENCE.

  Sing a song of sixpence, a bag full of rye,
  Four-and-twenty blackbirds bak'd in a pye;
  And when the pye was open'd the birds began to sing,
  And was not this a pretty dish to set before a king?

  The king was in the parlour counting o'er his money,
  The queen was in the kitchen, eating bread and honey;
  The maid was in the garden laying out the clothes,
  Up came a magpie and bit off her nose.[B]

    [B] Quoted in Beaumont and Fletcher's Bonduca, act v. sc. ii.

       *       *       *       *       *


THE SONG OF

THE CAT AND THE FIDDLE.

    Sing hey diddle, diddle,
    The cat and the fiddle,
  The cow jump'd over the moon,
    The little dog laugh'd
    To see such craft,
  And the dish run away with the spoon.

       *       *       *       *       *


THE WOODCOCK, THE SPARROW, AND THE LITTLE DOG.

  I'll sing you a song:
  The days are long,
  The woodcock and the sparrow:
  The little dog he has burnt his tail,
  And he must be hang'd to-morrow.

       *       *       *       *       *


THE SONG OF

THE TWO BIRDS.

  There were two birds sat on a stone,
      Fa, la, la, la, lal, de;
  One flew away, and then there was one,
      Fa, la, la, la, lal, de;
  The other flew after, and then there was none,
      Fa, la, la, la, lal, de;
  And so the poor stone was left all alone,
      Fa, la, la, la, lal, de.

       *       *       *       *       *


THE SURPRISING OLD WOMAN.

  There was an old woman, and what do you think?
  She liv'd upon nothing but victuals and drink;
  And tho' victuals and drink were the chief of her diet,
  This plaguy old woman could never be quiet.

  She went to the baker, to buy her some bread,
  And when she came home, her old husband was dead;
  She went to the clerk to toll the bell,
  And when she came back her old husband was well.

       *       *       *       *       *


THE MIRACULOUS GUINEA-PIG.

  There was a little guinea-pig,
  Who being little was not big,
  He always walk'd upon his feet,
  And never fasted when he eat.

  When from a place he ran away,
  He never at that place did stay;
  And while he ran, as I am told,
  He ne'er stood still for young or old.

  He often squeak'd and sometimes vi'lent,
  And when he squeak'd he ne'er was silent;
  Tho' ne'er instructed by a cat,
  He knew a mouse was not a rat.

  One day, as I am certify'd,
  He took a whim and fairly dy'd;
  And as I'm told by men of sense,
  He never has been living since.

       *       *       *       *       *


THE SONG OF THE

PIPER AND THE FIDDLER'S WIFE.

  We're all dry with drinking on't,
  We're all dry with drinking on't,
  The piper kiss'd the fiddler's wife,
  And I can't sleep for thinking on't.

       *       *       *       *       *


A FAMOUS SONG ABOUT

BETTY PRINGLE'S PIG.

  Did you not hear of Betty Pringle's pig?
  It was not very little, nor yet very big;
  The pig sat down upon a dunghill,
  And there poor piggy he made his will.

  Betty Pringle came to see this pretty pig
  That was not very little, nor yet very big;
  This little piggy it lay down and dy'd,
  And Betty Pringle sat down and cry'd.

  Then Johnny Pringle bury'd this very pretty pig,
  That was not very little, nor yet very big;
  So here's an end of the song of all three,
  Johnny Pringle, Betty Pringle, and the little Piggy.

       *       *       *       *       *


THE NURSE'S SONG.

  Bee baw babby lou,[C] on a tree top,
  When the wind blows the cradle will rock,
  When the wind ceases the cradle will fall,
  Down comes baby and cradle and all.

    [C] A corruption of the French nurse's threat in the fable:
        _He bas! la le loup!_ Hush! there's the wolf.

       *       *       *       *       *


ANOTHER.

  Bee baw bunting,
  Daddy's gone a hunting,
  To get a little lamb's skin,
  To lap his little baby in.

       *       *       *       *       *


ANOTHER.

    Bye O my baby,
   