Old Ballads.

by Various.

COME, La.s.sES AND LADS.

Come, la.s.ses and lads, get leave of your dads, And away to the Maypole hie, For ev'ry fair has a sweetheart there, And the fiddler's standing by;

For w.i.l.l.y shall dance with Jane, And Johnny has got his Joan, To trip it, trip it, trip it, trip it, Trip it up and down!

"You're out," says d.i.c.k; "not I," says Nick, "'Twas the fiddler play'd it wrong;"

"'Tis true," says Hugh, and so says Sue, And so says ev'ry one.

The fiddler than began To play the tune again, And ev'ry girl did trip it, trip it, Trip it to the men!

Then, after an hour, they went to a bow'r, And play'd for ale and cakes; And kisses too,--until they were due, The la.s.ses held the stakes.

The girls did then begin To quarrel with the men, And bade them take their kisses back, And give them their own again!

"Good-night," says Harry; "good-night," says Mary; "Good-night," says Poll to John; "Good-night," says Sue to her sweetheart Hugh; "Good-night," says ev'ry one.

Some walk'd and some did run, Some loiter'd on the way, And bound themselves by kisses twelve, To meet the next holiday.

_Anon._

COMING THRO' THE RYE.

Gin a body meet a body Comin' thro' the rye, Gin a body kiss a body, Need a body cry?

Ilka la.s.sie has her laddie, Nane, they say, hae I, Yet a' the lads they smile at me When comin' thro' the rye.

Gin a body meet a body Comin' frae the town, Gin a body meet a body, Need a body frown?

Ilka la.s.sie has, etc.

Amang the train there is a swain I dearly lo'e mysel'; But what his name, or whaur his hame, I dinna care to tell.

Ilka la.s.sie has, etc.

_Anon._

CHERRY-RIPE.

Cherry-Ripe, ripe, ripe, I cry, Full and fair ones, come and buy; If so be you ask me where They do grow? I answer, There, Where my Julia's lips do smile, There's the land or cherry isle, Whose plantations fully show All the year, where cherries grow.

_Herrick_.

ANNIE LAURIE.

Maxwelton braes are bonnie, Where early fa's the dew; And it's there that Annie Laurie Gied me her promise true; Gied me her promise true, Which ne'er forgot will be; And for bonnie Annie Laurie I'd lay me doun and dee.

Her brow is like the snaw-drift, Her throat is like the swan, Her face it is the fairest That e'er the sun shone on; That e'er the sun shone on, And dark blue is her ee; And for bonnie Annie Laurie I'd lay me doun and dee.

Like dew on the gowan lying, Is the fa' o' her fairy feet; And like winds in summer sighing, Her voice is low and sweet; Her voice is low and sweet, And she's all the world to me; And for bonnie Annie Laurie I'd lay me doun and dee.

_Trad._

ROBIN ADAIR.

What's this dull town to me?

Robin's not near.

What was't I wish'd to see, What wish'd to hear?

Where's all the joy and mirth Made this town a heav'n on earth?

Oh, they're all fled with thee, Robin Adair.

What made th' a.s.sembly shine?

Robin Adair.

What made the ball so fine?

Robin was there.

What when the play was o'er, What made my heart so sore?

Oh, it was parting with Robin Adair.

But now thou'rt cold to me, Robin Adair.

But now thou'rt cold to me, Robin Adair.

Yet he I lov'd so well Still in my heart shall dwell; Oh, I can ne'er forget Robin Adair.

_Anon._

MOLLY BAWN.

Oh, Molly Bawn, why leave me pining, All lonely, waiting here for you?

While the stars above are brightly shining, Because they've nothing else to do.

The flowers late were open keeping, To try a rival blush with you; But their mother, Nature, set them sleeping, With their rosy faces wash'd with dew.