Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England. Various

the arrangement of so multifarious an anthology, gathered from nearly all parts of the kingdom, the observance of chronological order, for obvious reasons, has not been attempted; but pieces which possess any kind of affinity to each other have been kept together as nearly as other considerations would permit.

      The value of this volume consists in the genuineness of its contents, and the healthiness of its tone. While fashionable life was masquerading in imaginary Arcadias, and deluging theatres and concert rooms with shams, the English peasant remained true to the realities of his own experience, and produced and sang songs which faithfully reflected the actual life around him. Whatever these songs describe is true to that life. There are no fictitious raptures in them. Love here never dresses its emotions in artificial images, nor disguises itself in the mask of a Strephon or a Daphne. It is in this particular aspect that the poetry of the country possesses a permanent and moral interest.

      R. B.

Poems.

       Table of Contents

THE PLAIN-DEALING MAN.

       Table of Contents

      [The oldest copy of the Plain Dealing Man with which we have been able to meet is in black letter, printed by T. Vere at the sign ‘Of the Angel without Newgate.’ Vere was living in 1609.]

      A crotchet comes into my mind

       Concerning a proverb of old,

       Plain dealing’s a jewel most rare,

       And more precious than silver or gold:

       And therefore with patience give ear,

       And listen to what here is penned,

       These verses were written on purpose

       The honest man’s cause to defend.

       For this I will make it appear,

       And prove by experience I can,

       ’Tis the excellen’st thing in the world

       To be a plain-dealing man.

      Yet some are so impudent grown,

       They’ll domineer, vapour, and swagger,

       And say that the plain-dealing man

       Was born to die a beggar:

       But men that are honestly given

       Do such evil actions detest,

       And every one that is well-minded

       Will say that plain dealing is best.

       For this I will make it appear,

       And prove by experience I can,

       ’Tis the excellen’st thing in the world

       To be a plain-dealing man.

      For my part I am a poor man,

       And sometimes scarce muster a shilling,

       Yet to live upright in the world,

       Heaven knows I am wondrous willing.

       Although that my clothes be threadbare,

       And my calling be simple and poor,

       Yet will I endeavour myself

       To keep off the wolf from the door.

       For this I will make it appear,

       And prove by experience I can,

       ’Tis the excellen’st thing in the world

       To be a plain-dealing man.

      And now, to be brief in discourse,

       In plain terms I’ll tell you my mind;

       My qualities you shall all know,

       And to what my humour’s inclined:

       I hate all dissembling base knaves

       And pickthanks whoever they be,

       And for painted-faced drabs, and such like,

       They shall never get penny of me.

       For this I will make it appear,

       And prove by experience I can,

       ’Tis the excellen’st thing in the world

       To be a plain-dealing man.

      Nor can I abide any tongues

       That will prattle and prate against reason,

       About that which doth not concern them;

       Which thing is no better than treason.

       Wherefore I’d wish all that do hear me

       Not to meddle with matters of state,

       Lest they be in question called for it,

       And repent them when it is too late.

       For this I will make it appear,

       And prove by experience I can,

       ’Tis the excellen’st thing in the world

       To be a plain-dealing man.

      O fie upon spiteful neighbours,

       Whose malicious humours are bent,

       And do practise and strive every day

       To wrong the poor innocent.

       By means of such persons as they,

       There hath many a good mother’s son

       Been utterly brought to decay,

       Their wives and their children undone.

       For this I will make it appear,

       And prove by experience I can,

       ’Tis the excellen’st thing in the world

       To be a plain-dealing man.

      O fie upon forsworn knaves,

       That do no conscience make

       To swear and forswear themselves

       At every third word they do speak:

       So they may get profit and gain,

       They care not what lies they do tell;

       Such cursed dissemblers as they

       Are worse than the devils of hell.

       For this I will make it appear,

       And prove by experience I can,

       ’Tis the excellen’st thing in the world

       To be a plain-dealing man.

      O fie upon greedy bribe takers,

       ’Tis pity they ever drew breath,

       For they, like to base caterpillars,

       Devour up the fruits of the earth.

       They’re apt to take money with both hands,

       On one side and also the other,

       And care not what men they undo,

       Though it be their own father or brother.

       Therefore I will make it appear,

       And show very good reasons I can,

       ’Tis the excellen’st thing in the world

       To be a plain-dealing man.

      O fie upon cheaters and thieves,

       That liveth by fraud and deceit;

       The gallows do for such blades groan,

       And the hangmen do for their clothes wait.

       Though poverty be a disgrace,

       And want is a pitiful