I love dirt and dust, and 'tis always my pleasure To take with me much of the soil that I measure, Derry down, &c. XIII. But Matthew thought better, for Matthew thought right, And hired a chariot so trim and so tight, That extremes both of winter and summer might pass, For one window was canvas, the other was glass, Derry down, &c. XIV. Draw up, quoth friend Matthew; pull down, quoth friend John; We shall be both hotter and colder anon. Thus talking and scolding, they forward did speed, And Ralpho pac'd by, under Newman the Swede, Derry down, &c. XV. Into an old inn did this equipage roll, At a town they call Hodsdon, the sign of the Bull, Near a nymph with an urn, that divides the highway, And into a puddle throws mother of tea, Derry down, &c. XVI. Come here, my sweet landlady, pray, how d'ye do? Where is Cicily so cleanly, and Prudence, and Sue? And where is the widow that dwelt here below? And the hostler that sung about eight years ago? Derry down, &c. PRIOR. VOL. I. XVII. And where is your sister, so mild and so dear? Whose voice to her maids like a trumpet was clear. By my troth, she replies, you grow younger, I think; And pray, fir, what wine does the gentleman drink? Derry down, &c. XVIII. Why now let me die, Sir, or live upon trust, vary'd; The hostler is hang'd and the widow is marry'd, Derry down, &c. XIX.. And Prue left a child for the parish to nurse, XX. Well, peace to her ashes; what signifies grief?. XXI. For that matter, Sir, be ye 'squire, knight, or lord, I'll give you whate'er a good inn can afford: I should look on myself as unhappily sped, XXII. Of mutton a delicate neck and a breast, Tank bacon. Derry down, &c. XXIII. Then supper was serv'd, and the sheets they were laid, And Morley most lovingly whisper'd the maid. The maid! was she handsome? why truly so so: But what Morley whisper'd we never shall know, Derry down, &c. XXIV. Then up rose these heroes as brisk as the sun, And their horses, like his, were prepared to run: Now when in the morning Matt ask'd for the score, John kindly had paid it the ev'ning before, Derry down, &c. XXV. Their breakfast so warm, to be sure they did eat, A custom in travellers mighty discreet : And thus with great friendship and glee they went on, To find out the place you shall hear off anon, Called Down, Down, hey derry down. XXVI. But what did they talk of from morning till noon? Why, of spots in the sun, and the man in the moon; Of the Czar's gentle temper, the stocks in the City, The wise men of Greece, and the Secret Committee, Derry down, &c. XXVII. So to Harlow they came; and hey, where are you all ? Show us into the parlour, and mind when I call: Why, your maids have no motion, your men have no life; Well, master, I hear you have bury'd your wife, Derry down, &c. XXVIII. Come this very instant, take care to provide Tea, sugar, and toast, and a horse and a guide. Are the Harrisons here, both the old and the young? And where stands fair Down, the delight of my song, Derry down, &c. XXIX. O 'Squire, to the grief of my heart I may say, Derry down, &c. XXX. Then Joan brought the teapot, and Caleb the toast, And the wine was froth'd out by the hand of mine host; But we clear'd our extempore banquet so fast, That the Harrisons both were forgot in the haste, Derry down, &c. XXXI. Now hey for Down-Hall; for the guide he was got; The chariot was mounted, the horses did trot; The guide he did bring us a dozen miles round; But, oh! all in vain, for no Down could be found, Derry down, &c. XXXII. O thou Popish guide, thou hast led us astray. XXXIII. Thy wife, answer'd Matthew, when she went abroad, But thou shalt go home without ever a sous, XXXIV. What is this thing, Morley, and how can you mean it? We have lost our estate here before we have seen it: |