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Old ballads, historical and narrative, with some of modern date
Old ballads historical and narrative with some of modern date Author:Thomas Evans Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: III. KING ALFRED AND THE SHEPHERD. With the Humours of Gillian, the Shepherd's Wife. In elder times there was of yore, When gibes of churlish glee . ... more »Were us'd among our country carls, Tho' no such thing now be. The which king Alfred liking well, Forsook his stately court, And in disguise unknown went forth, To see that jovial sport; How Dick and Tom, in clouted shoon, And coats of russet gray, Esteem'd themselves more brave than them v That went in golden ray, In garments fit for such a life The good king Alfred went, Ragged and torn as from his back The beggar his cloaths had rent. A sword and buckler good and strong, To give Jack Sauce a rap ; And on his head, instead of a crown, He wore a Monmouth cap. Thus coasting through Somersetshire, Near Newton-court he met A shepherd swain of lusty limb, That up and down did jet: He wore a bonnet of good gray, Close button'd to his chin ; And at his back a leather scrip, With much good meat therein. God speed, good shepherd, quoth the king ; I come to be thy guest, To taste of thy good victuals here, And drink that's of the best: Thy scrip, I know, hath cheer good store : What then ? the shepherd said; Thou seem'st to be some some sturdy thief, And mak'st me sore afraid : Yet if thou wilt thy dinner win, Thy sword and buckler take; And, if thou can'st, into my scrip Therewith an entrance make. I tell thee, roister, it hath store Of beef, and bacon fat, With sheaves of barley-bread, to make Thy chaps to water at : Here stands my bottle, here my bag, If thou can'st win them, roister : Against thy sword and buckler here, My sheep-hook is my master. Benedicite, quoth our good king; It never shall be said That Alfred of the she...« less