LIX. [The "foles of Gotham" are mentioned as early as the fifteenth century in the Townley Mysteries;' and at the commencement of the sixteenth century, Dr. Andrew Borde made a collection of stories about them, not however including the following, which rests on the authority of nursery tradition.] THREE wise men of Gotham Went to sea in a bowl: And if the bowl had been stronger, LX. [The following two stanzas, although they belong to the same piece, are often found separated from each other.] ROBIN and Richard were two pretty men; The bull's in the barn threshing the corn, LXI. TOм, Tom, the piper's son, Stole a pig, and away he run! The pig was eat, and Tom was beat, And Tom went roaring down the street. [The tale of Simple Simon forms one of the chap-books, but the following verses are those generally sung in the nursery.] SIMPLE Simon met a pieman Says Simple Simon to the pieman, Says the pieman to Simple Simon, Simple Simon went to town, To keep it clean and sweet. Simple Simon went a fishing Simple Simon went to look If plums grew on a thistle; LXIV. ON Christmas eve I turn'd the spit, And vow'd he'd fight the frying-pan; The frying-pan, behind the door, And the kitchen clock, I was going to wind, LXV. THE Queen of Hearts She made some tarts, All on a summer's day: He stole the tarts, And took them clean away. The King of Hearts Call'd for the tarts, And beat the Knave full sore: The Knave of Hearts Brought back the tarts, And vow'd he'd steal no more. LXVI. ROBIN the Bobbin, the big-bellied Ben, He eat a butcher and a half; He eat a church, he eat a steeple, He eat the priest and all the people! A cow and a calf, An ox and a half, A church and a steeple, And all the good people, And yet he complain'd that his stomach wasn't full. LXVII. SOLOMON GRUNDY, Of Solomon Grundy. LXVIII. JACK SPRAT Had a cat, It had but one ear; It went to buy butter, When butter was dear. LXIX. THERE was a king, and he had three daughters, And they all lived in a basin of water; The basin bended, My story's ended. If the basin had been stronger, My story would have been longer. |