[The first line of this nursery rhyme is quoted in Beaumont and Fletcher's Bonduca,' Act v, sc. 2. It is probable also that Sir Toby alludes to this song in Twelfth Night,' Act ii, sc. 2, when he says, "Come on; there is sixpence for you; let's have a song.' In Epulario, or the Italian banquet,' 1589, is a receipt " to make pies so that the birds may be alive in them, and flie out when it is cut up," a mere device, live birds being introduced after the pie is made. This may be the original subject of the following song.]

SING a song of sixpence,
A bag full of rye;

Four and twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie;

When the pie was open'd,

The birds began to sing;
Was not that a dainty dish,
To set before the king?

The king was in his counting-house
Counting out his money;
The queen was in the parlour
Eating bread and honey;

The maid was in the garden
Hanging out the clothes,
There came a little blackbird,
And snapt off her nose.

Jenny was so mad,

She didn't know what to do; She put her finger in her ear,

And crackt it right in two.

THERE was a girl in our towne,

Silk an' satin was her gowne,

Silk an' satin, gold an' velvet,

Guess her name, three times I've tell'd it.

CXXIV.

[A COFFIN.]

THERE was a man made a thing,
And he that made it did it bring;
But he 'twas made for did not know
Whether 'twas a thing or no.

CXXV.

[A HEDGEHOG.]

As I went over Lincoln bridge,
I met mister Rusticap;

Pins and needles on his back,
A going to Thorney fair.

CXXVI.

[ONE LEG IS A LEG OF MUTTON; TWO LEGS, A MAN; THREE LEGS, A STOOL; FOUR LEGS, A DOG.]

Two legs sat upon three legs,

With one leg in his lap;
In comes four legs,

And runs away with one leg.

Up jumps two legs,

Catches up three legs,

Throws it after four legs,

And makes him bring back one leg.

CXXVII.

[A BED.]

FORMED long ago, yet made to-day,
Employed while others sleep;
What few would like to give away,
Nor any wish to keep.

CXXVIII.

[A CINDER-SIFTER.]

A RIDDLE, a riddle, as I suppose,
A hundred eyes, and never a nose.

CXXIX.

[A WELL.]

As round as an apple, as deep as a cup, And all the king's horses can't pull it up.

CXXX.

[A CHERRY.]

As I went through the garden gap,
Who should I meet but Dick Red-cap!

A stick in his hand, a stone in his throat,

If you'll tell me this riddle, I'll give you a

groat.