66

THE BELLS OF LONDON.

Iron and steel will bend and bow,
Dance over my Lady Lee;

Iron and steel will bend and bow.
With a gay lady.

Build it up with wood and clay

Dance over my Lady Lee;

Build it up with wood and clay,

With a gay lady.

Wood and clay will wash away,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
Wood and clay will wash away,
With a gay lady.

Build it up with stone so strong,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
Huzza! 'twill last for ages long,
With a gay lady.

THE BELLS OF LONDON.

Gay go up and gay go down,

To ring the bells of London town.

Bull's-eyes and targets,

Say the bells of St. Marg'ret's.

Brickbats and tiles,

Say the bells of St. Giles'.

Half-pence and farthings,
Say the bells of St. Martin's.

Oranges and lemons,

Say the bells of St. Clement's

Pancakes and fritters,

Say the bells of St. Peter's.

Two sticks and an apple,

Say the bells of Whitechapel.

Old Father Baldpate,

Say the slow bells of Aldgate.

You owe me ten shillings,

Say the bells of St. Helen's.

Pokers and tongs,

Say the bells of St. John's.

Kettles and pans,

Say the bells of St. Ann's.

When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey.

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AS I WAS GOING TO ST. IVES.

When I grow rich,

Say the bells of Shoreditch.

Pray when will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney.

I'm sure I don't know,
Says the great bell of Bow.

AS I WAS GOING TO ST. IVES.

As I was going to St. Ives,
I met a man with seven wives;
Every wife had seven sacks,
Every sack had seven cats,
Every cat had seven kits:

Kits, cats, sacks, and wives,
How many were there going to St. Ives?

As busy as a bee.
As blind as a bat.
As like as two peas.
Forgive and forget.

East, west, home is best.

To kill two birds with one stone.

To have two strings to one's bow.

It was a merry time

When Jenny Wren was young,

So neatly as she danced,

And so sweetly as she sung,

Robin Redbreast lost his heart:
He was a gallant bird;
He doft his hat to Jenny,

And thus to her he said:

66

'My dearest Jenny Wren,

If you will but be mine,
You shall dine on cherry pie,

And drink nice currant wine.
I'll dress you like a Goldfinch,
Or like a Peacock gay;
So if you'll have me, Jenny,

Let us appoint the day."

70

COCK ROBIN AND JENNY WREN.

Jenny blushed behind her fan,

And thus declared her mind:
"Then let it be to-morrow, Bob,
I take your offer kind
Cherry pie is very good!

So is currant wine!

But I will wear my brown gown,
And never dress too fine."

Robin rose up early

At the break of day;

He flew to Jenny Wren's house,
To sing a roundelay.

He met the Cock and Hen,
And bid the Cock declare,
This was his wedding-day
With Jenny Wren, the fair.

The Cock then blew his horn,
To let the neighbors know,
This was Robin's wedding-day,
And they might see the show.
And first came parson Rook,

With his spectacles and band,
And one of Mother Hubbard's books
He held within his hand.