SELL you the key of the king's garden: I sell you the string that ties the key, &c. I sell you the rat that gnawed the string, &c. I sell you the cat that caught the rat, &c. I sell you the dog that bit the cat, &c.

DXCIII.

[Traditional pieces are frequently so ancient, that possibility will not be outraged by conjecturing the John Ball of the following piece to be the priest who took so distinguished a part in the rebellion temp. Richard II.]

JOHN BALL shot them all;

John Scott made the shot,

But John Ball shot them all.

John Wyming made the priming,
And John Brammer made the rammer,
And John Scott made the shot,
But John Ball shot them all.

John Block make the stock,

And John Brammer made the rammer,
And John Wyming made the priming,
And John Scott made the shot,
But John Ball shot them all.

John Crowder made the powder,
And John Block made the stock,
And John Wyming made the priming,
And John Brammer made the rammer,
And John Scott made the shot,

But John Ball shot them all.

John Puzzle made the muzzle,
And John Crowder made the powder,
And John Block made the stock,

And John Wyming made the priming,
And John Brammer made the rammer,
And John Scott made the shot,
But John Ball shot them all.

John Clint made the flint,

And John Puzzle made the muzzle,
And John Crowder made the powder,
And John Block made the stock,
And John Wyming made the priming,
And John Brammer made the rammer,
And John Scott made the shot,

But John Ball shot them all.

John Patch made the match,
John Clint made the flint,
John Puzzle made the muzzle,
John Crowder made the powder,
John Block made the stock,
John Wyming made the priming,
John Brammer made the rammer,
John Scott made the shot,

But John Ball shot them all.

DXCIV.

1. THIS is the house that Jack built.

2. This is the malt

That lay in the house that Jack built.

3. This is the rat,

That ate the malt

That lay in the house that Jack built.

4. This is the cat,

That kill'd the rat,

That ate the malt

That lay in the house that Jack built.

5. This is the dog,

That worried the cat,

That kill'd the rat,

That ate the malt

That lay in the house that Jack built.

6. This is the cow with the crumpled horn, That toss'd the dog,

That worried the cat,
That kill'd the rat,

That ate the malt

That lay in the house that Jack built.

7. This is the maiden all forlorn,

That milk'd the cow with the crumpled

horn,

That tossed the dog,

That worried the cat,
That kill'd the rat,

That ate the malt

That lay in the house that Jark built. 8. This is the man all tatter'd and torn, That kissed the maiden all forlorn,

That milk'd the cow with the crumpled horn,

That tossed the dog,

That worried the cat,
That kill'd the rat,

That ate the malt

That lay in the house that Jack built.

9. This is the priest all shaven and shorn, That married the man all tatter'd and torn, That kissed the maiden all forlorn,

That milked the cow with the crumpled horn,

That tossed the dog,

That worried the cat,
That kill'd the rat,

That ate the malt

That lay in the house that Jack built.