Page:Fugitive Poetry 1600-1878.djvu/354

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

336

COME TO THE MAY-POLE.

"Begin," says Hal—"Ay, ay," says Mall,
"We'll lead up Packington's Pound;"
"No, no," says Noll, and so says Doll,
"We'll first have Sellinger's Round."
Then every man began
To foot it round about,
And every girl did jet it, jet it,
Jet it in and out.

"You're out," says Dick—"Not I," says Nick,
"'Twas the fiddler played it wrong
"'Tis true," says Hugh, and so says Sue,
And so says every one.
The fiddler then began
To play the tune again,
And every girl did trip it, trip it,
Trip it to the men.

"Let's kiss," says Jane—"Content," says Nan,
And so says every she;
"How many?" says Batt—"Why, three," says Matt,
"For that's a maiden's fee."
The men, instead of three,
Did give them half a score,
The maids in kindness, kindness, kindness,
Gave them as many more.

Then, after an hour, they went to a bower,
And played for ale and cakes,
And kisses too,—until they were due
The lasses held the stakes.
The girls did then begin
To quarrel with the men,
And bade them take their kisses back,
And give them their own again.

Now there they did stay the whole of the day,
And tired the fiddler quite,
With dancing and play, without any pay,
From morning until night.
They told the fiddler then
They'd pay him for his play,
Then each a twopence, twopence, twopence,
Gave him and went away.