But the billows were all so rolling drunk,
They scared the whole court from Dover,

And they foam'd and roar'd, "We scorn such a lord, He's a king only half-seas-over!"

Then his majesty summon'd both Commons and Lords, "Let's be merry and wise," quoth he;

"And to quell this commotion, let's drink up the ocean, And so be lords of the sea.'

In the merry old times,

In the merry old times,

In the merry, merry, merry, old times.

WHEN THE WIND BLOWS.

[Music by W. HORSLEY.]

When the wind blows in the sweet rose-tree,
And the cow lows on the fragrant lea,
And the stream flows all bright and free,
"Tis not for thee, 'tis not for me,

"Tis not for any one here, I trow.

The gentle wind bloweth,

The happy cow loweth,

The merry stream floweth,

For all below.

Oh! the Spring, the bountiful Spring,

She shineth and smileth on ev'ry thing.

Where come the sheep? To the rich man's moor.
Where cometh sleep? To the bed that's poor.
Peasants must weep, and kings endure;

That's a fate that none can cure.

Yet Spring doeth all she can, I trow.

She brings the bright hours,

She weaves the sweet flowers,

She dresseth her bowers

For all below.

Oh! the Spring, the bountiful Spring,

She shineth and smileth on ev'ry thing.

OH! WHO WILL O'ER THE DOWNS SO

R. L. PEARSALL.]

FREE*

[Music by R. L. PEARSALL,

O who will ride o'er the Downs so free,

O who will with me ride,

O who will up and follow me,

To win a blooming bride ?

Her father he has lock'd the door,
Her mother keeps the key;
But neither door nor bolt shall part
My own true love from me.

I saw her bow'r at twilight grey,
"Twas guarded safe and sure;
I saw her bow'r at break of day,
'Twas guarded then no more..
The varlets they were all asleep,
And none was near to see,
The greeting fair that passèd there
Between my love and me.

I promised her to come at night,-
With comrades brave and true,
A gallant band with sword in hand,
To break her prison through.

I promised her to come at night,
She's waiting now for me;
And ere the dawn of morning light,
I'll set my true love free.

* The words of this song are written in allusion to an event supposed to have taken place in the neighbourhood of Winterborne, in Gloucestershire. One Hickenstirn (or Hickers Stirn, as he is called by the common people), who lies buried in the church there, is said to have been a knight who lived by pillage. He fell in love with a neighbour's daughter, won her affections, was refused by her parents, but, with the assistance of his friends, carried her off from her father's house. Such events were not uncommon in the middle ages.

SHAKSPEARE.]

O, BY RIVERS.

O, by rivers, by whose falls

[Music by Dr. WILSON.

Melodious birds sing madrigals,

The shepherd swains shall dance and play,
For thy delight on each May-day.

With a fa, la, la.

Where silver sands and pebbles sing
Eternal ditties to the spring,

There shall you pass the welcome night
In sylvan pleasure and delight.

With a fa, la, la.

LO! WHERE WITH FLOWERY HEAD. [Music by T. MORLEY.]

Lo! where with flow`ry head, and hair all brightsome,
Rosy-cheek'd, crystal-eyed, e'en weeping lightsome,
The fair Aurora springeth,
And wanton Flora flingeth
Amorous odours

Unto the winds delightsome.

Ah! for pity and anguish,
Only my heart doth languish!

THE RED-CROSS KNIGHT.
[Music by CALCOTT.]

Blow, warder, blow thy sounding horn,
And thy banner wave on high,

For the Christians have fought in the holy land
And have won the victory!

Loud, loud the warder blew his horn,
And his banner waved on high;

Let the mass be sung, and the bells be rung,
And the feast, and the feast eat merrily.

SOLO.

The warder look'd from his tower on high
As far as he could see;

I see a bold knight, and by his red cross,
He comes from the east country.

SOLO.

Then loud the warder blew his horn,
And call'd till he was hoarse,

"I see a bold knight, and on his shield bright He beareth a flaming cross."

SOLO.

Then down the lord of the castle came,
The red-cross knight to meet;
And when the red-cross knight he espied,
Right loving he did him greet.

BASS SOLO.

"Oh! I am come from the Holy Land,
Where saints did live and die;
Behold the device I bear on my shield,
A red-cross knight am I!

And we have fought in the Holy Land,

And have won the victory;

For with valiant might

Did the Christians fight,

And made the proud Pagans fly."

"Thou'rt welcome here, dear red-cross knight;

Come, lay thy armour by,

And for the good tidings thou dost bring

We'll feast right merrily, merrily;

For all in my castle shall rejoice

That we've gain'd the victory;

And the bells shall be rung,
And the mass shall be sung,

And the feast eat merrily."

SLEEP, GENTLE LADY.

J. R. PLANCHE.]

[Music by Sir H. R. BISHOP.
Sleep, gentle lady, the flowers are closing,
The very waves and winds reposing;
Oh! may our soft and soothing numbers
Wrap thee in sweeter and softer slumbers.
Peace be around thee, lady bright;

Sleep while we sing good night, good night.

THE BLUE-BELLS OF SCOTLAND.

"Oh! where, and oh! where is your Highland laddie gone ?"

"He's gone to fight the Russ for our Queen upon the throne.

And 'tis oh! in my heart, I wish him safe at home."

"Oh! where, and oh! where did your Highland laddie dwell ?"

"He dwelt in merry Scotland, at the sign of the Bluebell.

And 'tis oh! in my heart, I love my laddie well."

Suppose, and suppose your Highland lad should die ?" "The bagpipes shall play o'er him, I'd lay me down

and cry.

And 'tis oh! in my heart, I wish he may not die."

APRIL SHOWERS.

(FROM THE GERMAN.)

H. W. LONGFELLOW.]

[Music by J. L. HATTON,

Patter, patter! Let it pour;
Patter, patter! Let it roar.
Down the steep roof let it rush,
Down the hill-side let it gush.
'Tis the welcome April show'r
Bringing forth the sweet May flow'r.
Patter, patter! Let it pour;
Patter, patter! Let it roar.