"Why art thou angry?" quoth our king merrilye;

"In faith, I take it now very unkind:

I thought thou wouldst pledge me in ale and wine heartily."
Quoth Dicke, "You are like to stay till I have din'd:
You feed us with twatling dishes soe small;

Zounds, a blacke-pudding is better than all.”

"Aye, marry," quoth our king, "that were a daintye thing, Could a man get but one here for to eate :"

With that Dicke straite arose, and pluckt one from his hose, Which with heat of his breech gan to sweate.

The king made a proffer to snatch it away :—

"Tis meat for your master: good sir, you must stay."

Thus in great merriment was the time wholly spent,

And then the ladyes prepared to dance:
Old Sir John Cockle, and Richard, incontinent
Unto their places the king did advance.
Here with the ladyes such sport they did make,
The nobles with laughing did make their sides ake.

Many thankes for their paines did the king give them,
Asking young Richard then, if he would wed;
"Among these ladyes free, tell me which liketh thee?"

Quoth he, "Jugg Grumball, Sir, with the red head,

She's my love, she's my life, her will I wed;
She hath sworn I shall have her maidenhead."

Then Sir John Cockle the king call'd unto him,

And of merry Sherwood made him o'erseer, And gave him out of hand three hundred pound yearlye; "Take heed now you steele no more of my deer;

And once a quarter let's here have your view;

And now, Sir John Cockle, I bid you adieu."

THE OLD CAP; OR, TIME'S ALTERATION.

Reprinted from "Elegant Extracts."

HEN this old cap was new,
'Tis since two hundred year,

No malice then we knew,

But all things plenty were:

All friendship now decays
(Believe me, this is true),
Which was not in those days
When this old cap was new.

The nobles of our land

Were much delighted then

To have at their command

A crew of lusty men,

Which by their coats were known,
Of tawny, red, or blue,

With crests on their sleeves shown,
When this old cap was new.

Now pride hath banish'd all,

Unto our land's reproach,

When he whose means are small

Maintains both horse and coach;

Instead of an hundred men,

The coach allows but two;
This was not thought on then,

When this old cap was new.

Good hospitality

Was cherished then of many; Now poor men starve and die, And are not help'd by any;

For charity waxeth cold,

And love is found in few: This was not in time of old, When this old cap was new.

Wherever you travell'd then,

You might meet on the way Brave knights and gentlemen, Clad in their country grey,

That courteous would appear,

And kindly welcome you :

No puritans then were,

When this old cap was new.

Our ladies, in those days,

In civil habit went;

Broad cloth was then worth praise,
And gave the best content;

French fashions then were scorn'd;
Fond fangles then none knew ;
Then modesty women adorn'd,
When this old cap was new.

The Holly-tree was poll'd

At Christmas for each hall; There was fire to curb the cold,

And meat for great and small :

The neighbours were friendly bidden,
And all had welcome true;

The poor from the gates were not chidden
When this old cap was new.

Black jacks to every man

Were filled with wine and beer;

No pewter pot nor can

Did in those days appear.

Good cheer in a nobleman's house
Was counted a seemly show;
We wanted no brawn nor souse,
When this old cap was new.

We took not such delight

In cups of silver fine;
None under degree of a knight
In plate drank beer or wine.

Now each mechanical man

Hath a cupboard of plate for show;

Which was a rare thing then,

When this old cap was new.

God save our gracious king,

Oh, send him long to live! And mischief on them bring

That will not their alms give;

But seek to rob the poor

Of that which is their due:

This was not in the time of yore,
When this old cap was new.

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