Cavalier Songs and Ballads of England from 1642 to 1684 Part 19

Yet this in spight of all disasters, Although he hath broken the heads of his masters, 'Tis still his profession to give 'em all plasters, Which no body can deny.

The Rump's an old story, if well understood; 'Tis a thing dress'd up in a Parliament's hood, And like 't, but the tayl stands where the head should, Which no body can deny.

'Twould make a man scratch where it does not itch, To see forty fools' heads in one politique breech, And that, hugging the nation, as the devil did the witch; Which no body can deny.

From rotten members preserve our wives!

From the mercy of a Rump, our estates and our lives!

For they must needs go whom the Devil drives, Which no body can deny.

Ballad: A Proper New Ballad On The Old Parliament; Or, The Second Part Of Knave Out Of Doors

To the tune of

"Hei ho, my honey, my heart shall never rue, Four-and-twenty now for your mony, and yet a hard penny-worth too."

(Dec. 11th, 1659.) - From the King's Pamphlets, British Museum.

"The events which gave occasion to the following ballad," says Mr T. Wright in his Political Ballads, published for the Percy Society, "may be summed up in a few words. After the death of Cromwell, his son Richard was without opposition raised to the Protectorate; but his weak and easy character gave an opening to the intrigues of the Royalists, and the factious movement of the Republican party. Fleetwood, who had been named commander-in-chief of the army under the Protector, plotted to gain the chief power in the State, and was joined by Lambert, Desborough, and others. The Republicans were strengthened by the return of Vane, Ludlow, and Bradshaw, to the Parliament called by the new Protector. Lambert, the Protector's brother-in-law, was the ostensible head of a party, and seems to have aimed at obtaining the power which had been held by Oliver. They formed a council of officers, who met at Wallingford House; and on the 20th April, 1659, having gained the upper hand, and having obtained the dissolution of the Parliament, they determined to restore the old Long Parliament, which they said had only been interrupted, and not legally dissolved, and to set aside the Protector, who soon afterwards resigned. On the 21st April, Lenthall, the old Speaker, with as many members of the Long Parliament as could be brought together, met in the House, and opened their session. The Parliament thus formed, as being the f.a.g-end of the old Long Parliament, obtained the name of the Rump Parliament. Lambert's hopes and aims were raised by his success against Sir George Booth in the August following, and jealousies soon arose between his party in the army and the Rump. The Parliament would have dismissed him, and the chief officers in the cabal with him, but Lambert with the army in October hindered their free meeting, and took the management of the government into the hands of a council of officers, whom they called the Committee of Safety. Towards the latter end of the year, the tide began to be changed in favour of the Parliament, by the declaration of Monk in Scotland, Henry Cromwell with the army in Ireland, and Hazelrigge and the officers at Portsmouth, in favour of the freedom of the Parliament. This ballad was written at the period when Lambert's party was uppermost."

The tune of "Hei ho, my honey," may be found in Playford's edition of "The English Dancing Master," printed in 1686, but in no earlier edition of the same work.

Good-morrow, my neighbours all, what news is this I heard tell As I past through Westminster-hall by the House that's neck to h.e.l.l?

They told John Lambert (72) was there with his bears, and deeply he swore (As Cromwell had done before) those vermin should sit there no more.

Sing hi ho, Wil. Lenthall, (73) who shall our general be?

For the House to the Devil is sent all, and follow, good faith, mun ye!

Sing hi ho, my honey, my heart shall never rue, Here's all pickt ware for the money, and yet a hard pennyworth too.

Then, Muse, strike up a sonnet, come, piper, and play us a spring, For now I think upon it, these R's turn'd out their King; But now is come about, that once again they must turn out, And not without justice and reason, that every one home to his prison.

Sing hi ho, Harry Martin, (74) a burgess of the bench, There's nothing here is certain, you must back and leave your wench.

Sing, hi ho, etc.

He there with the buffle head is called lord and of the same House, Who (as I have heard it said) was chastised by his ladye spouse; Because he ran at sheep, she and her maid gave him the whip, And beat his head so addle, you'd think he had a knock in the cradle.

Sing hi ho, Lord Munson, (75) you ha' got a park of the King's; One day you'l hang like a hounson, for this and other things, Sing hi, ho, etc.

It was by their master's orders at first together they met, Whom piously they did murder, and since by their own they did set.

The cause of this disaster is 'cause they were false to their master; Nor can they their gens-d'armes blame for serving them the same.

Sing hi ho, Sir Arthur, (76) no more in the House you shall prate; For all you kept such a quarter, (77) you are out of the councell of state.

Sing hi ho, etc.

Old Noll once gave them a purge (forgetting OCCIDISTI), (The furies be his scourge!) so of the cure must he; And yet the drug he well knew it, for he gave it to Dr Huit; (78) Had he given it them, he had done it, and they had not turn'd out his son yet; Sing hi ho, brave d.i.c.k, Lenthall, and Lady Joane, Who did against lovalty kick is now for a new-year's gift gone.

Sing hi ho, etc.

For had Old Noll been alive, he had pull'd them out by the ears, Or else had fired their hive, and kickt them down the staires; Because they were so bold to vex his righteous soul, When he so deeply had swore that there they should never sit more.

But hi ho, Noll's dead, and stunk long since above ground, Though lapt in spices and lead that cost us many a pound.

Sing hi ho, etc.

Indeed, brother burgess, your ling did never stink half so bad, Nor did your habberdin when it no pease-straw had; Ye both were chose together, 'cause ye wore stuff cloaks in hard weather, And Cambridge needs would have a burgess fool and knave.

Sing hi ho, John Lowry, (79) concerning habberdin, No member spake before ye, yet you ne're spoke againe.

Sing hi, ho, etc.

Ned Prideaux (80) he went post to tell the Protector the news, That Fleetwood ruld the rost, having tane off d.i.c.ke's shoes.

And that he did believe, Lambert would him deceive As he his brother had gull'd, and Cromwell Fair fax bull'd.

Sing hi ho, the attorney was still at your command; In flames together burn ye, still dancing hand in hand!

Sing hi ho, etc.

Who's that would hide his face, and his neck from the collar pull?

He must appear in this place, if his cap be made of wool.

Who is it? with a vengeance! it is the good Lord St Johns, (81) Who made G.o.d's house to fall, to build his own withall.

Sing hi ho, who comes there? who 'tis I must not say; But by his dark lanthorn, I sweare he's as good in the night as day.

Sing hi ho, etc.

Edge, brethren, room for one that looks as big as the best; 'Tis pity to leave him alone, for he is as good as the rest; No picklock of the laws, he builds among the daws, If you ha' any more kings to murder, for a President look no further.

Sing hi ho, John Bradshaw, in blood none further engages; The Devil from whom he had's law, will shortly pay him his wages.

Sing hi ho, etc.

Next, Peagoose Wild, (82) come in to show your weesle face, And tell us Burley's sin, whose blood bought you your place; When loyalty was a crime, he lived in a dangerous time, Was forced to pay his neck to make you baron of the cheque.

Sing hi ho, Jack Straw, we'll put it in the margent, 'Twas not for justice or law that you were made a sergeant.

Sing hi ho, etc.

Noll served not Satan faster, nor with him did better accord; For he was my good master, and the Devil was his good lord.

Both Slingsby, Gerard, and Hewet, (83) were sure enough to go to it, According to his intent, that chose me President.

Sing hi ho, Lord Lisle, (84) sure law had got a wrench, And where was justice the while, when you sate on the bench.

Sing hi ho, etc.

Next comes the good Lord Keble, of the Triumvirate, Of the seal in the law but feeble, though on the bench he sate; For when one puts him a case, I wish him out of the place, And, if it were not a sin, an able lawyer in.

Sing, give the seal about, I'de have it so the rather, Because we might get out the knave, my lord, my father.

Sing hi ho, etc.

Pull out the other three, it is Nathaniel Fines (85) (Who Bristol lost for fear), we'll not leave him behind's; 'Tis a chip of that good old block, who to loyalty gave the first knock, Then stole away to Lundey, whence the foul fiend fetches him one day.

Sing hi ho, canting Fines, you and the rest to mend 'um, Would ye were served in your kinds with an ENSE RESCIDENDUM.

Sing hi ho, etc.

He that comes down-stairs, is Lord Chief Justice Glin; (86) If no man for him cares, he cares as little again: The reason too I know't, he helpt cut Strafford's throat, And take away his life, though with a cleaner knife.

Sing hi ho, Britain bold, straight to the bar you get, Where it is not so cold as where your justice set.

Sing hi ho, etc.

He that will next come in, was long of the Council of State, Though hardly a hair on his chin when first in the council he sate; He was sometime in Italy, and learned their fas.h.i.+ons prettily, Then came back to's own nation, to help up reformation.

Sing hi ho, Harry Nevil, (87) I prythee be not too rash With atheism to court the Divel, you're too bold to be his bardash.

Sing hi ho, etc.

He there with ingrat.i.tude blackt is one Cornelius Holland, (88) Who, but for the King's house, lackt wherewith to appease his colon; The case is well amended since that time, as I think, When at court gate he tended with a little stick and a short link.

Sing hi ho, Cornelius, your zeal cannot delude us; The reason pray now tell ye us why thus you play'd the Judas.

Sing hi ho, etc.