Nursery Rhyme. LXII. Tales.

        [The following lines, slightly altered, occur in a little black-letter book by W. Wagner, printed about the year 1561; entitled, 'A very mery and pythie commedie, called, the longer thou livest, the more foole thou art.' See also a whole song, ending with these lines, in Ritson's 'North Country Chorister,' 8vo, Durham, 1802, p. 1.]

    Bryan O'Lin, and his wife, and wife's mother,
    They all went over a bridge together:
    The bridge was broken, and they all fell in,
    The deuce go with all! quoth Bryan O'Lin.

Unknown

The identity of this poet is not known. Their works, which are often of significant historical or cultural value, have been attributed to 'Unknown'. This designation is commonly used when the creator of works, ranging from ancient texts to more modern writings, remains anonymous or uncredited. Despite the lack of personal details, the impact and importance of these works endure, offering insight into the eras and cultures from which they originated.

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Nursery Rhyme. CCCCLXV. Love And Matrimony.

Unknown , Simple Poetry

Nursery Rhyme. CXCIV. Riddles.

Unknown , Simple Poetry

Nursery Rhyme. CXC. Riddles.

Unknown , Simple Poetry

Nursery Rhyme. CLXX. Songs.

Unknown , Simple Poetry

English

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Nursery Rhyme. LXVI. Tales.

        [The following two stanzas, although they belong to the same piece, are often found separated from each other.]

    Robin and Richard were two pretty men;
    They laid in bed till the clock struck ten;
    Then up starts Robin, and looks at the sky,
    Oh! brother Richard, the sun's very high:

    The bull's in the barn threshing the corn,
    The cock's on the dunghill blowing his horn,
    The cat's at the fire frying of fish,
    The dog's in the pantry breading his dish.

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. CL. Songs.

        [From W. Wager's play, called 'The longer thou livest, the more foole thou art,' 4to, Lond.]

    The white dove sat on the castle wall,
    I bend my bow and shoot her I shall;
    I put her in my glove both feathers and all;
    I laid my bridle upon the shelf,
    If you will any more, sing it yourself.

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. LIX. Tales.

    There was a jolly miller
    Lived on the river Dee,
    He look'd upon his pillow,
    And there he saw a flee.
    Oh! Mr. Flea,
    You have been biting me,
    And you must die:
        So he crack'd his bones
        Upon the stones,
    And there he let him lie.

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. LXVII. Tales.

    My lady Wind, my lady Wind,
    Went round about the house to find
        A chink to get her foot in:
    She tried the key-hole in the door,
    She tried the crevice in the floor,
        And drove the chimney soot in.

    And then one night when it was dark,
    She blew up such a tiny spark,
        That all the house was pothered:
    From it she raised up such a flame,
    As flamed away to Belting Lane,
        And White Cross folks were smothered.

    And thus when once, my little dears,
    A whisper reaches itching ears,
        The same will come, you'll find:
    Take my advice, restrain the tongue,
    Remember what old nurse has sung
        Of busy lady Wind!

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. LIV. Tales.

    There was a little man,
    And he had a little gun,
    And he went to the brook,
    And he shot a little rook;
    And he took it home
    To his old wife Joan,
    And told her to make up a fire,
    While he went back,
    To fetch the little drake;
    But when he got there,
    The drake was fled for fear,
    And like an old novice,
    He turn'd back again.

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. CXLVI. Songs.

        [From 'Histrio-mastix, or, the Player Whipt,' 4to, Lond. 1610. Mr. Rimbault tells me this is common in Yorkshire.]

            Some up, and some down,
            There's players in the town,
    You wot well who they be;
            The sun doth arise,
            To three companies,
    One, two, three, four, make wee!

            Besides we that travel,
            With pumps full of gravel,
    Made all of such running leather:
            That once in a week,
            New masters we seek,
    And never can hold together.

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