My Bird is a Round-head,
Being a very pleasant and true Relation of a man in Northamptonshire, that kept a tame Owle in his house, whom he called Round-head; and how one of his neighbours had him before a Justice, for calling his Owle Round-head.
To the tune of, let us to the wars againe.
AS I to
London tooke my way,
A pretty passage caus'd me to stay,
Which you shall know if you attend,
No honest man I will offend;
You that are wise in your conceits,
That with meere toyes doe trouble your pates,
To whit to who, come say what you will,
My Bird she is a Round-head still.
In
Northamtonshire a man did dwell,
That sports and pastimes loved well,
A May-pole be set up on hye,
To recreate all Commers by;
But one that was more nice then wise,
Was much offended and tearm'd it a vice:
To whit to who, come say what you will,
My Bird she is a Round-head still.
Neithbour (quoth he) you are prophane,
I wonder you will be so vaine,
A May-pole here for to erect,
Me thinkes such toyes you should reiect;
Young folke about it dance and play,
It leads their minds too much astray:
To whit to who, come say what you will,
My Bird she a Round-head still,
Ile have it downe beleeve me friend,
Although that halfe my estate I spend,
Tis but a kind of an Idoll vaine,
Against it honest men complaine;
And thus this understanding Clowne,
Did still protest to have it downe:
To whit to who, come say what you will,
My Bird she is a Round-head still.
Kind neighbour quoth the other man,
How long have you beene a Puritan?
Zounds
[...]he May-pole here shall stand,
It shall not downe at your command;
You I have it downe, I pray Sir, why?
Come show me your authority?
To whit to who, come say what you will,
My Bird he is a Round-head still.
This man he had an Owle in his house,
That killed many a Rat and Mouse,
And cause he would doe w
[...]a
[...] he list,
He brought her otr upon his fist;
And to his neighbour shew'd her straight,
That still stood bawling at his gate:
To whit to who, come say what you will,
My Bird she is a Round-head still.
The second part,
to the same tune.
NEeighbour, what Bird is this (quoth he)
That here upon my fist you see?
Tis a Mag-howlet tother reply'd,
That on your fist doth now abide;
No, tis a Round-head on my fist,
I hope I may call my Bird what I list:
To whit to who, come say what you will,
My Bird she is a Round-head still.
The man began to fret and chafe,
Whilst he with his Owle did heartily laugh,
His laughing made him almost mad,
The one was merry the other sad:
My pretty Round-head hurteth none,
Among other Round-heads my Bird is one:
To whit to who, &c.
She meddles not with State affaires,
Or sets her neighbours by the eares,
No Crosse nor May-pole makes her start,
Nor can she preach in Cup or Cart;
She seekes to pull no Organs downe,
Nor on an Image casts a frowne:
To whit to who, &c.
To be reveng'd the other sought,
He cal'd him knave and all to nought,
Before a Iustice he did him bring,
And told the Iustice every thing;
Before the Iustice they came I wis,
But all they could get of him was this,
To whit to who, come say what you will
My Bird she is Round-head still.
Sirrah quoth the Iustice hold your-tongue,
Good men methinkes you should not wrong,
Sir quoth the man, nor have I yet,
Though he thinks so for want of wit;
I have a Bird he sayes she's an Owle,
But I may call her Round-head or foole:
To whit to who, come say what you will,
My Bird she is a Round-head still,
The Iustice knew not what to say,
But friendly bid him goe his way,
Then home he went being dismist
With his Round-head upon his fist;
I wonder men so simple be,
They can be so displea'd with me:
To whit to who, &c.
There's none my Round-head vill despise,
But such as are knowne to be unwise,
Giggy-headed fooles and dolts,
Sisters and unbridled Colts;
My Round-head is a gallant Bird,
Good words to her I pray afford:
To whit to who, come say what you will,
My Bird it is a Round-head still.
Humphery Crouch.
FINIS.
Printed at London for Richard Harper, at the Bible and Harpe in Smithfield. 1642.