THE Winchester Wedding: OR, RALPH of Reading and Black BESS of the Green.
To a new Country Dance: or, The King's Jigg.
AT Winchester was a Wedding,
the like was never seen,
'Twixt lusty Ralph of Reading,
and bonny black Bess of the Green;
The Fidlers were crowding before,
each Lass was as fine as a Queen,
There was an hundred and more,
for all the whole Country came in;
Brisk Robin led Rose so fair,
she look'd like a Lilly o'th' Vale;
And ruddy fac'd Harry led Mary,
and Roger led bouncing
[...]ll.
With Tommy came smiling Katy,
he help her over the stile,
And swore there was none so pritty,
in forty and forty long mile;
Kit gave a green gown to Betty,
and lent her his hand to rise;
But Jenny was jeer'd by Watty,
for looking blew under the eyes:
Thus merrily chatting all day,
they past to the Bride-house along,
With Iohnny and p
[...]ity fac'd Nanny,
she fairest of all the Throng.
The Bridegroom came out to meet 'em,
afraid the dinner was spoil'd,
And usher'd 'em into to treat 'em,
with bak'd, and roast, and boyl'd:
The Lads were frollick and jolly,
for each had a Lass by his side;
But Willy was melancholly,
for he had a mind to the Bride:
Then Phillip began her health,
and turn'd a beer-glass on his thumb;
But Ienkin was reckon'd for drinking,
the best in Chrill endom.
And now they had din'd, advancing
into the midst of the Hall,
The Fidlers struck up for dancing,
and Ieremy led up the Brawl;
But Margery kept a quarter,
a Lass that is proud of her pelf,
'Cause Arthur had stolen her garter,
and swore he would tye it himself;
She strugled, she blush'd, and frown'd,
and ready with anger to cry,
'Cause Arthur with tying her garter,
had slipt up his hands too high.
And now for throwing the Stocking,
the Bride away was led,
The Bridegroom got drunk, was knocking,
for candles to
[...]ight him to bed;
But Robin that found him silly,
most kindly took him aside,
While that his Wife with Willy
was playing a Whooper's Hide:
And now the warm Game begins,
the critical minute was come,
And chatting, and billing, and kissing
went merrily round the room.
Pert Stephen was kind to Betty,
as blith as a birde in the spring;
And Tommy was so to Katy,
and wedded her with a rush-ring;
Sukey that danc'd with the Cushion,
an hour from the room had been gone,
And Barnaby knew by her blushing,
that some other dance had been done:
And thus of fifty fair Maids,
that went to the Wedding with Men,
Scarce five of the fifty was le
[...]t ye,
that so did return agen.
Brisk Dolly and prity-fac'd Kate,
this Merriment they did adore;
Each Lass had been pleas
[...]d with her Mate,
as they never had been before:
Nay, Susan was pleased at heart,
she sa
[...]d it, and said it again;
The young Men have play'd their part,
and no one had cause to complain.
The day was in merriment spent,
the Pipers and the Fidlers they play,
Before all the Throng, as they went;
thus they made an end of the day.
London: Printed for J. Deacon, at the Angel in Guilt-spur-street, without Newgate.