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EBBA 36945

British Library - 807.g.5
Ballad XSLT Template
The Fox-Hunting.

UPon a Tuesday lately past,
Before Auroras breaking,
The Huntsmen they did high them fast,
And early were awaking:
Before fair Phoebus it did shew
The Hounds both swift and cunning,
The Huntsmen they did make a Vow
To find the Fox, and running

From Burton and from Bishops Dale,
As I hear'd them report it,
Came Hounds that bravely run the train,
And the Huntsmen then were sported;
There was Dido and Lovesy, Carvor and Tipsey,
Spanker and Gentle was cunning,
Rose and Bonny Lass were all in the chase,
And Captain near to them running:

Near Foxgill-head this Fox was laid,
But when he heard them comming,
Fast from his kennel then he fled,
And was forc'd to try all his cunning;
Then hey callalow to him,
So cries the Huntsmen,
Spanker and Gentle were cunning,
Rose and Bonny Lass were all in the Chase,
And Captain near to them running:

This Fox for his rest fled towards the East,
Near to Pressed-Hull as I heared;
But in the days of old there dwelt an old Priest
Which made him the more to forbear it:
Then hey call, etc.

Then west he highs, and fast he flies,
But the Hounds they still did pursue him,
And in many a place for ten miles space
The Huntsmen bravely did view him:
Then hey call, etc.

The Moor-hens cakled all for joy,
The Snipe was highly mounted,
The Plovers they both green and gray
Rejoyce to see the Fox hunted;
Then hey call, etc.

Near Buktin-Reake he waxed weak,
And cunning ways was wealing,
At last he stale into Crey-gill
Where he did intend to feal him:
Then hey call, etc.

But the Huntsmen chanc'd him to espy,
And off the Hounds they did hollow,
Which came to them speedily,
And fleetly the Fox they did follow.
Then hey call, etc.

Then by the Crey he teuke his way,
And to the Scar-house so called,
And westward still beyond Kerkgill,
And near him the Hounds they followed:
Then hey call, etc:

The Maids by flocks cast down their rocks
To view the Fox that's so cunning,
And Wives from their arms
Threw down their barns
To see the Fox a running.
then hey call, etc.

The Tup did skip, and the Hog did trip,
And the Yews nothing did fear them,
And eke the little lambs did leap within their dams
For joy that the Hounds ran so near him.
then hey call, etc.

A Clergy-man I understand
Unto this sport was hasted,
Having a Psalm-Book in his hand,
And at the fox he cast it.
then hey call, etc.

After the Fox the Pinfold leapt,
But the Pinder was a wanting,
And thorow the Chapel-yard he tript,
Was not this a worthy hunting:
then hey call, etc.

A Thatcher chanc'd him to espy
So many worthy chases,
Then to out-houses he did high
To find some lurking places:
then hey call, etc.

This Thatcher at him cast his knave,
But yet the Fox he missed,
He simple entertainment gave
To one that was so distressed:
then hey call, etc:

But Dido had him on the wind,
And from his kennel drew him;
And the rest of the helpers had a mind
And about their heads they threw him.
then hey call, etc.
So cries the Huntsmen,
Spanker and Gentle were cunning,
Rose and Bonny Lass were all in the Chase,
And the Captain near to them running.

Near Seven Kells this Fox was slain,
As people much reported,
A choaken wheat this was of late,
I truly may report it.

The Husbandman man cries Tantar-a-ran,
And the Huntsman he rejoyces,
At Hubberam they drank head and skin,
And the Hounds they were praised by voices:

The Duck and the Drake cries queke, quake, quake,
And the Goose cried keeke most highly,
And eke the Stagg did tread
Before he did need for killing of the Fox so wildly,

The Peacock fair, the Capon rare,
The Turkey and the Day-cock;
The Poultrey all both great and small
Rejoyceth at his good luck:

Therefore be merry and glad, each jovial lad
This Fox hath much offended,
Fill us another cup, and we will cry who-up,
And so our Hunting is ended.

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