Leg a derry, Leg a merry, met, mer, whoop, whirr ! driuance, Larumben, Grandam boy, heye! ffinis. Sce Mr. Dyce's note in the Ballads and Romances of the Folio, ii. 46.-F. The sea Crabb. [Page 462 of MS.] A CORRESPONDENT says, "This was a very common old story, and I think it occurs in one of the early fabliaux, but the only reference I can think of at present is the celebrated Moyen de Parvenir, by Béroalle de Verville, where it is introduced in Chapter 49." ITT: was a man of Affrica had a ffaire wiffe, ffairest that euer I saw the dayes of my liffe: with a ging, boyes, ginge! ginge, boyes, ginge! 4 tarradidle, ffarradidle, ging, boyes, ging! 8 12 16 This goodwiffe was bigbellyed, & with a lad, The goodman rise in the morning, & put on his hose, Sais, "god speed, ffisherman,' sayling on the sea, hast thou any crabbs in thy bote for to sell mee ?" "I haue Crabbs in my bote, one, tow, or three; I haue Crabbs in my bote for to sell thee." ginge &c. A wife who was pregnant wanted a crab. Her good man bought one MS. ffishernan.-F. and put it in the jordan. It caught hold of his wife. He blew on it to make it let go, and it pinned his nose to his. wife. So he called the neigh bours in to part them. The good man went home, & ere he wist, & put the Crabb in the Chamber pot where his wiffe pist. ging &c. 20 The good wiffe, she went to doe as shee was wont; vp start the Crabfish, & catcht her by the Cunt. ging &c. 24 28 32 "Alas!" quoth the goodwiffe, "that euer I was borne, the devill is in the pispott, & has me on his horne.” ging &c. "If thou be a crabb or crabfish by kind, thoule let thy hold goe with a blast of cold wind." ging &c. The good man laid to his mouth, & began to blowe, "Alas!" quoth the good man, hither, "that euer I came he has ioyned my wiffes tayle & my nose together!" ging &c. They good man called his neigbors in with great wonder, 36 to part his wiues tayle & his nose assunder. 4 8 12 16 20 24 Last night I thought. [Page 463 of MS.] LAST: night I thought my true loue I caught; that can find but his Mistress sleepinge? If shadowes can make the braines for to ake, when the spirritts haue their reposes, the substance hath power to proue & procure all the pleasures that loues incloses. Nights sable shroud, with her bonny cloude, will defend thee from Tytanus peepinge, & helpe thee to shade all the shiffts thou hast made Then since the aid of the Cynthian mayd doth assist vs with her endeauour; light to the moone till the suffering be done; though shee denyes, shee pishes & shee cryes, ffor if shee ffind that affectyon be kinde, shees thine owne, boy, awake or sleepinge! Thetis, q.-P. H ffinis. I dreamt last night that I kist my love. If I enjoyed that, what must the real thing be? I since found her sleeping, and didn't leave her for her weeping. She was my own. |