THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 71 



Pisc. No, it is none of those : it is a song that your daughter 

 sung the first part, and you sung the answer to it. 



MiLK-W. O, 1 know it now : I learned the first part in my 

 golden age, when I was about the age of my poor daughter ; and 

 the latter part, which indeed fits me best now, but two or three 

 years ago, when the cares of the world began to take hold of me : 

 but you shall, God willing, hear them both, and sung as well as 

 we can, for we both love anglers. Come, Maudlin,* sing the 

 first part to the gentlemen with a merry heart, and I'll sing the 

 second, when you have done. 



THE MILK-MAID'S SONG.f 



Come live with me, and he my love, 

 And we will all the pleasures prove 



" Chevy Chase" is well known. The commonly received version criti- 

 cised by Addison {Spectator, Nos. 70, 74), cannot be older (from the 

 style) than Queen Elizabeth's time. Percy (Series I., B. 1, 1) gives the 

 ancient poem from an old MS. at the end of Hearne's Preface to Gul. JVew- 

 brigiensis Hist., 1719, Vol. I., to the end of which is subjoined the name 

 of the author, Rychard Sheale. He (Percy) fixes its date in the time of 

 Henry VI. Had the young shepherdess sung the whole of that ballad, our 

 friends would have been very late for supper. 



" Johnny Armstrong" is the well known ballad on the border freebooter 

 of that name. The English version is given by Ritson {English Songs, 

 Vol. II.), the genuine in Walter Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, 

 from Allan Ramsay's Evergreen. 



" Troy Town" is a very old ballad on the story of Dido and .^neas, be- 

 ginning, 



" When Troy towne had for ten yeeres past." 



It sends Dido's ghost to punish the faithless lover, and he dies most mise 

 rably. 



" And thus as one being in a trance, 



A multitude of uglye feinds 

 About this woffull prince did dance. 



He had no helpe of any friends : 

 His body they took quite away, 

 And no one knew his dying day." 



It is in Percy's Rdiques, Series III., B. 2, 22. — Am. Ed. 

 * Maudlin, diminutive for Matilda. 



t The fact that Shakspeare puts the second verse of this song into 

 Evans's mouth {Merry Wives of Windsor, Act. III., Scene I.), has led 



