Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England

Various

This traditional, and, for the most part, unprinted literature,—cherished in remote villages, resisting everywhere the invasion of modern namby-pamby verse and jaunty melody, and possessing, in an historical point of view, especial value as a faithful record of the feeling, usages, and modes of life of the rural population,—had been almost wholly passed over amongst the antiquarian revivals which constitute one of the distinguishing features of the present age. While attention was successfully drawn to other forms of our early poetry, this peasant minstrelsy was scarcely touched, and might be considered unexplored ground. There was great difficulty in collecting materials which lay scattered so widely, and which could be procured in their genuine simplicity only from the people amongst whom they originated, and with whom they are as ‘familiar as household words.’ - Summary by Robert Bell

Genre(s): Poetry

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 00 Introduction Devorah Allen
00:10:11
Play 01 The Plain-Dealing Man Josh Kibbey
00:05:17
Play 02 The Vanities of Life Nemo
00:08:53
Play 03 The Life and Age of Man Nemo
00:04:40
Play 04 The Young Man's Wish Devorah Allen
00:01:59
Play 05 The Midnight Messenger Josh Kibbey
00:08:21
Play 06 A Dialogue Betwix an Exciseman and Death Jim Gallagher
00:06:48
Play 07 The Messenger of Mortality Josh Kibbey
00:05:11
Play 08 England's Alarm Ellies
00:07:08
Play 09 Smoking Spiritualized Stephen Harvey
00:05:37
Play 10 The Masonic Hymn Ellies
00:04:43
Play 11 God Speed the Plow, and Bless the Corn-mow ritalouise
00:05:12
Play 12 A Dialogue Between the Husbandman and the Servingman ritalouise
00:05:04
Play 13 The Catholick ritalouise
00:01:59
Play 14 The Three Knights ritalouise
00:04:36
Play 15 The Blind Beggar of Bednall Green ritalouise
00:15:17
Play 16 The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood Alan Mapstone
00:04:40
Play 17 The Outlandish Knight ritalouise
00:04:19
Play 18 Lord Delaware Ellies
00:08:07
Play 19 Lord Bateman Ellies
00:05:17
Play 20 The Golden Glove; or, the Squire of Tamworth Chris Pyle
00:03:06
Play 21 King James I. and the Tinkler Devorah Allen
00:04:33
Play 22 The Keach I’ the Creel Devorah Allen
00:03:46
Play 23 The Merry Broomfield; or, the West Country Wager Lynda Marie Neilson
00:06:16
Play 24 Sir John Barleycorn Alan Mapstone
00:04:04
Play 25 Blow the Winds, I-ho! Lynda Marie Neilson
00:05:21
Play 26 The Beautiful Lady of Kent; or, the Seaman of Dover Lynda Marie Neilson
00:16:46
Play 27 The Berkshire Lady’s Garland Lynda Marie Neilson
00:17:16
Play 28 The Nobleman’s Generous Kindness Lynda Marie Neilson
00:06:37
Play 29 The Drunkard’s Legacy Josh Kibbey
00:08:14
Play 30 The Bowes Tragedy Carrie-Lorraine Sherry
00:10:25
Play 31 The Crafty Lover; or, the Lawyer Outwitted ritalouise
00:04:02
Play 32 The Death of Queen Jane Lynda Marie Neilson
00:03:54
Play 33 The Wandering Young Gentlewoman; or, Catskin Lynda Marie Neilson
00:19:53
Play 34 The Brave Earl Brand and the King of England’s Daughter Lynda Marie Neilson
00:06:03
Play 35 The Jovial Hunter of Bromsgrove; or, the Old Man and his Three Sons Stephen Harvey
00:04:51
Play 36 Lady Alice Carrie-Lorraine Sherry
00:02:14
Play 37 The Felon Sewe of Rokeby and the Freeres of Richmond Stephen Harvey
00:15:36
Play 38 Arthur O’Bradley’s Wedding Lynda Marie Neilson
00:14:14
Play 39 The Painful Plough Larry Wilson
00:02:55
Play 40 The Useful Plow; or, the Plough’s Praise Lynda Marie Neilson
00:03:00
Play 41 The Farmer’s Son Oxenhandler
00:03:31
Play 42 The Farmer’s Boy Oxenhandler
00:02:39
Play 43 Richard of Taunton Dean; or, Dumble Dum Deary Lynda Marie Neilson
00:06:10
Play 44 Wooing Song of a Yeoman of Kent’s Sonne Lynda Marie Neilson
00:04:25
Play 45 The Clown’s Courtship Lynda Marie Neilson
00:02:24
Play 46 Harry’s Courtship Lynda Marie Neilson
00:02:57
Play 47 Harvest-Home Song Lynda Marie Neilson
00:02:49
Play 48 Harvest-Home Lynda Marie Neilson
00:01:58
Play 49 The Mow Larry Wilson
00:01:28
Play 50 The Barley-Mow Song Lynda Marie Neilson
00:08:21
Play 51 The Barley-Mow Song (Suffolk version) Lynda Marie Neilson
00:01:07
Play 52 The Craven Churn-Supper Song ritalouise
00:03:43
Play 53 The Rural Dance About the May-Pole ritalouise
00:03:35
Play 54 The Hitchin May-Day Song ritalouise
00:01:47
Play 55 The Helstone Furry-Day Song ritalouise
00:03:30
Play 56 Cornish Midsummer Bonfire Song ritalouise
00:02:23
Play 57 Suffolk Harvest-Home Song Lynda Marie Neilson
00:02:22
Play 58 The Haymaker’s Song Larry Wilson
00:02:04
Play 59 The Sword-Dancers’ Song Stephen Harvey
00:03:23
Play 60 The Sword-Dancers’ Song and Interlude Stephen Harvey
00:07:49
Play 61 The Maskers’ Song Stephen Harvey
00:03:52
Play 62 Gloucestershire Wassailers’ Song Alan Mapstone
00:02:29
Play 63 The Mummers’ Song Josh Kibbey
00:02:27
Play 64 Fragment of the Hagmena Song Lynda Marie Neilson
00:02:49
Play 65 The Greenside Wakes Song Lynda Marie Neilson
00:03:14
Play 66 The Swearing-in Song or Rhyme Lynda Marie Neilson
00:10:15
Play 67 Fairlop Fair Song Lynda Marie Neilson
00:04:54
Play 68 As Tom was a-Walking Lynda Marie Neilson
00:02:41
Play 69 The Miller and his Sons Lynda Marie Neilson
00:03:17
Play 70 Jack and Tom Lynda Marie Neilson
00:04:03
Play 71 Joan’s Ale Was New Lynda Marie Neilson
00:05:19
Play 72 George Ridler’s Oven Lynda Marie Neilson
00:09:38
Play 73 The Carrion Crow Lynda Marie Neilson
00:04:34
Play 74 The Leathern Bottel Lynda Marie Neilson
00:03:01
Play 75 The Farmer’s Old Wife Lynda Marie Neilson
00:03:42
Play 76 Old Wichet and his Wife Lynda Marie Neilson
00:06:32
Play 77 The Jolly Waggoner Lynda Marie Neilson
00:02:47
Play 78 The Yorkshire Horse-dealer Lynda Marie Neilson
00:04:37
Play 79 The King and the Countryman Lynda Marie Neilson
00:04:42
Play 80 Jone o’ Greenfield’s Ramble Lynda Marie Neilson
00:05:38
Play 81 Thornehagh-Moor Woods Lynda Marie Neilson
00:05:00
Play 82 The Lincolnshire Poacher Larry Wilson
00:02:53
Play 83 Somersetshire Hunting Song Lynda Marie Neilson
00:02:43
Play 84 The Trotting Horse Lynda Marie Neilson
00:04:00
Play 85 The Seeds of Love Carrie-Lorraine Sherry
00:03:43
Play 86 The Garden-Gate Larry Wilson
00:01:46
Play 87 The New-Mown Hay Larry Wilson
00:01:43
Play 88 The Praise of a Dairy Lynda Marie Neilson
00:03:36
Play 89 The Milk-Maid’s Life Josh Kibbey
00:02:51
Play 90 The Milking-Pail Josh Kibbey
00:01:47
Play 91 The Summer’s Morning Lynda Marie Neilson
00:05:34
Play 92 Old Adam Larry Wilson
00:02:28
Play 93 Tobacco Ellies
00:02:04
Play 94 The Spanish Ladies Ellies
00:02:21
Play 95 Harry the Tailor Ellies
00:01:45
Play 96 Sir Arthur and Charming Mollee Ellies
00:02:44
Play 97 There Was an Old Man Came Over the Lea Ellies
00:01:54
Play 98 Why Should we Quarrel for Riches Ellies
00:02:28
Play 99 The Merry Fellows Ellies
00:02:40
Play 100 The Old Man’s Song Lynda Marie Neilson
00:04:24
Play 101 Robin Hood’s Hill Lynda Marie Neilson
00:03:29
Play 102 Begone Dull Care Lynda Marie Neilson
00:02:12
Play 103 Full Merrily sings the Cuckoo Lynda Marie Neilson
00:02:45
Play 104 Jockey to the Fair Lynda Marie Neilson
00:05:18
Play 105 Long Preston Peg Lynda Marie Neilson
00:01:33
Play 106 The Sweet Nightingale Lynda Marie Neilson
00:05:01
Play 107 The Old Man and his Three Sons Lynda Marie Neilson
00:02:01
Play 108 A Begging We Will Go Lynda Marie Neilson
00:04:09