Poems; original and translated by Charles Rann Kennedy ... and Two Poems by the Rev. Rann Kennedy. New Edition. By Charles Rann Kennedy |
 |
THE WEDNESBURY MINER. |
 | Poems; original and translated |  |
113
THE WEDNESBURY MINER.
There was a Wedn'sbury Miner,
A gamecock rare had he;
Never a better or finer
All Staffordshire did see:
A gamecock rare had he;
Never a better or finer
All Staffordshire did see:
This cock, while yet but a chicken,
Would fight with a four-year-old;
The fowls were all panic-stricken
At his bearing so gallant and bold:
Would fight with a four-year-old;
The fowls were all panic-stricken
At his bearing so gallant and bold:
And Boxer he was christen'd,
His breast it was white as snow;
The Miner's eyes they glisten'd,
Whenever he heard him crow:
His breast it was white as snow;
The Miner's eyes they glisten'd,
Whenever he heard him crow:
And out of his hand he fed him
On barley and cakes and ale,
And when to battle he led him,
Was sure he could never fail:
On barley and cakes and ale,
And when to battle he led him,
Was sure he could never fail:
And Boxer's fame was vaunted,
And every stake he won;
The neighbours all were daunted,
For he his match had none;
And every stake he won;
The neighbours all were daunted,
For he his match had none;
114
At last, so saith the fable,
A chap to the Miner came,
Whose eyes and face were sable,
And Nicholas was his name:
A chap to the Miner came,
Whose eyes and face were sable,
And Nicholas was his name:
Quoth he, “I've a thorough-bred cock, Sir,
That never has yet been tried;
And I'll make a match with Boxer
For fifty guineas a side!”
That never has yet been tried;
And I'll make a match with Boxer
For fifty guineas a side!”
A match, there's no retreating,
For fifty guineas a side!
They fixt the day of meeting
At Wedn'sbury next Shrovetide.
For fifty guineas a side!
They fixt the day of meeting
At Wedn'sbury next Shrovetide.
And now to Wedn'sbury cocking
There posted a motley crew;
From Bilston all came flocking
And Wolverhampton too;
There posted a motley crew;
From Bilston all came flocking
And Wolverhampton too;
The tailors, the butchers, the bakers,
The coalmen of Dudley eame down,
The pin and the button-makers
From smoky Brummagem-town:
The coalmen of Dudley eame down,
The pin and the button-makers
From smoky Brummagem-town:
The ring was soon completed,
The cocks were both brought in,
And Nick the Miner greeted
With a nod and half a grin:
The cocks were both brought in,
And Nick the Miner greeted
With a nod and half a grin:
115
The Blackman's cock was meagre
And spectrelike to view,
Yet he seem'd for combat eager,
And he crowed as loud as two:
And spectrelike to view,
Yet he seem'd for combat eager,
And he crowed as loud as two:
When all for the fight was ready,
They gave the word of command;
Each bird marched bold and steady
Out of the master's hand:
They gave the word of command;
Each bird marched bold and steady
Out of the master's hand:
And there was no demurring,
They met with pinion and heel,
And fierce was the clapping and spurring,
And bright the flashing of steel:
They met with pinion and heel,
And fierce was the clapping and spurring,
And bright the flashing of steel:
Alas! how fleeting is glory
To fowls as well as to men!
Great Boxer, his bosom gory,
Fell never to rise agen.
To fowls as well as to men!
Great Boxer, his bosom gory,
Fell never to rise agen.
The Miner was mute in wonder,
He scarce could believe his eyes;
The amazement he was under
All power of speech defies:
He scarce could believe his eyes;
The amazement he was under
All power of speech defies:
And still he stood for a minute,
Then off his jacket he threw;
“The devil himself is in it
But I'll be revenged on you!”
Then off his jacket he threw;
“The devil himself is in it
But I'll be revenged on you!”
116
“A fight! fair play's a jewel!”
Was echoed from the crowd:
“Come on, and I'll pound you to gruel!”
The Miner call'd aloud:
Was echoed from the crowd:
“Come on, and I'll pound you to gruel!”
The Miner call'd aloud:
The Blackman he grew blacker,
Soon as the challenge he heard;
“The devil then be my backer!
I'll take you at your word!”
Soon as the challenge he heard;
“The devil then be my backer!
I'll take you at your word!”
That voice made all of 'em nervous,
Unearthly was the sound;
They whisper'd “Lord preserve us!”
But form'd a circle round:
Unearthly was the sound;
They whisper'd “Lord preserve us!”
But form'd a circle round:
The fight not long continued,
For at the very first blow
The Miner the iron-sinew'd
Was in the dust laid low:
For at the very first blow
The Miner the iron-sinew'd
Was in the dust laid low:
And all the people assembled
Turn'd pale when the sight they saw;
They shiver'd and quaked and trembled,
And looked at old Nick with awe:
Turn'd pale when the sight they saw;
They shiver'd and quaked and trembled,
And looked at old Nick with awe:
They looked, but oh, how horrid!
A change came over his mien;
And horns appear'd on his forehead,
Where none before had been:
A change came over his mien;
And horns appear'd on his forehead,
Where none before had been:
117
There were eyes all red and fiery,
A pestilent brimstone smell,
And a pigtail curling spiry:
Sure 'twas an Imp of hell!
A pestilent brimstone smell,
And a pigtail curling spiry:
Sure 'twas an Imp of hell!
They leapt up harum-scarum,
And kick'd the benches down,
And fast as legs could tear 'em
They scamper'd out of the town;
And kick'd the benches down,
And fast as legs could tear 'em
They scamper'd out of the town;
The tailors, the butchers, the bakers,
The coalmen in frantic mood,
The pin and the button-makers,
As if by the devil pursued.
The coalmen in frantic mood,
The pin and the button-makers,
As if by the devil pursued.
Tis sure no theme for laughter:
The Miner was left alone,
And what became of him after,
Was never to mortal known.
The Miner was left alone,
And what became of him after,
Was never to mortal known.
| Poems; original and translated | |