The Wiccamical Chaplet a selection of original poetry; comprising smaller poems, serious and comic; classical trifles; sonnets; inscriptions and epitaphs; songs and ballads; mock-heroics, epigrams, fragments, &c. &c. Edited by George Huddesford |
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THE
CAPE HUNT,
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 | The Wiccamical Chaplet |  |
138
THE CAPE HUNT,
A BALLAD, In the Manner of Chevy-Chace.
God prosper long our noble King,
And the noble house of B---rt---e,
And give you patience while I sing
Of a jovial hunting party!
And the noble house of B---rt---e,
And give you patience while I sing
Of a jovial hunting party!
To drive the foxes from their holes
They ride with might and main;
And, when they've kill'd them, o'er their bowls
Thrice do they slay the slain.
They ride with might and main;
And, when they've kill'd them, o'er their bowls
Thrice do they slay the slain.
Brave Peregrine
, for sporting fam'd,
And fam'd for drinking eke,
Vow'd he would hunt the county thro'
Six days in ev'ry week.
And fam'd for drinking eke,
Vow'd he would hunt the county thro'
Six days in ev'ry week.
Nor ditch so deep nor hedge so high
His purpose should prevent:
Then came these tidings speedily
Unto the Shrieve of Kent.
His purpose should prevent:
Then came these tidings speedily
Unto the Shrieve of Kent.
139
(His prowess in the chace did shine,
And he join'd with one accord
In toping too with Peregrine;
And his name was Johnny W---d,)
And he join'd with one accord
In toping too with Peregrine;
And his name was Johnny W---d,)
When as the Shrieve these tidings heard
Forthwith he did resort
To Yattendon , but ere he stirr'd
He drank three gills of port.
Forthwith he did resort
To Yattendon , but ere he stirr'd
He drank three gills of port.
And with him scores of sportsmen stout,
All topers of great might,
Who many a flask had emptied out
Of red wine and of white.
All topers of great might,
Who many a flask had emptied out
Of red wine and of white.
True Sportsmen know not dread nor fear,
Each rides, when once the saddle in,
As if he had a neck to spare,
Just like the Swan in Lad-lane.
Each rides, when once the saddle in,
As if he had a neck to spare,
Just like the Swan in Lad-lane.
With wide-stretch'd throats the hounds pursue,
With shouts the huntsmen cheer 'em,
The Welkin rings, and he may rue
That has two ears to hear 'em.
With shouts the huntsmen cheer 'em,
The Welkin rings, and he may rue
That has two ears to hear 'em.
“What stays John W---d,” quoth Peregrine,
“Erst wont to lead our van?
“Should he this Hunting-match decline,
“I have mistook my man:
“Erst wont to lead our van?
“Should he this Hunting-match decline,
“I have mistook my man:
140
“For, tho' he wields the Sheriff's wand,
“He never cares a rush
“Who tends the Courts and long-rob'd band,
“Shew him the Fox's Brush!”
“He never cares a rush
“Who tends the Courts and long-rob'd band,
“Shew him the Fox's Brush!”
When thus the Whipper-in bespake
His anxious Lord: “I trow
“The Sheriff comes thro' yonder brake,
“For I hear his tally-ho.
His anxious Lord: “I trow
“The Sheriff comes thro' yonder brake,
“For I hear his tally-ho.
“With Kentish men on either side,
“Bold blades, in buck-skin breech'd;
“Look there, Sir, you may see 'em ride
As if they were bewitch'd!”
“Bold blades, in buck-skin breech'd;
“Look there, Sir, you may see 'em ride
As if they were bewitch'd!”
Eftsoons, ere he had told his tale,
The Sheriff's voice they hear:
“Where's Peregrine, whom Jockies hail
“Full Brother to a Peer?”
The Sheriff's voice they hear:
“Where's Peregrine, whom Jockies hail
“Full Brother to a Peer?”
“Welcome, brave W---d!---Lo, here am I!”
The gallant B---rt---e cried:
“Keep pace with us an if thou canst
“While we a-hunting ride!”
The gallant B---rt---e cried:
“Keep pace with us an if thou canst
“While we a-hunting ride!”
141
“Beshrew my soul,” the Shrieve rejoin'd,
And gave his steed the rein,
“Who rides a race with me, behind
“For ever shall remain.”
And gave his steed the rein,
“Who rides a race with me, behind
“For ever shall remain.”
A Black-coat then the Shrieve address'd:
(Such Black-coat there is scarce one)
“I'll put Thee, Sheriff, to the test,
“Tho' but an Oxford Parson.
(Such Black-coat there is scarce one)
“I'll put Thee, Sheriff, to the test,
“Tho' but an Oxford Parson.
“For I with thee will ride and race,
“Or any in the land,
“And ever swallow glass for glass,
“While I can sit or stand.”
“Or any in the land,
“And ever swallow glass for glass,
“While I can sit or stand.”
They urg'd their hacknies on amain
With spurs of Woodstock steel,
Until the blood, like drops of rain,
Bedew'd each sportsman's heel.
With spurs of Woodstock steel,
Until the blood, like drops of rain,
Bedew'd each sportsman's heel.
His loss of leather bitterly
Shall rue full many a man
Till he to Rumford ride, to be
New-bottom'd spick and span.
Shall rue full many a man
Till he to Rumford ride, to be
New-bottom'd spick and span.
For in the West the Sun was set
Ere they the chace gave o'er:
Then did they all their whistles wet
With brandy-punch galore.
Ere they the chace gave o'er:
Then did they all their whistles wet
With brandy-punch galore.
142
Port too they quaff'd and humming beer,
Brew'd all in shire of Berks:
And then (thank God I was not there)
They sung like Parish Clerks.
Brew'd all in shire of Berks:
And then (thank God I was not there)
They sung like Parish Clerks.
They storm'd the cellar, left each bin
Its ravish'd flasks to mourn;
But spar'd the small-beer kilderkin:
(They were at Highgate sworn.)
Its ravish'd flasks to mourn;
But spar'd the small-beer kilderkin:
(They were at Highgate sworn.)
The liquor mounted in their pates;
Then had their brains been drown'd,
In pates of jovial Foxhunters
If brains were to be found.
Then had their brains been drown'd,
In pates of jovial Foxhunters
If brains were to be found.
C---ch---ll drank bumpers to his girl,
And challeng'd all the board;
B---rt---e, full brother to an Earl,
Got drunk as any Lord.
And challeng'd all the board;
B---rt---e, full brother to an Earl,
Got drunk as any Lord.
Alack it was a grief I trow
And pity to behold
Each Foxhunter, like David's sow,
About the parlour roll'd!
And pity to behold
Each Foxhunter, like David's sow,
About the parlour roll'd!
With the High-sheriff sprawling laid
Renown'd Sir Narb---o D---th,
Noah a second deluge made
The table underneath.
Renown'd Sir Narb---o D---th,
Noah a second deluge made
The table underneath.
141
With Pottinger and Matthews there,
Yeomen of good account,
Honest Jack P---ll---y from his chair,
For drinking, could not mount.
Yeomen of good account,
Honest Jack P---ll---y from his chair,
For drinking, could not mount.
Charles W---lk---r too of Magdalen,
Ah, maudlin ripe was he!
Ned C*ny*rs, for good breeding fam'd,
Yet sober could not be.
Ah, maudlin ripe was he!
Ned C*ny*rs, for good breeding fam'd,
Yet sober could not be.
Of Thomas Cole
, a lad of spunk,
The fate my Muse bemoans:
When his legs fail'd him, he got drunk
Upon his marrow-bones.
The fate my Muse bemoans:
When his legs fail'd him, he got drunk
Upon his marrow-bones.
And, sooth to say, no squire nor knight
Who wore on heel a spur
Could keep his seat or stand upright
Save Sir John G---rd---n---r.
Who wore on heel a spur
Could keep his seat or stand upright
Save Sir John G---rd---n---r.
(Ne'er shall we see his peer again,
None like him now there be!
He drank to death five Aldermen,
And Oxford taylors three.)
None like him now there be!
He drank to death five Aldermen,
And Oxford taylors three.)
Full many a pretty damsel speeds
To fetch them home next day;
They kiss'd, and wash'd, and comb'd their heads
And job'd them all the way.
To fetch them home next day;
They kiss'd, and wash'd, and comb'd their heads
And job'd them all the way.
144
When tidings to Lord Ab---ngd---n
Were wrote, with pen and ink,
That Peregrine at Yattendon
Was overcome with drink,
Were wrote, with pen and ink,
That Peregrine at Yattendon
Was overcome with drink,
His Lordship strumm'd his fiddle-string,
And he sung with merry glee
Huzza! of Fiddlers I'm the King,
The King of Fuddlers he!
And he sung with merry glee
Huzza! of Fiddlers I'm the King,
The King of Fuddlers he!
Long live all Sheriffs like the W---ds,
To execute the Foxes,
And send us store of fiddling Lords!—
Amen!—replied our Doxies.
To execute the Foxes,
And send us store of fiddling Lords!—
Amen!—replied our Doxies.
And eke God save our noble King,
And the noble house of B---rt---e!
And we'll drink, hunt, fiddle, dance and sing,
And a fig for Bonaparte!
And the noble house of B---rt---e!
And we'll drink, hunt, fiddle, dance and sing,
And a fig for Bonaparte!
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