Cassell's Book of In-door Amusements, Card Games, and Fireside Fun

by Various

THE SPANISH NOBLEMAN.

The company arrange themselves in a long straight line at one end of the room, excepting one person, who is to be the nobleman, and he must take his place at the other end of the room. Advancing to his friends, the nobleman must then, sing the following lines:—

"I am a nobleman from Spain,

Coming to court your daughter Jane."

To which the rest reply:—

"Our daughter Jane is yet too young,

She has not learnt her mother's tongue."

The nobleman replies:—

"Be she young or be she old,

For her beauty she must be sold;

So fare you well, my ladies gay,

I'll call again another day."

The company then advance singing:—

"Turn back, turn back, you noble lord,

And brush your boots and spurs so bright."

Whereupon the Spanish Nobleman replies, with something of rebuke in his tone:—

"My boots and spurs gave you no thought,

For in this land they were not bought,

Neither for silver nor for gold.

So fare you well, my ladies gay,

I'll call again another day."

All then advance, saying:—

"Turn back, turn back, you noble lord,

And choose the fairest in your sight."

The nobleman, fixing upon—supposing we say Kitty—then says:—

"The fairest one that I can see,

Is pretty Kitty: come to me."

The couple go back hand in hand rejoicing. The whole performance is then re-commenced, but the second time, instead of only one nobleman two noblemen advance, and the rigmarole is gone through again, ending at last in another companion being induced to join the little band of noblemen. Thus the game is carried on, until in the end all have gradually been won over to the opposite side.