"A FROG HE WOULD A-WOOING GO."
Your Sexagenarian who dates from "Shooter's Hill," has not hit the mark when he suggests that Anna Bouleyn's marriage with Henry VIII. (in the teeth of the Church) is the hidden mystery of the popular old song,—
"Sir Frog he would a-wooing go,
Whether his mother was willing or no."
That some courtship in the history of the British monarchy, leaving a deep impression on the public mind, gave rise to this generally diffused ballad, is exceedingly probable; but the style and wording of the song are evidently of a period much later than the age of Henry VIII. Might not the madcap adventure of Prince Charles with Buckingham into Spain, to woo the Infanta, be its real origin? "Heigho! for Antony Rowley" is the chorus. Now "Old Rowley" was a pet name for Charles the Second, as any reader of the Waverley Novels must recollect. No event was more likely to be talked about and sung about at the time, the adventurous nature of the trip being peculiarly adapted to the ballad-monger.
Francis Mahony.
"A Frog he would a-wooing go" (Vol. ii., p. 45.)—Your correspondent T. S. D. is certainly right in his notion that the ballad of "A frog he would a-wooing go" is very old, however fanciful may be his conjecture about its personal or political application to Henry VIII. and Anne Boleyn. That it could not refer to "the Cavaliers and the Roundheads," another of T. S. D.'s notions, is clear from the fact, that it was entered at Stationers' Hall in November, 1581; as appears by the quotation made by Mr. Payne Collier, in his second volume of Extracts, printed for the Shakspeare Society last year. It runs thus:—
"Edward White. Lycensed unto him, &c., theis iiij. ballads followinge, that is to saie, A moste strange weddinge of the frogge and the mowse," &c.
Upon this entry Mr. Collier makes this note:
"The ballad can hardly be any other than the still well-known comic song 'A Frog he would a-wooing go.'"
It may have been even older than 1581, when Edward White entered it; for it is possible that it was then only a reprint of an earlier production. I, like Mr. Collier, have heard it sung "in our theatres and streets," and, like T. S. D., always fancied that it was ancient.
The Hermit of Holyport.
Rowley Powley.—As generally inclined to the belief that everything is older than anybody knows of, I am rather startled by "Rowley Powley" not being as old as myself. I remember seeing mentioned somewhere, without any reference to this chorus, that rowley powley is a name for a plump fowl, of which both "gammon and spinach" are posthumous connexions. I cannot help thinking that this may be a clue to some prior occurrence of the chorus, with or without
the song. If "derry down," which has been said to be druidical, were judged of by the last song it went with, how old would be the Druids?
M.
"A Frog he would a-wooing go."—It may perhaps be interesting to some of your correspondents on the subject of "A frog he would a-wooing go," to know that there exists an Irish version of that woeful tale, which differs in several respects from the ballad which has so long been familiar to English ears. The burthen of "Heigho! says Rowley," does not occur in the Hibernian composition, but a still less intelligible chorus supplies its place. The air is exceedingly quaint, and seems to me to bear the stamp of antiquity. The words are as follow:—
"Misther Frog lived in a well,
Heigho! my lanti-iddity!
And the merry mouse in the mill,
Terry heigho! for lang for liddity!
Says Mr. Frog, 'I will go coort,'
Heigho, &c.
'Saddle me nag and polish me boots!'
Terry heigho, &c.
Frog came to Lady Mouse's hall,
Heigho, &c.
Gave a rap and thundering call,
Terry heigho, &c.
'Where is the people of this house?'
Heigho, &c.
'Here am I,' says my Lady Mouse,
Terry heigho, &c.
'I've come to court Miss Kitty here,'
Heigho, &c.
'If that she can fancy me.'
Terry heigho, &c.
'Uncle Rat is not at home;'
Heigho, &c.
'He'll give you an answer—I have none,'
Terry heigho, &c.
Uncle Rat, when he came in,
Heigho, &c.
'Who's been here since I left home?'
Terry heigho, &c.
'Misther Frog, a worthy man;'
Heigho, &c.
'Give him a wife, Sir, if you can,'
Terry heigho, &c.
'Where shall we make the bride's bed?'
Heigho, &c.
'Down below, in the Horse's Head.'
Terry heigho, &c.
'What shall we have for the wedding supper?'
Heigho, &c.
'A roasted potato and a roll o' butter.'
Terry heigho, &c.
Supper was laid down to dine,
Heigho, &c.
Changed a farthing and brought up wine,
Terry heigho, &c.
First come in was a nimble bee,
Heigho, &c.
With his fiddle upon his knee,
Terry heigho, &c.
Next come in was a creeping snail,
Heigho, &c.
With his bagpipes under his tail,
Terry heigho, &c.
Next came in was a neighbour's pig,
Heigho, &c.
'Pray, good people, will ye play us a jig?'
Terry heigho, &c.
Next come in was a neighbour's hen,
Heigho, &c.
Took the fiddler by the wing,
Terry heigho, &c.
Next come in was a neighbour's duck,
Heigho, &c.
Swallow'd the piper, head and pluck,
Terry heigho, &c.
Next come in was a neighbour's cat,
Heigho, &c.
Took the young bride by the back,
Terry heigho, &c.
Misther Frog jumped down the well,
Heigho, &c.
'Zounds, I'll never go coort again!'
Terry heigho, &c.
Uncle Rat run up a wall,
Heigho, &c.
'Zounds, the divil's among you all!'
Terry heigho, &c."
W. A. G.