The projected demolition of London Bridge recalls to my mind the introductory lines of an old ballad which more than seventy years ago I heard plaintively warbled by a lady who was born in the reign of Charles II., and who lived till nearly the end of that of George II. I now transcribe the lines, not as possessing any great intrinsic merit, but in the hope of learning from some intelligent correspondent the name of the author and the story which gave rise to the ballad, for it probably originated in some accident that happened to the old bridge. The “Lady Lea” evidently refers to the river of that name, the favourite haunt of Isaac Walton, which, after fertilising the counties of Hertford, Essex, and Middlesex, glides into the Thames.
London Bridge is broken down,
Dance over the Lady Lea;
London Bridge is broken down,
With a gay lady [la-dee].
Then we must build it up again.
What shall we build it up withal?
Build it up with iron and steel,
Iron and steel will bend and break.
Build it up with wood and stone,
Wood and stone will fall away.
Build it up with silver and gold,
Silver and gold will be stolen away.
Then we must set a man to watch,
Suppose the man should fall asleep?
Then we must put a pipe in his mouth,
Suppose the pipe should fall and break?
Then we must set a dog to watch,
Suppose the dog should run away?
Then we must chain him to a post.
The two lines in italic are all regularly repeated after each line.—M. Green.
Another correspondent to this magazine, in the same volume, p. 507, observes that the ballad concerning London Bridge “formed, in my remembrance, part of a Christmas Carol, and commenced thus—
Dame, get up and bake your pies,
On Christmas-day in the morning.
The requisition goes on to the dame to prepare for the feast, and her answer is—
London Bridge is fallen down,
On Christ-mas day in the morning, &c.
The inference always was, that until the bridge was rebuilt some stop would be put to the Dame’s Christmas operations; but why the falling of London Bridge should form part of a Christmas Carol at Newcastle-upon-Tyne I am at a loss to know.” Some fragments were also printed in the Mirror for November 1823; and a version is also given by Ritson, Gammer Gurton’s Garland. The Heimskringla (Laing, ii. 260, 261) gives an animated description of the Battle of London Bridge, when Ethelred, after the death of Sweyn, was assisted by Olaf in retaking and entering London, and it is curious, that the first line of the game-rhyme appears—
London Bridge is broken down,
Gold is won and bright renown;
Shields resounding,
War-horns sounding,
Hild is shouting in the din;
Arrows singing,
Mail-coats ringing,
Odin makes our Olaf win.