—Bocking, Essex (Folk-lore Journal, vi. 211).
(b) Sides are chosen, and two lines are formed; the words are said by each line alternately. One line, in which is the Queen, standing still or sitting down, the other line advancing and retiring while singing the words. The latter line gives one of their number a ball or some other small object to hold in the hand in such a manner that it cannot be perceived. All the players on this side then assume the same position—either all put their hands behind them or fold their arms, put their hands under their armpits, or under their skirts or pinafores. The object of the other side is to guess which child in the line has the ball. The line which has the ball commences the game by advancing singing or saying the first three or four lines. Queen Anne answers, and then names one of the girls on the opposite side whom she suspects to have the ball, and if she be right in her guess the lines change sides. If she be wrong, the line retires in triumph, the girl who possesses the ball holding it up to show the Queen she is wrong. The children all curtsey when leaving the Queen’s presence. Another girl of the line then takes the ball and the game continues till the right holder of the ball is named. When the Queen tells the line of players to “turn,” they all spin round, coming back to face the Queen, and then stand still again. In the [North Kelsey version] (Miss Peacock) there is only one player on Queen Anne’s side, the rest form the line. This is also the case with the [Cornish game].
(c) The analysis of the game-rhymes is as follows:—
| No. | Scot- land (Cham- bers). | Halli- well (1). | Halli- well (2). | Halli- well (3). | Dor- set- shire. | Corn- wall. | North Kel- sey. | Bel- fast. | Swaff- ham. | London. | Barnes. | Hersham. | Sussex. | Devon. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | — | — | — | Here we come a-piping. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2. | — | — | — | First in Spring, then in May. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3. | Lady Q. Anne. | Q. Anne, Anne. | Queen Anne. | — | Queen Anne. | Lady Queen Anne. | Queen Anne. | Lady Queen Anne. | Queen Anne. | Queen Anne. | Queen Anne. | Lady Queen Anne. | Queen Ann. | Queen Ann. |
| 4. | — | — | — | Queen. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5. | Sits in her stand. | — | — | Sits upon the sand. | — | — | — | Sits on a stand. | — | — | — | Sits in a tan. | — | — |
| 6. | — | Sits on her throne. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7. | — | — | Sits in the sun. | — | Sot in the sun. | — | Sits in the sun. | — | Sits in the sun. | Sits in the sun. | Sits in the sun. | — | Sits in the sun. | Sat in the sun. |
| 8. | Pair of green gloves on her hand. | — | — | — | White glove on. | Pair of white gloves to cover our hand. | Pair of kid gloves in her hand. | Pair of green gloves all over her hand. | — | — | — | — | — | Pair of white gloves to cover her hand. |
| 9. | White as a lily, fair as a swan. | Fair as lily, white as swan. | — | — | — | White as lily, fair as rose. | — | Fair as lily, white as swan. | — | — | Fair as lily, white as swan. | Fair as lily, white as swan. | — | White as lily, red as rose. |
| 10. | — | — | Fair as lily, white as wand. | Fair as lily, white as wand. | Fair as lily, white as nun. | — | Fair as lily, white and wan. | — | Fair as lily, brown as bun. | Fair as lily, brown as bun. | — | — | Fair as lily, bright as one. | — |
| 11. | Fairest lady in the land. | — | — | — | — | — | No such lady in the land. | Fairest lady in the land. | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 12. | — | — | — | — | — | Not so fair as you may suppose. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 13. | Smell my lily, smell my rose. | — | — | — | — | — | — | Taste my lily, smell my rose. | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 14. | Which of my maidens do you choose? | — | — | — | — | — | — | Which of my babes do you choose? | — | — | — | — | — | To which young lady do you propose? |
| 15. | — | — | — | — | Turn, ladies. | Turn, ladies. | Turn all. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 16. | — | — | — | — | More we turn, more we may. | More we turn, more we may. | More we turn, better we are. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 17. | — | — | — | — | Queen Anne was born on midsummer day. | Q. Anne was born on midsummer day. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 18. | — | King sends three letters. | I send you three letters. | King John has sent three letters. | We’ve brought three letters. | King sent me three letters. | — | — | We’ve brought three letters. | We bring you three letters. | I bring you three letters. | Queen of Morocco sent you a letter. | King Geo. has sent you three letters. | — |
| 19. | — | Begs you’ll read one. | Pray read one. | Begs you’ll read them unto me. | — | — | — | — | Pray can you read one. | Pray you read one. | Pray you choose one. | Please to read one. | Desires you to read one. | — |
| 20. | — | — | — | — | One of these only by you must be seen. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 21. | Choose you one and choose you all. | Cannot read one unless I read all. | You must read one, if you can’t all. | We can’t read one without all. | We can’t read one, must read all. | — | — | Choose not one but choose all. | — | Cannot read one without all. | Cannot read one without all. | I won’t read one except all. | Cannot read one without all. | — |
| 22. | — | — | — | — | — | I never read them all. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 23. | Pray, Miss, yield up the ball. | Pray [ ] deliver the ball. | Pray, Miss [ ], throw up the ball. | Pray, Miss [ ], deliver the ball. | Please [ ] deliver the ball. | Pray, Miss [ ], deliver the ball. | — | Please, Miss Nell, give up the ball. | Pray deliver the ball. | Please give up the ball. | Pray give up the ball. | Please, Miss [ ], deliver the ball. | Pray, Miss [ ], deliver the ball. | — |
| 24. | — | — | — | — | — | — | We’ve got the ball between us. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 25. | The ball is mine, and none of yours. | The ball is mine, and none of thine. | — | — | — | The ball is yours, and not ours. | — | — | You, old gipsy sit in the sun. | — | — | — | So, black gipsies, sit in the sun. | — |
| 26. | — | You, proud Queen, may sit on your throne. | — | — | — | — | — | — | We fair ladies, go and come. | — | — | — | We fair ladies, go as we come. | — |
| 27. | — | While we, your messengers, go and come. | — | — | — | — | — | The ball is ours, it is not yours. | The ball is mine, and none of thine. | The ball is ours, and none of yours. | The ball is ours, it is not yours. | — | The ball is ours, and none of yours. | — |
| 28. | Go to the woods and gather flowers. | — | — | — | — | Go to the garden and gather flowers. | — | We’ll go to the woods and gather flowers. | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 29. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | And we’ve the right to keep it. | And we’ve the right to keep it. | — | — | — |
| 30. | — | The ball is mine, and none of thine. | — | — | — | The ball is ours, and none of yours. | — | — | — | The ball is yours, and not ours. | The ball is yours, it is not ours. | — | — | — |
| 31. | — | You are the fair lady to sit on. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | You, black gipsies, sit in the sun. | — | — | — | — |
| 32. | — | And we’re black gipsies to go and come. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | While we, fair ladies, go as we come. | — | — | — | — |
| 33. | — | — | — | — | — | We must go to the garden and gather flowers. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 34. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | And you’ve the right to keep it. | — | — | — |
| 35. | Cats and kittens, bide within. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 36. | We young ladies walk out and in. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 37. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | We will get pins to pin our clothes. | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 38. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | You will get nails to nail your toes. | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 39. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | So good morning Valentine. | — | — | — | — | — |
| No. | Scotland (Chambers). | Halliwell (1). | Halliwell (2). | Halliwell (3). | Dorsetshire. | Cornwall. | North Kelsey. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | — | — | — | Here we come a-piping. | — | — | — |
| 2. | — | — | — | First in Spring, then in May. | — | — | — |
| 3. | Lady Q. Anne. | Q. Anne, Anne. | Queen Anne. | — | Queen Anne. | Lady Queen Anne. | Queen Anne. |
| 4. | — | — | — | Queen. | — | — | — |
| 5. | Sits in her stand. | — | — | Sits upon the sand. | — | — | — |
| 6. | — | Sits on her throne. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7. | — | — | Sits in the sun. | — | Sot in the sun. | — | Sits in the sun. |
| 8. | Pair of green gloves on her hand. | — | — | — | White glove on. | Pair of white gloves to cover our hand. | Pair of kid gloves in her hand. |
| 9. | White as a lily, fair as a swan. | Fair as lily, white as swan. | — | — | — | White as lily, fair as rose. | — |
| 10. | — | — | Fair as lily, white as wand. | Fair as lily, white as wand. | Fair as lily, white as nun. | — | Fair as lily, white and wan. |
| 11. | Fairest lady in the land. | — | — | — | — | — | No such lady in the land. |
| 12. | — | — | — | — | — | Not so fair as you may suppose. | — |
| 13. | Smell my lily, smell my rose. | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 14. | Which of my maidens do you choose? | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 15. | — | — | — | — | Turn, ladies. | Turn, ladies. | Turn all. |
| 16. | — | — | — | — | More we turn, more we may. | More we turn, more we may. | More we turn, better we are. |
| 17. | — | — | — | — | Queen Anne was born on midsummer day. | Q. Anne was born on midsummer day. | — |
| 18. | — | King sends three letters. | I send you three letters. | King John has sent three letters. | We’ve brought three letters. | King sent me three letters. | — |
| 19. | — | Begs you’ll read one. | Pray read one. | Begs you’ll read them unto me. | — | — | — |
| 20. | — | — | — | — | One of these only by you must be seen. | — | — |
| 21. | Choose you one and choose you all. | Cannot read one unless I read all. | You must read one, if you can’t all. | We can’t read one without all. | We can’t read one, must read all. | — | — |
| 22. | — | — | — | — | — | I never read them all. | — |
| 23. | Pray, Miss, yield up the ball. | Pray [ ] deliver the ball. | Pray, Miss [ ], throw up the ball. | Pray, Miss [ ], deliver the ball. | Please [ ] deliver the ball. | Pray, Miss [ ], deliver the ball. | — |
| 24. | — | — | — | — | — | — | We’ve got the ball between us. |
| 25. | The ball is mine, and none of yours. | The ball is mine, and none of thine. | — | — | — | The ball is yours, and not ours. | — |
| 26. | — | You, proud Queen, may sit on your throne. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 27. | — | While we, your messengers, go and come. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 28. | Go to the woods and gather flowers. | — | — | — | — | Go to the garden and gather flowers. | — |
| 29. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 30. | — | The ball is mine, and none of thine. | — | — | — | The ball is ours, and none of yours. | — |
| 31. | — | You are the fair lady to sit on. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 32. | — | And we’re black gipsies to go and come. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 33. | — | — | — | — | — | We must go to the garden and gather flowers. | — |
| 34. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 35. | Cats and kittens, bide within. | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 36. | We young ladies walk out and in. | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 37. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 38. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 39. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |