The Every-day Book and Table Book, v. 1 (of 3) / or Everlasting Calendar of Popular Amusements, Sports, Pastimes, Ceremonies, Manners, Customs and Events, Incident to Each of the Three Hundred and Sixty-five Days, in past and Present Times; Forming a Complete History of the Year, Month, and Seasons, and a Perpetual Key to the Almanac - William Hone

Sts. Ursula, and her Companions, 5th Cent. St. Hilarion, Abbot, A. D. 371. St. Fintan, or Munnu, Abbot, in Ireland, A. D. 634.

After a harvest with a good barley crop, a few minutes may be seasonably amused by a pleasant ballad.

John Barleycorn.

There went three kings into the east,
Three kings both great and high,
An’ they ha’ sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn should die.

They took a plough and plough’d him down,
Put clods upon his head,
And they hae sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn was dead.

But the cheerful spring came kindly on,
And show’rs began to fall;
John Barleycorn got up again,
And sore surpris’d them all.

The sultry suns of summer came,
And he grew thick and strong,
His head weel arm’d wi’ pointed spears,
That no one should him wrong.