Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England
Various
Play
Length 8 h 50 min
Chapters 108
First published 1857
This traditional, and, for the most part, unprinted literature,—cherished in remote villages, resisting everywhere the invasion of modern namby-pamby verse and jaunty melody, and possessing, in an historical point of view, especial value as a faithful record of the feeling, usages, and modes of life of the rural population,—had been almost wholly passed over amongst the antiquarian revivals which constitute one of the distinguishing features of the present age. While attention was successfully drawn to other forms of our early poetry, this peasant minstrelsy was scarcely touched, and might be considered unexplored ground. There was great difficulty in collecting materials which lay scattered so widely, and which could be procured in their genuine simplicity only from the people amongst whom they originated, and with whom they are as ‘familiar as household words.’ - Summary by Robert Bell
Chapters
1
Introduction Read by Devorah Allen 10:11
2
The Vanities of Life Read by Nemo 8:53
3
The Life and Age of Man Read by Nemo 4:40
4
The Young Man's Wish Read by Devorah Allen 1:59
5
The Midnight Messenger Read by Josh Kibbey 8:21
6
A Dialogue Betwix an Exciseman and Death Read by Jim Gallagher 6:48
7
The Messenger of Mortality Read by Josh Kibbey 5:11
8
England's Alarm Read by Ellies 7:08
9
Smoking Spiritualized Read by Stephen Harvey 5:37
10
The Masonic Hymn Read by Ellies 4:43
11
God Speed the Plow, and Bless the Corn-mow Read by ritalouise 5:12
12
A Dialogue Between the Husbandman and the Servingman Read by ritalouise 5:04
13
The Catholick Read by ritalouise 1:59
14
The Three Knights Read by ritalouise 4:36
15
The Blind Beggar of Bednall Green Read by ritalouise 15:17
16
The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood Read by Alan Mapstone 4:40
17
The Outlandish Knight Read by ritalouise 4:19
18
Lord Delaware Read by Ellies 8:07
19
Lord Bateman Read by Ellies 5:17
20
The Golden Glove; or, the Squire of Tamworth Read by Chris Pyle 3:06
21
King James I. and the Tinkler Read by Devorah Allen 4:33
22
The Keach I’ the Creel Read by Devorah Allen 3:46
23
The Merry Broomfield; or, the West Country Wager Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 6:16
24
Sir John Barleycorn Read by Alan Mapstone 4:04
25
Blow the Winds, I-ho! Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 5:21
26
The Beautiful Lady of Kent; or, the Seaman of Dover Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 16:46
27
The Berkshire Lady’s Garland Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 17:16
28
The Nobleman’s Generous Kindness Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 6:37
29
The Drunkard’s Legacy Read by Josh Kibbey 8:14
30
The Bowes Tragedy Read by Carrie-Lorraine Sherry 10:25
31
The Crafty Lover; or, the Lawyer Outwitted Read by ritalouise 4:02
32
The Death of Queen Jane Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 3:54
33
The Wandering Young Gentlewoman; or, Catskin Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 19:53
34
The Brave Earl Brand and the King of England’s Daughter Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 6:03
35
The Jovial Hunter of Bromsgrove; or, the Old Man and his Three Sons Read by Stephen Harvey 4:51
36
Lady Alice Read by Carrie-Lorraine Sherry 2:14
37
The Felon Sewe of Rokeby and the Freeres of Richmond Read by Stephen Harvey 15:36
38
Arthur O’Bradley’s Wedding Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 14:14
39
The Painful Plough Read by Larry Wilson 2:55
40
The Useful Plow; or, the Plough’s Praise Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 3:00
41
The Farmer’s Son Read by Oxenhandler 3:31
42
The Farmer’s Boy Read by Oxenhandler 2:39
43
Richard of Taunton Dean; or, Dumble Dum Deary Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 6:10
44
Wooing Song of a Yeoman of Kent’s Sonne Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 4:25
45
The Clown’s Courtship Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 2:24
46
Harry’s Courtship Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 2:57
47
Harvest-Home Song Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 2:49
48
Harvest-Home Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 1:58
49
The Mow Read by Larry Wilson 1:28
50
The Barley-Mow Song Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 8:21
51
The Barley-Mow Song (Suffolk version) Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 1:07
52
The Craven Churn-Supper Song Read by ritalouise 3:43
53
The Rural Dance About the May-Pole Read by ritalouise 3:35
54
The Hitchin May-Day Song Read by ritalouise 1:47
55
The Helstone Furry-Day Song Read by ritalouise 3:30
56
Cornish Midsummer Bonfire Song Read by ritalouise 2:23
57
Suffolk Harvest-Home Song Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 2:22
58
The Haymaker’s Song Read by Larry Wilson 2:04
59
The Sword-Dancers’ Song Read by Stephen Harvey 3:23
60
The Sword-Dancers’ Song and Interlude Read by Stephen Harvey 7:49
61
The Maskers’ Song Read by Stephen Harvey 3:52
62
Gloucestershire Wassailers’ Song Read by Alan Mapstone 2:29
63
The Mummers’ Song Read by Josh Kibbey 2:27
64
Fragment of the Hagmena Song Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 2:49
65
The Greenside Wakes Song Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 3:14
66
The Swearing-in Song or Rhyme Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 10:15
67
Fairlop Fair Song Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 4:54
68
As Tom was a-Walking Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 2:41
69
The Miller and his Sons Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 3:17
70
Jack and Tom Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 4:03
71
Joan’s Ale Was New Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 5:19
72
George Ridler’s Oven Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 9:38
73
The Carrion Crow Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 4:34
74
The Leathern Bottel Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 3:01
75
The Farmer’s Old Wife Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 3:42
76
Old Wichet and his Wife Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 6:32
77
The Jolly Waggoner Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 2:47
78
The Yorkshire Horse-dealer Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 4:37
79
The King and the Countryman Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 4:42
80
Jone o’ Greenfield’s Ramble Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 5:38
81
Thornehagh-Moor Woods Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 5:00
82
The Lincolnshire Poacher Read by Larry Wilson 2:53
83
Somersetshire Hunting Song Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 2:43
84
The Trotting Horse Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 4:00
85
The Seeds of Love Read by Carrie-Lorraine Sherry 3:43
86
The Garden-Gate Read by Larry Wilson 1:46
87
The New-Mown Hay Read by Larry Wilson 1:43
88
The Praise of a Dairy Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 3:36
89
The Milk-Maid’s Life Read by Josh Kibbey 2:51
90
The Milking-Pail Read by Josh Kibbey 1:47
91
The Summer’s Morning Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 5:34
92
Old Adam Read by Larry Wilson 2:28
93
Tobacco Read by Ellies 2:04
94
The Spanish Ladies Read by Ellies 2:21
95
Harry the Tailor Read by Ellies 1:45
96
Sir Arthur and Charming Mollee Read by Ellies 2:44
97
There Was an Old Man Came Over the Lea Read by Ellies 1:54
98
Why Should we Quarrel for Riches Read by Ellies 2:28
99
The Merry Fellows Read by Ellies 2:40
100
The Old Man’s Song Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 4:24
101
Robin Hood’s Hill Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 3:29
102
Begone Dull Care Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 2:12
103
Full Merrily sings the Cuckoo Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 2:45
104
Jockey to the Fair Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 5:18
105
Long Preston Peg Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 1:33
106
The Sweet Nightingale Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 5:01
107
The Old Man and his Three Sons Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 2:01
108
A Begging We Will Go Read by Lynda Marie Neilson 4:09
From LibriVox, read by volunteers and in the public domain. LibriVox page (opens librivox.org) , the text (opens gutenberg.org) , all files on the Internet Archive (opens archive.org) .
