CLXV.

[Sometimes off a pewter plate' is added at the end of each line.]

PETER PIPER picked a peck of pickled pepper; A peck of pickled pepper Peter Piper picked; If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper, Where's the peck of pickled pepper Peter Piper picked?

CLXVI.

My father he left me, just as he was able,
One bowl, one bottle, one lable,

Two bowls, two bottles, two lables,

Three, &c. [And so on ad. lib. in one breath.]

CLXVII.

[A charm somewhat similar to the following may be seen in the Townley Mysteries,' p. 91. See a paper in the xxvii, p. 253, by the Rev. Lancelot Sharpe, M.A.

Archæologia,' vol. See also MS. Lansd.

231, fol. 114, and Ady's Candle in the Dark,' 4to, London, 1650, p. 58.]

MATTHEW, Mark, Luke, and John,

Guard the bed that I lay on!

Four corners to my bed,

Four angels round my head;

One to watch, one to pray,
And two to bear my soul away!

CLXVIII.

[Said to pips placed in the fire; a species of divination practised by

THERE was an old woman, as I've heard tell,
She went to market her eggs for to sell;
She went to market all on a market-day,
And she fell asleep on the king's highway.

There came by a pedlar whose name was Stout,
He cut her petticoats all round about;
He cut her petticoats up to the knees,
Which made the old woman to shiver and freeze.

When this little woman first did wake, She began to shiver and she began to shake, She began to wonder and she began to cry, "Lauk a mercy on me, this is none of I! "But if it be I, as I do hope it be,

I've a little dog at home, and he'll know me; If it be I, he'll wag his little tail,

And if it be not I, he'll loudly bark and wail."

Home went the little woman all in the dark,
Up got the little dog, and he began to bark;
He began to bark, so she began to cry
"Lauk a mercy on me, this is none of I!"

CLXX.

OLD woman, old woman, shall we go a shearing? Speak a little louder, sir, I am very thick of hearing.

Old woman, old woman, shall I kiss you dearly? Thank you, kind sir, I hear you very clearly.

CLXXI.

THERE was an old woman who lived in a shoe, She had so many children she didn't know what to do;

She gave them some broth without any bread,

She whipped them all well and put them to bed.

CLXXII.

THERE was an old woman sat spinning,

And that's the first beginning;

She had a calf,

And that's half;

She took it by the tail,

And threw it over the wall,

And that's all.

CLXXIII.

THERE was an old woman, her name it was Peg; Her head was of wood, and she wore a cork-leg. The neighbours all pitch'd her into the water, Her leg was drown'd first, and her head follow'd a'ter.

CLXXIV.

A LITTLE old man of Derby,

How do you think he served me?
He took away my bread and cheese,
And that is how he served me.

CLXXV.

THERE was an old woman in Surrey,

Who was morn, noon, and night in a hurry; Call'd her husband a fool,

Drove the children to school,

The worrying old woman of Surrey.

CLXXVI.

OLD mother Widdle Waddle jumpt out of bed, And out of the casement she popt out her head; Crying, the house is on fire, the gray goose is dead, And the fox he is come to the town, oh!

CLXXVII.

THERE was an old woman,

And she sold puddings and pies:
She went to the mill,

And the dust flew in her eyes:
Hot pies and cold pies to sell!
Wherever she goes,-

You may follow her by the smell.

CLXXVIII.

OLD Mother Niddity Nod swore by the pudding-bag

She would go to Stoken Church fair;

And then old Father Peter said he would meet her

Before she got half-way there.

CLXXIX.

THERE was an old woman

Lived under a hill;

And if she's not gone,

She lives there still.