This needs no comment, except that when one has just penned a series of conjectures oneself, it is best not to throw stones at other antiquaries. G. E. P. A.
P.S.—On p. 341, col. 2, 1. 3, omit the commas before and after " Ladies."
MAY SONG.
This morning (1 May) I had forty, save one, little Warwickshire lassies singing their May Song on the grass in front of my house. They were all dressed prettily and appropriately, and two of them carried in front of the procession the large garland of spring flowers made according to the specimen figured and described, as a 'Northampton May Garland,' in vol. ii. of Hone's 'Every-Day Book.'
As their song differs very considerably from any which I have seen printed, I ventured to ask them to repeat it to me after it had been sung. I took it down in shorthand:—
It's always on the first of May
We meet and dress so gaily;
It's always on the very day
We trim the garlands gaily.
Ladies, gents, now fill the box
Until it does run over;
For to-day we'll merry be,
And to-morrow we'll give over.
Hail! all hail!
The merry month of May!
We'll hasten to the woods away
Among the flowers so sweet and gay.
Away! away!
The merry month of May!
A rosy! a rosy!
A very sweet voice.
Parents, labour away.
The sun is up, the morn is bright,
The first of May is our delight.
Shake the box and bells,
And call on every lady;
Mind and give a good look out,
For we are dressed so gaily.
I give the words exactly as they were repeated by the little songsters, and to make assurance doubly sure I had doubtful lines said over again and again by different children. The third verse appears to be an interpolation. I have never heard it sung before, and can get no information concerning it. Is it used elsewhere?
Some twenty years ago, when on a visit to the place where I now reside, I copied down the May Song as rendered, doubtless, by some of the mothers of the little lassies whom I heard sing it so prettily to-day. In comparing the two versions I find the third verse missing in the older one, and the second and fourth verses are reversed. The last lines formerly ran:—
For to-night we'll merry be,
And to-morrow we'll get sober.
The present version is certainly a change for the better, and affords an example of the gradual advance of a more refined taste among the common people.
I should add that the children and their friends make their own arrangements for May Day here, not being controlled or tutored in any way by outsiders. What they obtain in donations is spent primarily on a tea which awaits their return home about 5 o'clock, the remainder of the money being equally divided amongst them. John T. Page.
[We remember singing, circa 1840, a song like the opening of the third stanza, the melody to which we recall.]
FLEETWOOD OF CRAWLEY, CO. SOUTHAMPTON.
(See ante, p. 48.)
Sir Gerrard Fleetwood, of Woodstock Park, Kt., and of Crawley, co. Southampton, Ranger of Woodstock, was the second (surviving?) son of Sir William Fleetwood, of Ealing, co. Middlesex, Kt., Receiver of the Court of Wards, by his wife Jane, daughter of William Clifton, of Brinton, co. Somerset, and relict of Hugh Coplestone, of Coplestone, co. Devon.
Sir Gerrard had four wives:—
1. Jane, daughter of William Lambert, of Maiden Bradley, Wilts. Probably they married in January, 1598/9, when he was not full eighteen years old.
2. Mary (baptized 22 Oct., 1589), daughter of William Dutton, of Sherborne, co. Gloucester, by his wife Anne, daughter of Sir Ambrose Nicholas, Kt., and Alderman of London, Lord Mayor in 1575. This was a branch of the family of Dutton of Dutton, co. Chester.
3. Isabel, daughter of Hercy Nevill, of Grove, by his wife Bridget, daughter of Henry Savile, of Lupset. She had had two husbands previously, viz., Sir John Harpur, and Sir Peter Frecheville, of Staveley, co. Derby, who died 7 April, 1634. Dame Isabel was buried in Bath Abbey, 24 Nov., 1642.
4. Anne, whose parentage I have been unable to ascertain; she was one of the executors of her husband's will, and her will is alluded to further on.
Sir Gerrard was knighted by James I. at
