Rocking of the cradle, or, Hushy-ba baby/Rocking of the cradle, or, Hushy-ba baby

ROCKING THE CRADLE; OR, HUSHY-BA.

I Am an old man of three score and ten,
⁠am rocking the cradle and making my moan,
I am an old man, I am three score and ten,
⁠I am rocking the cradle that’s none of my own.

CHORUS.

Which makes me sing hushy-ba, nothing to me,
⁠and gars me say hushy-ba, Bastard, ly still,
Tho' I'm not your daddie, my wife is your minnie,
⁠waes me! for she's taking too much of her will.

I'm old and I'm crazie, but might have liv'd easy,
⁠but nothing would please me but the young and the fair
I'm old and I'm crazie, I might have liv'd easy,
⁠but Cupid leads captive the boldest in war.

To balls and to plays she always goes foremost,
⁠she's always going foremost and carries the gree.
To all sorts of balls she's still going foremost,
⁠she's ay seeking something I canna well gi'e.

It's none of my own that lies in the cradle,
⁠which makes me sing to it so mournfully,
There's two & two at the sea, two & two like to die,
⁠two lie in the cradle and two on my knee.

You impudent rogue, replied the mother,
⁠so little yon think that I have to do,
I'm knitting your stockings, and washing your linens,
⁠I'm rocking your cradle, and spinning your tow.

CHORUS.

Which makes me sing hushy-ba, something to me,
⁠which makes me cry hushy-ba, baby ly still,
Tho' he's no your daddie, yet I am your minnie,
⁠it's well known I ne'er got too much of my will.

Then she comes in with a rap on the table,
⁠crying, you old rogue, is the tea kettle on!
Get up you old devil and rock while you're able,
⁠or else if you don't, you’ll get skelping your fill.

CHORUS.

Which makes me cry hushy-ba, nothing for me,
⁠which makes me sing hushy-ba, baby lie still, etc.