"When Aurora comes up through the Orient gate, And chanticleer crows to the sun, The moon will retire, and the stars in her wake Will follow their queen every one." R. A. FOSTER.[J] FOOTNOTES: [J] When I asked my friend, Robert Adams Foster, whose _Boy Ballads_ are being read with unusual interest in Scotland, to write a Scotch lullaby, he sent me the above verses. CHAPTER XIII. A FAVOURITE NURSERY HYMN. Known to the rustics of England, France, and Italy since the days of the great Charlemagne, has a peculiar history. Like many other rhymes of yore it is fast dying out of memory. The educational influences of the National Schools in the former part of this century, and the Board Schools at a later date, have killed this little suppliant's prayer, as well as most of the other rural rhymes and folk-lore tales handed down by mother to child. The hymn, though still used in some parts of Northern England, and especially amongst the Nonconformists, as a child's evening ode of praise, runs-- "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, Look upon this little child; Pity my simplicity, Suffer me to come to Thee." The next verse, a more modern addition, is-- "Fain I would to Thee be brought, Lamb of God, forbid it not; In the kingdom of Thy grace Give this little child a place." Leo III. is the supposed author of the book in which it is found, viz., _Enchiridion Leonis Papae_. However, the _Enchiridion_ was a book of magic, and not authorised by the Church of Rome, but used by spurious monks and charlatans, wizards and quacks, in their exploits amongst the credulous rural folk. It was full of charms, prayers, and rhymes to ward off evil spirits. The Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John verses are part of the same "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild." The _Enchiridion_ was first published in 1532. This hymn was, in the main, derived from the White Paternoster, and handed down to posterity and preserved by the rustics. THE LATIN VERSION OF THE VIRGIN'S LULLABY. "Dormi fili, dormi! mater Cantat unigenito, Dormi, puer, dormi! pater Nato clamat parvulo: Millies tibi laudes canimus Mille, mille, millies. "Dormi cor, et meus thronus, Dormi matris jubilum; Aurium cœlestis sonus. Et suave sibilum! Millies tibi laudes canimus Mille, mille, millies. "Ne quid desit, sternam rosis Sternam fœnum violis, Pavimentum hyacinthis Et praesepe liliis Millies tibi laudes canimus Mille, mille, millies. "Si vis musicam, pastores Convocabo protinus Illis nulli sunt priores; Nemo canit castius Millies tibi laudes canimus Mille, mille, millies." CHAPTER XIV. "THERE WAS A MAID CAME OUT OF KENT."