Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — CompleteScott, Walter
History
Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — Complete
Scott, Walter
Historical fiction; Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746 -- Fiction; Scotland -- History -- 18th century -- Fiction
[Footnote: This tirade of gibberish is literally taken or selected from
a mock discourse pronounced by a professed jester, which occurs in an
ancient manuscript in the Advocates' Library, the same from which the
late ingenious Mr. Weber published the curious comic romance of the
Hunting of the Hare. It was introduced in compliance with Mr Strutt's
plan of rendering his tale an illustration of ancient manners A similar
burlesque sermon is pronounced by the fool in Sir David Lindesay's
satire of the Three Estates. The nonsense and vulgar burlesque of that
composition illustrate the ground of Sir Andrew Aguecheek's eulogy on
the exploits of the jester in Twelfth Night, who, reserving his sharper
jests for Sir Toby, had doubtless enough of the jargon of his calling
to captivate the imbecility of his brother knight, who is made to
exclaim--'In sooth, thou wast in very gracious fooling last night, when
thou spokest of Pigrogremitus, and of the vapours passing the
equinoctials of Quenbus; 't was very good, i' faith!' It is
entertaining to find commentators seeking to discover some meaning in
the professional jargon of such a passage as this.]
With much goodly gibberish to the same effect; which display of
Gregory's ready wit not only threw the whole company into convulsions
of laughter, but made such an impression on Rose, the Potter's
daughter, that it was thought it would be the Jester's own fault if
Jack was long without his Jill. Much pithy matter, concerning the
bringing the bride to bed, the loosing the bridegroom's points, the
scramble which ensued for them, and the casting of the stocking, is
also omitted from its obscurity.
The following song which has been since borrowed by the worshipful
author of the famous History of Fryar Bacon, has been with difficulty
deciphered. It seems to have been sung on occasion of carrying home the
bride
Bridal Song
To the tune of--'I have been a Fiddler,' etc,
And did you not hear of a mirth befell
The morrow after a wedding day,
And carrying a bride at home to dwell?
And away to Tewin, away, away!
The quintain was set, and the garlands were made,
'T is pity old customs should ever decay;
And woe be to him that was horsed on a jade,
For he carried no credit away, away.
We met a consort of fiddle-de-dees;
We set them a cockhorse, and made them play
The winning of Bullen and Upsey-frees,
And away to Tewin, away, away!
There was ne'er a lad in all the parish
That would go to the plough that day;
But on his fore-horse his wench he carries.
And away to Tewin, away, away!
The butler was quick, and the ale he did tap,
The maidens did make the chamber full gay;
The servants did give me a fuddling cup,
And I did carry't away, away.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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