Part 9

III. Queen Anne, Queen Anne, you sit in the sun, As fair as a lily, as white as a wand, I send you three letters, and pray read one. You must read one, if you can't read all, So pray, Miss or Master, throw up the ball.

--Halliwell's _Pop. Rhymes_, p. 64.

IV. Here we come a-piping, First in spring and then in May. The Queen she sits upon the sand, Fair as a lily, white as a wand: King John has sent you letters three, And begs you'll read them unto me. We can't read one without them all, So pray, Miss Bridget, deliver the ball.

--Halliwell's _Pop. Rhymes_, p. 73.

V. Queen Anne, Queen Anne, She sot in the sun; So fair as a lily, So white as a nun; She had a white glove on, She drew it off, she drew it on.

Turn, ladies, turn.

The more we turn, the more we may, Queen Anne was born on Midsummer Day; We have brought dree letters from the Queen, Wone of these only by thee must be seen. We can't rëade wone, we must rëade all, Please ( ) deliver the ball.

--Dorsetshire (_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 229).

VI. Here come we to Lady Queen Anne, With a pair of white gloves to cover our hand; As white as a lily, as fair as the rose, But not so fair as you may suppose.

Turn, ladies, turn.

The more we turn the more we may, Queen Anne was born on Midsummer Day.

The king sent me three letters, I never read them all, So pray, Miss ----, deliver the ball.

The ball is yours, and not ours, You must go to the garden and gather the flowers.

The ball is ours, and not yours, We go out and gather the flowers.

--Cornwall (_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 52-53).

VII. Queen Anne, Queen Anne, she sits in the sun, As fair as a lily, so white and wan; A pair of kid gloves she holds in her hand, There's no such a lady in all the fair land.

Turn all.

The more we turn the better we are, For we've got the ball between us.

--North Kelsey, Lincolnshire (Miss M. Peacock).

VIII. Lady Queen Anne she sits on a stand [sedan], She is fair as a lily, she is white as a swan; A pair of green gloves all over her hand, She is the fairest lady in all the land. Come taste my lily, come smell my rose, Which of my babes do you choose? I choose not one, but I choose them all, So please, Miss Nell, give up the ball.

The ball is ours, it is not yours, We will go to the woods and gather flowers; We will get pins to pin our clothes, You will get nails to nail your toes.

--Belfast (W. H. Patterson).

IX. Queen Anne, Queen Anne, she sits in the sun, As fair as a lily, as brown as a bun; We've brought you three letters, pray can you read one? I can't read one without I read all, So pray ---- deliver the ball.

You old gipsy, sit in the sun, And we fair ladies go and come; The ball is mine, and none o' thine, And so good-morning, Valentine.

--Swaffham. Norfolk (Miss Matthews).

X. Queen Anne, Queen Anne, she sits in the sun, As fair as a lily, as brown as a bun.

Turn, fair ladies, turn.

We bring you three letters, and pray you read one. I cannot read one without I read all, So please ( ) give up the ball.

[If the wrong guess is made the girls say--]

The ball is ours, and none of yours, And we've the right to keep it.

[If the right child is named, they say--]

The ball is yours, and is not ours, And you've the right to take it.

[Some of the children said this rhyme should be--]

The ball is ours, and none of yours, So you, black gipsies, sit in the sun, While we the fair ladies go as we come.

--London (A. B. Gomme).

XI. Queen Anne, Queen Anne, she sits in the sun, As fair as a lily, as white as a swan; I bring you three letters, so pray you choose one, I cannot read one without I read all, So pray ---- give up the ball.

[If the wrong girl is asked, they say--]

The ball is ours, it is not yours, And we've the right to keep it.

[When the right one is guessed--]

The ball is yours, it is not ours, And you've the right to keep it.

--Barnes, Surrey (A. B. Gomme).

XII. The lady Queen Anne she sat in a tan (sedan), As fair as a lily, as white as a swan; The Queen of Morocco she sent you a letter, So please to read one.

I won't read one except them all, So please, Miss ----, deliver the ball.

--Hersham, Surrey (_Folk-lore Record_, v. 87).

XIII. Queen Ann, Queen Ann, She sits in the sun, As fair as a lily, and bright as one; King George has sent you three letters, And desires you to read one.

I cannot read one Without I read all, So pray, Miss ( ), Deliver the ball.

[Rhyme when right is seldom in use, and the one when wrong forgotten.]

The ball is ours, and none of yours, So, black gipsies, sit in the sun, And we, fair ladies, go as we come.

--Sussex, about 1850 (Miss Chase).

XIV. Queen Ann, Queen Ann, She sat in the sun; A pair of white gloves to cover her hands, As white as a lily, as red as a rose, To which young lady do you propose?

--Devon (Miss Chase).

XV. Here come seven sisters, And seven milken daughters, And with the ladies of the land, And please will you grant us.

I grant you once, I grant you twice, I grant you three times over; A for all, and B for ball, And please [ ] deliver the ball.

--Bocking, Essex (_Folk-lore Journal_, vi. 211).

(_b_) Sides are chosen, and two lines are formed; the words are said by each line alternately. One line, in which is the Queen, standing still or sitting down, the other line advancing and retiring while singing the words. The latter line gives one of their number a ball or some other small object to hold in the hand in such a manner that it cannot be perceived. All the players on this side then assume the same position--either all put their hands behind them or fold their arms, put their hands under their armpits, or under their skirts or pinafores. The object of the other side is to guess which child in the line has the ball. The line which has the ball commences the game by advancing singing or saying the first three or four lines. Queen Anne answers, and then names one of the girls on the opposite side whom she suspects to have the ball, and if she be right in her guess the lines change sides. If she be wrong, the line retires in triumph, the girl who possesses the ball holding it up to show the Queen she is wrong. The children all curtsey when leaving the Queen's presence. Another girl of the line then takes the ball and the game continues till the right holder of the ball is named. When the Queen tells the line of players to "turn," they all spin round, coming back to face the Queen, and then stand still again. In the North Kelsey version (Miss Peacock) there is only one player on Queen Anne's side, the rest form the line. This is also the case with the Cornish game.

(_c_) The analysis of the game-rhymes is as follows:--

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ |No.| Scotland (Chambers). | Halliwell (1). | Halliwell (2). | +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | 1.| -- | -- | -- | | 2.| -- | -- | -- | | 3.|Lady Q. Anne. |Q. Anne, Anne. | Queen Anne. | | 4.| -- | -- | -- | | 5.|Sits in her stand. | -- | -- | | 6.| -- |Sits on her throne. | -- | | 7.| -- | -- |Sits in the sun. | | 8.|Pair of green gloves | -- | -- | | |on her hand. | | | | 9.|White as a lily, fair |Fair as lily, white as| -- | | |as a swan. |swan. | | |10.| -- | -- |Fair as lily, white as| | | | |wand. | |11.|Fairest lady in the | -- | -- | | |land. | | | |12.| -- | -- | -- | |13.|Smell my lily, smell | -- | -- | | |my rose. | | | |14.|Which of my maidens do| -- | -- | | |you choose? | | | |15.| -- | -- | -- | |16.| -- | -- | -- | |17.| -- | -- | -- | |18.| -- |King sends three |I send you three | | | |letters. |letters. | |19.| -- |Begs you'll read one. |Pray read one. | |20.| -- | -- | -- | |21.|Choose you one and |Cannot read one |You must read one, | | |choose you all. |unless I read all. |if you can't all. | |22.| -- | -- | -- | |23.|Pray, Miss, yield up |Pray [ ] deliver |Pray, Miss [ ], | | |the ball. |the ball. |throw up the ball. | |24.| -- | -- | -- | |25.|The ball is mine, and |The ball is mine, and | -- | | |none of yours. |none of thine. | | |26.| -- |You, proud Queen, may | -- | | | |sit on your throne. | | |27.| -- |While we, your | -- | | | |messengers, go and | | | | |come. | | |28.|Go to the woods and | -- | -- | | |gather flowers. | | | |29.| -- | -- | -- | |30.| -- |The ball is mine, and | -- | | | |none of thine. | | |31.| -- |You are the fair lady | -- | | | |to sit on. | | |32.| -- |And we're black gip- | -- | | | |sies to go and come. | | |33.| -- | -- | -- | |34.| -- | -- | -- | |35.|Cats and kittens, bide| -- | -- | | |within. | | | |36.|We young ladies walk | -- | -- | | |out and in. | | | |37.| -- | -- | -- | |38.| -- | -- | -- | |39.| -- | -- | -- | +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ |No.| Halliwell (3). | Dorsetshire. | Cornwall. | +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | 1.|Here we come a-piping.| -- | -- | | 2.|First in Spring, then | -- | -- | | |in May. | | | | 3.| -- |Queen Anne. |Lady Queen Anne. | | 4.|Queen. | -- | -- | | 5.|Sits upon the sand. | -- | -- | | 6.| -- | -- | -- | | 7.| -- |Sot in the sun. | -- | | 8.| -- |White glove on. |Pair of white gloves | | | | |to cover our hand. | | 9.| -- | -- |White as lily, fair as| | | | |rose. | |10.|Fair as lily, white as|Fair as lily, white as| -- | | |wand. |nun. | | |11.| -- | -- | -- | |12.| -- | -- |Not so fair as you may| | | | |suppose. | |13.| -- | -- | -- | |14.| -- | -- | -- | |15.| -- |Turn, ladies. |Turn, ladies. | |16.| -- |More we turn, more we |More we turn, more we | | | |may. |may. | |17.| -- |Queen Anne was born on|Q. Anne was born on | | | |midsummer day. |midsummer day. | |18.|King John has sent |We've brought three |King sent me three | | |three letters. |letters. |letters. | |19.|Begs you'll read them | -- | -- | | |unto me. | | | |20.| -- |One of these only by | -- | | | |you must be seen. | | |21.|We can't read one |We can't read one, | -- | | |without all. |must read all. | | |22.| -- | -- |I never read them all.| |23.|Pray, Miss [ ], |Please [ ] deliver |Pray, Miss [ ], | | |deliver the ball. |the ball. |deliver the ball. | |24.| -- | -- | -- | |25.| -- | -- |The ball is yours, and| | | | |not ours. | |26.| -- | -- | -- | |27.| -- | -- | -- | |28.| -- | -- |Go to the garden and | | | | |gather flowers. | |29.| -- | -- | -- | |30.| -- | -- |The ball is ours, and | | | | |none of yours. | |31.| -- | -- | -- | |32.| -- | -- | -- | |33.| -- | -- |We must go to the | | | | |garden and gather | | | | |flowers. | |34.| -- | -- | -- | |35.| -- | -- | -- | |36.| -- | -- | -- | |37.| -- | -- | -- | |38.| -- | -- | -- | |39.| -- | -- | -- | +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ |No.| North Kelsey. | Belfast. | Swaffham. | +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | 1.| -- | -- | -- | | 2.| -- | -- | -- | | 3.|Queen Anne. |Lady Queen Anne. | Queen Anne. | | 4.| -- | -- | -- | | 5.| -- |Sits on a stand. | -- | | 6.| -- | -- | -- | | 7.|Sits in the sun. | -- |Sits in the sun. | | 8.|Pair of kid gloves in |Pair of green gloves | -- | | |her hand. |all over her hand. | | | 9.| -- |Fair as lily, white as| -- | | | |swan. | | |10.|Fair as lily, white | -- |Fair as lily, brown as| | |and wan. | |bun. | |11.|No such lady in the |Fairest lady in the | -- | | |land. |land. | | |12.| -- | -- | -- | |13.| -- |Taste my lily, smell | -- | | | |my rose. | | |14.| -- |Which of my babes do | -- | | | |you choose? | | |15.|Turn all. | -- | -- | |16.|More we turn, better | -- | -- | | |we are. | | | |17.| -- | -- | -- | |18.| -- | -- |We've brought three | | | | |letters. | |19.| -- | -- |Pray can you read one.| |20.| -- | -- | -- | |21.| -- |Choose not one but | -- | | | |choose all. | | |22.| -- | -- | -- | |23.| -- |Please, Miss Nell, |Pray deliver the ball.| | | |give up the ball. | | |24.|We've got the ball | -- | -- | | |between us. | | | |25.| -- | -- |You, old gipsy sit in | | | | |the sun. | |26.| -- | -- |We fair ladies, go and| | | | |come. | |27.| -- |The ball is ours, it |The ball is mine, and | | | |is not yours. |none of thine. | |28.| -- |We'll go to the woods | -- | | | |and gather flowers. | | |29.| -- | -- | -- | |30.| -- | -- | -- | |31.| -- | -- | -- | |32.| -- | -- | -- | |33.| -- | -- | -- | |34.| -- | -- | -- | |35.| -- | -- | -- | |36.| -- | -- | -- | |37.| -- |We will get pins to | -- | | | |pin our clothes. | | |38.| -- |You will get nails to | -- | | | |nail your toes. | | |39.| -- | -- |So good morning | | | | |Valentine. | +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+