The Horkey. A Provincial Ballad Poem Rhyme Scheme

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Robert Bloomfield

The Horkey. A Provincial Ballad Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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In the descriptive ballad which follows it will be evident that I have endeavoured to preserve the style of a gossip and to transmit the memorial of a custom the extent or antiquity of which I am not acquainted with and pretend not to enquire	A
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In Suffolk husbandry the man who whether by merit or by sufferance I know not goes foremost through the harvest with the scythe or the sickle is honoured with the title of Lord and at the Horkey or harvest home feast collects what he can for himself and brethren from the farmers and visitors to make a frolick afterwards called the largess spending By way of returning thanks though perhaps formerly of much more or of different signification they immediately leave the seat of festivity and with a very long and repeated shout of a largess the number of shouts being regulated by the sums given seem to wish to make themselves heard by the people of the surrounding farms And before they rejoin the company within the pranks and the jollity I have endeavoured to describe usually take place These customs I believe are going fast out of use which is one great reason for my trying to tell the rising race of mankind that such were the customs when I was a boy	B
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I have annexed a glossary of such words as may be found by general readers to require explanation And will add a short extract from Sir Thomas Brown of Norwich M D who was born three years before Milton and outlived him eight years	C
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It were not impossible to make an original reduction of many words of no general reception in England but of common use in Norfolk or peculiar to the East Angle counties as Bawnd Bunny Thurck Enemis Matchly Sainmodithee Mawther Kedge Seele Straft Clever Dere Nicked Stingy Noneare Fett Thepes Gosgood Kamp Sibrit Fangast Sap Cothish Thokish Bide owe Paxwax Of these and some others of no easy originals when time will permit the resolution shall be attempted which to effect the Danish language new and more ancient may prove of good advantage which nation remained here fifty years upon agreement and have left many families in it and the language of these parts had surely been more commixed and perplex if the fleet of Hugo de Bones had not been cast away wherein three score thousand souldiers out of Britany and Flanders were to be wafted over and were by King John's appointment to have a settled habitation in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk Tract the viii on Languages particularly the Saxon Folio page	D
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THE HORKEY	E
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A Provincial Ballad	F
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What gossips prattled in the sun	G
Who talk'd him fairly down	H
Up memory tell 'tis Suffolk fun	G
And lingo of their own	I
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Ah Judie Twitchet A though thou'rt dead	J
With thee the tale begins	K
For still seems thrumming in my head	J
The rattling of thy pins	K
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Footnote A Judie Twitchet was a real person who lived many years with my mother's cousin Bannock at Honnington	I
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Thou Queen of knitters for a ball	L
Of worsted was thy pride	M
With dangling stockings great and small	L
And world of clack beside	M
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We did so laugh the moon shone bright	N
More fun you never knew	I
'Twas Farmer Cheerum's Horkey night	N
And I and Grace and Sue	I
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But bring a stool sit round about	O
And boys be quiet pray	P
And let me tell my story out	O
'Twas sitch a merry day	P
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The butcher whistled at the door	Q
And brought a load of meat	R
Boys rubb'd their hands and cried 'there's more '	-
Dogs wagg'd their tails to see't	E
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On went the boilers till the hake Footnote A sliding pot hook	S
Had much ado to bear 'em	T
The magpie talk'd for talking sake	U
Birds sung but who could hear 'em	T
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Creak went the jack the cats were scar'd	V
We had not time to heed 'em	T
The owd hins cackled in the yard	W
For we forgot to feed 'em	T
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Yet 'twas not I as I may say	P
Because as how d'ye see	E
I only help'd there for the day	P
They cou'dn't lay't to me	E
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Now Mrs Cheerum's best lace cap	X
Was mounted on her head	J
Guests at the door began to rap	X
And now the cloth was spread	J
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Then clatter went the earthen plates	Y
'Mind Judie ' was the cry	Z
I could have cop't Footnote Thrown them at their pates	Y
'Trenchers for me ' said I	Z
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'That look so clean upon the ledge	A2
'And never mind a fall	L
'Nor never turn a sharp knife's edge	A2
'But fashion rules us all '	-
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Home came the jovial Horkey load	B2
Last of the whole year's crop	C2
And Grace amongst the green boughs rode	B2
Right plump upon the top	C2
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This way and that the waggon reel'd	D2
And never queen rode higher	A
Her cheeks were colour'd in the field	D2
And ours before the fire	A
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The laughing harvest folks and John	I
Came in and look'd askew	I
'Twas my red face that set them on	I
And then they leer'd at Sue	I
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And Farmer Cheerum went good man	I
And broach'd the Horkey beer	E2
And sitch a mort Footnote Such a number of folks began	I
To eat up our good cheer	E2
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Says he 'Thank God for what's before us	F2
'That thus we meet agen '	-
The mingling voices like a chorus	F2
Join'd cheerfully 'Amen '	-
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Welcome and plenty there they found 'em	T
The ribs of beef grew light	N
And puddings till the boys got round 'em	T
And then they vanish'd quite	N
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Now all the guests with Farmer Crouder	E2
Began to prate of corn	I
And we found out they talk'd the louder	E2
The oftner pass'd the Horn	I
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Out came the nuts we set a cracking	G2
The ale came round our way	P
By gom we women fell a clacking	G2
As loud again as they	P
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John sung 'Old Benbow' loud and strong	G2
And I 'The Constant Swain '	-
'Cheer up my Lads ' was Simon's song	G2
'We'll conquer them again '	-
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Now twelve o'clock was drawing nigh	Z
And all in merry cue	G2
I knock'd the cask 'O ho ' said I	Z
'We've almost conquer'd you '	-
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My Lord Footnote The leader of the reapers begg'd round and held	H2
his hat	I2
Says Farmer Gruff says he	E
There's many a Lord Sam I know that	I2
Has begg'd as well as thee '	-
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Bump in his hat the shillings tumbl'd	J2
All round among the folks	K2
'Laugh if you wool ' said Sam and mumbl'd	J2
'You pay for all your jokes '	-
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Joint stock you know among the men	I
To drink at their own charges	L2
So up they got full drive and then	I
Went out to halloo largess Footnote See advertisement	M2
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And sure enough the noise they made	N2
But let me mind my tale	O2
We follow'd them we wor'nt afraid	N2
We'ad all been drinking ale	O2
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As they stood hallooing back to back	G2
We lightly as a feather	E2
Went sideling round and in a crack	G2
Had pinn'd their coats together	E2
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'Twas near upon't as light as noon	I
'A largess ' on the hill	P2
They shouted to the full round moon	I
I think I hear 'em still	P2
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But when they found the trick my stars	Q2
They well knew who to blame	R2
Our giggles turn'd to ha ha ha's	Q2
And arter us they came	R2
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Grace by the tumbril made a squat	S2
Then ran as Sam came by	Z
They said she could not run for fat	I2
I know she did not try	Z
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Sue round the neathouse Footnote Cow house squalling ran	I
Where Simon scarcely dare	E2
He stopt for he's a fearful man	I
'By gom there's suffen Footnote Something there '	-
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And off set John with all his might	N
To chase me down the yard	W
Till I was nearly gran'd Footnote Strangled outright	N
He hugg'd so woundly hard	W
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Still they kept up the race and laugh	T2
And round the house we flew	G2
But hark ye the best fun by half	T2
Was Simon arter Sue	G2
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She car'd not dark nor light not she	E
So near the dairy door	E2
She pass'd a clean white hog you see	E
They'd kilt the day before	E2
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High on the spirket Footnote An iron hook there it hung	G2
'Now Susie what can save ye '	-
Round the cold pig his arms he flung	G2
And cried 'Ah here I have ye '	-
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The farmers heard what Simon said	J
And what a noise good lack	G2
Some almost laugh'd themselves to dead	J
And others clapt his back	G2
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We all at once began to tell	U2
What fun we had abroad	V2
But Simon stood our jeers right well	U2
He fell asleep and snor'd	V2
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Then in his button hole upright	V2
Did Farmer Crouder put	V2
A slip of paper twisted tight	V2
And held the candle to't	V2
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It smok'd and smok'd beneath his nose	Q2
The harmless blaze crept higher	E2
Till with a vengeance up he rose	Q2
Grace Judie Sue fire fire	E2
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The clock struck one some talk'd of parting	G2
Some said it was a sin	I
And kilch'd their chairs but those for starting	G2
Now let the moonlight in	I
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Owd women loitering for the nonce Footnote For the purpose	Q2
Stood praising the fine weather	E2
The menfolks took the hint at once	Q2
To kiss them altogether	E2
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And out ran every soul beside	V2
A shanny pated Footnote Giddy thoughtless crew	G2
Owd folks could neither run nor hide	V2
So some ketch'd one some tew	G2
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They skriggl'd Footnote To struggle quick and began to scold	V2
But laughing got the master	E2
Some quack'ling Footnote Choaking cried 'let go your hold '	-
The farmers held the faster	E2
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All innocent that I'll be sworn	I
There wor'nt a bit of sorrow	E2
And women if their gowns are torn	I
Can mend them on the morrow	E2
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Our shadows helter skelter danc'd	V2
About the moonlight ground	V2
The wondering sheep as on we pranc'd	V2
Got up and gaz'd around	V2
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And well they might till Farmer Chcerum	R2
Now with a hearty glee	V2
Bade all good morn as he came near 'em	R2
And then to bed went he	V2
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Then off we stroll'd this way and that	V2
With merry voices ringing	G2
And Echo answered us right pat	V2
As home we rambl'd singing	G2
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For when we laugh'd it laugh'd again	I
And to our own doors follow'd	V2
'Yo ho ' we cried 'Yo ho ' so plain	I
The misty meadow halloo'd	V2
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That's all my tale and all the fun	I
Come turn your wheels about	V2
My worsted see that's nicely done	I
Just held my story out	V2
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Poor Judie Thus Time knits or spins	Q2
The worsted from Life's ball	L
Death stopt thy tales and stopt thy pins	Q2
And so he'll serve us all	L