Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Charms of melody, or, Siren medley

THE CHARMS OP MELODY,
H,
The Fox Chafe.
Written by Mr. ^'IozEE:T.
Air, <■ Shla NeCuirj.''
Lark, hark,jollyfportrmeii,av.'liileto my tnle,
Wh.ich£o pay your mtention, I'm lure cannot fnil,
'Tis of lads, and ot horles, and dogs that ne'er lire,
O'erftonevvallspnd hedges, thro' dale, bog and briar.
A packofl'uch hounds and a fet of fuch men,
'Tis a ftirewd chance it ever you meet \\iih again;
Had Nimrod, the mighti'ft of hunters, been there,
't oregad he had fliook like an^ afpin for fear.
In feventeen hundred, and forty and four,
The fifth of December, I think 'twas no more.
At five in the morning, by nioft of the clocks,
We rode from Kilruddery in fcarch of a fox.
The Laughlinftown landlord, the bold Owen Bray,
And Johnny Adair, too, was with us that day ;
Joe DebiU, Hall Prefton, that huntfman fo ftout,
Dick Holmes, a few others, and fo we fet out.
We caft off our hounds for an hour or more,
When Wanton fet up a moft tuneable roar;
" Hark," to Wanton, cry'dJoc,?.nd the reft were ii,ot
flack,
For Wanton's no trifle, efteem'd in the pack.
Old Bonny and Collier came readily in,
And ev'ry hound join'd in the mufical din ;
Had Diana been there, fhe'd been pieas'd to the life,
And one of the lads got a goddefs to wife.
Then minutes paft nine was the time of the day.
When Reynard broke cover, and this was his way;
AsltrongfromKilleager, as tho'he could fear none,
Away he brufn'd round by the houl'e of Killternan.
To Carrick-mines thence, and to Cherry-wood, then
Steep Shank-hill he climb'd, and to Ballyman-glen,
Bray Common he crofs'd, leap'd lord Anglefey's wall.
And feem'd to fay " little I value you ail."
He ran Bufti's grove, up to Carbury Byrn's,
Joe DebiU, Hall Prefton, kept leading by turns;
The earth it was open, yet he was fo ftout,
Tho' he might have got in, yet he chofe to keep out;
To Malpas high hills was the w-ay then he ilevv,
At Dalkey'ftone-common we had him in view ;
He drove on by Bullock, thro' fhrub Glanagery,
And fo on to Moirntown, where Laury grew weary.
Thro' Roche's-town wood like an arrow he pafs'd,
And came to the flisep hills of Dalkey at laft:
There gallantly plung'd himfelf into the fea,
And faid in kis heart " fure n~ne dare follow mc."
But foon to his aaft, he perceiv'd that r.o bounds
Could ftop thep'urfuit of theftaunch niettl'd hounds;
His policy here did not ferve him a rufh.
Five couple of tarters were hard at his brufii.
To recover- the fliore, then agjin was his drift,
But e'er he could reach to th£ Dop of the clift.
He found bcth of fpeed and of ctinning alack.
Being way-i.iid, and kill'd by the reft of the pack.
A t hisdeath there w ere prefent the lads tha tl've fung,
five Laury, who, riding a garron, was flung:
hus ended, at length, a moft delicate chace.
That heid iw five hours and ten minutes fpace.
We return 'd to Killruddery's plentiful board.
Where dwells hofpitality, truth, and my Lord;
We talk'd o'er the chafe, and we toafted the health
■Of the man that ii'^'er vary'd for places or wealth.
" Owen Uray baulk 'd a leap" lays Hall Prefton,
'■ 'twas odd,"
" 'Tw^as thameful" cry'd Jack " by the great liv-
" ing "■*'
Said Prefton, " I holloo'd, get on, tho' you fall,
" Or I'll leap ove: you, your blind gelding and all."
Eacli glafs was adapted tO freedom and fport,
For party affairs were confign'd to the court;
1 hus we finifh'd the reft of the day and the night,
In gay flowing bumpers, and Iccial deligrht.
T hen till the next meeting bid farewell each brother,
Sofome they went one w ay, and feme v. ent another ;
As Phoebus befriended our earlier roam.
So Luna took care in condufling us home.
How bkft has my Time been.
HOSV bleft has my time been, what joys have I
known.
Since wedlock's foft bondage made Jefl'^y my own,
So jcyful my heart is, fo eafy my chain,
That freedom is taftelefs, and roving a pain.
Thro' walks grown with woodbines as often we flray
Around us our boys and girls frolic and play,
How pleafing their fport is, the wanton ones fee.
Who borrow their looks from my JefTy and me.
To try her fweet temper, fome times am I feen
In revels all day with the nymp"hs on the green,
Tho' painful my abfence, my doubts Ihe beguiles,
And meets me at night with compliance and fmiks.
What tho' on her cheek the rofc lofes its hue.
Her wit and good humour blooin all the year thro' ;
Time ftill, as he flies, adds increafe to her truth,
And gives to her mind what hefteals from her youth.
Ye fhepherds fo gay who make love to enfnare,
And cheat with falle vows the too credulous fair,
In fearch of true pleafure how vainly you roam!
To hold it for life you muft find it at home.
Sylvia,
YE verdant woods and chryftal ftreams,
By whofe piiamel'd fide
I fliar'd the fun's refrefhing beams,
While Colin was my guide.
No more your fiiades or murmurs pleafe
Poor Sylvia's love-fick mind;
No rural fcenes can give her eafe,
Since Colin proves unkind.
Come, gloomy eve, and veil the fky
With clouds of dark eft hue.
Wither, ye plants — ye flow'rets die,
Uncheer'd with balmy dew ;
Ye fweetly warbling birds, no more
Your fongs can cheer my mind,
My hours of joy, alas i are o'er,
Since Colin proves unkind.
I'll hie me to fome dreary grove,
For fighing forrow made.
Where nought but plaintive ftrains of love,
Refound thro' ev'ry fliade ;
Where the fad turtle's melting griefi
With Philomela's join'd.
Alone fliall yield my heart relief,
Since Colin proves unkind.
Be warn'd by Sylvia's fate, ye maids i
And fhun the foft deceit,
Tho' love's own eloquence perfuades,
'Ti* all a dangerous cheat.
Fly, quickly fly the faithlefs fwain,
His treach'rous arts defpife.
So fiiall you live exempt from jjain,
While haplefs Sylvia dies