The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume Ii Part 70

-Hanbury, Staffs. (Miss Edith Hollis).

[Music]

-Wrotham, Kent (Miss D. Kimball).

I. We are coming to take your land, We are the rovers!

We are coming to take your land, [Though you] are the guardian soldiers!

We don't care for your men nor you, [Though you] are the rovers!

We don't care for your men nor you, For we are the guardian soldiers!

We will send our dogs to bite, We are the rovers!

We will send our dogs to bite, Though you are the guardian soldiers!

We don't care for your dogs nor you, Though you're the rovers!

We don't care for your dogs nor you, For we are the guardian soldiers!

Will you have a gla.s.s of wine?

We are the rovers!

Will you have a gla.s.s of wine?

For respect of guardian soldiers!

A gla.s.s of wine won't serve us all, Though you're the rovers!

A gla.s.s of wine won't serve us all, For we are the guardian soldiers!

Will a barrel of beer then serve you all?

We are the rovers!

Will a barrel of beer then serve you all?

As you are the guardian soldiers!

A barrel of beer won't serve us all, Though you're the rovers!

A barrel of beer won't serve us all, For we're gallant guardian soldiers!

We will send our blue-coat men, We are the rovers!

We will send our blue-coat men, Though you are the guardian soldiers!

We don't fear your blue-coat men, Though you're the rovers!

We don't fear your blue-coat men, For we are the guardian soldiers!

We will send our red-coat men, We are the rovers!

We will send our red-coat men, Though you are the guardian soldiers!

We don't mind your red-coat men, Though you're the rovers!

We don't mind your red-coat men, For we are the guardian soldiers!

Are you ready for a fight?

We are the rovers!

Are you ready for a fight?

Though you are the guardian soldiers!

Yes, we are ready for a fight, Though you're the rovers!

Yes, we are ready for a fight, For we are the guardian soldiers!

-Ellesmere (_Shrops.h.i.+re Folk-lore_, p. 518).

II. We have come for a gla.s.s of wine, We are the Romans!

We have come for a gla.s.s of wine, We are King William's soldiers!

We won't serve you with the wine, We are the Romans!

We won't serve you with the wine, We are King William's soldiers!

We will set our dogs to watch, We are the Romans!

We will set our dogs to watch, We are King William's soldiers!

We don't care for you and your dogs, We are the Romans!

We don't care for you and your dogs, We are King William's soldiers!

We will set our police to watch, We are the Romans!

We will set our police to watch, We are King William's soldiers!

We don't care for you and your police, We are the Romans!

We don't care for you and your police, We are King William's soldiers!

Are you ready for a fight?

We are the Romans!

Are you ready for a fight?

We are King William's soldiers!

We are ready for a fight, We are the Romans!

We are ready for a fight, We are King William's soldiers!

-Wrotham, Kent (Miss D. Kimball).

III. Will you have a gill of ale?

We are the Romans!

Will you have a gill of ale?

For we are the Roman soldiers!

A gill of ale won't serve us all, We are the Englis.h.!.+

A gill of ale won't, &c., For we are the English soldiers!

Take a pint and go your way, We are, &c. [As above.]

A pint of ale won't serve us all, We are, &c.

Take a quart and go your way, We are, &c.

A quart of ale won't serve us all, We are, &c.