Children after the rate of 24 in a yeare, Thats 2 every month as plaine doth appeare, Let no man at this strang story wonder. It goes to the tune, of Over and Under.

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THere was a country galland,
that wasted had his tallent,
Not dreading what would fall out,
would needs a wooing ride;
Unto a lasse of the citty,
that courteous was and pritty,
This damsell neat and witty;
hee would goe make his Bride:
This lasse she had of wealth good store,
her stacke was threscore pound and more,
Though some supposed her to be poore,
the same hath late been tried.
Rocke the Cradle, rocke the Cradle,
rocke the cradle John,
Ther's many a man rockes the cradle,
when the childs none of his owne.

Unto this lasse, incontinent,
the young-man went with good intent,
His love was fixed and firmely bent,
to take her to his wife:
Quoth he my sweet, while life doth last,
my heart is in thy bosome placed,
Let not my sute be now disgraced,
Ile love thee as my life:
Said she your suit I must deny,
for I have vowed a maid to dye,
If I lose my virginity,
it sure will breed much strife.
Rocke the cradle, etc.

I have beene wooed by Harry,
but I indeed will tarry,
I do not meane to marry,
while I on earth remaine:
Sweet William and young Thomas too,
and Richard hath made much adoe,
And Ned with teares did often woe,
but Humphry did complaine,
All these brave gallants I forsake,
I prethee John no more words make,
But to some other course betake,
I doe thy sute disdayne:
Goe rocke the cradle, etc.

The man no whit dismayed,
at that which she had said.
But with his sweet heart stayed,
and did request her still:
He did intreat her favour,
twas all that hee did crave her,
That he might onely have her,
his fancy to fulfill:
My heart doth fry in Cupids fire,
thy beauty I doe much admire,
Then yeild my love to my desire,
or else a man you kil:
Rocke the cradle, etc.

When she her selfe did understand,
she had a foole caught by the hand,
Her ship she knew was soundly maned,
her belly wondrous round:
Thought she this is a friend of mine,
its best make hay while sunne doth shine,
Yet to some thing I will him joyne,
before my fault be found,
Said she if I be made thy wife,
thou must me humour all thy life,
And carefull be for feare of strife,
like to a prentise bound,
Rocke the cradle, etc.

The second part. To the same tune.

IN the morning if I thee desire,
thou must rise up and make a fire,
And other things I shall require,
which thou must undertake:
My breakefast thou must dresse also,
that I from bed to it may goe,
All these hard tasks and many more,
thou must not then forsake,
To brush my gowne and set my band,
make cleane my shooes at my command,
Thy businesse thou must understand,
if I the word but speake.
Rocke the cradle, etc.

And when we chance to have a child,
thou must like to a father milde,
Unto the same be reconciled,
and daunce it on thy knee:
Or if the infant cry for pap,
thou then must take it in thy lap,
And feed it well what ever hap,
if John will marry mee:
Thou must take pains as thou art able,
to make the bed and serve at table,
And lay the young one in the cradle,
whilst I sing merrily.
Rocke the cradle, etc.

Sweet heart quoth he to please thee,
Ile doe all things to ease thee,
I will not once disease thee,
nor yet my love offend thee,
My hands under your feete Ile lay,
the winde shall not my love annoy,
Soe thou wilt be mine onely joy,
Ile love the to the end,
Ile make the bed the house ile sweep,
and lull the baby fast asleepe,
What you command my selfe will keepe,
and will my humour bend:
Rocke the cradle, etc.

To this they both agreed,
and marryed were with speed,
For she had wondrous need,
as you shall heare hereafter:
The same day moneth that they were wedde
the married man was finely spedde,
His wife was safely brought to bed,
and had both sonne and daughter,
Which by the midwife in was brought,
quoth she you have a strange thing wroght
Two children in a month begot,
and so tooke up a laughter,
Rocke the cradle, rocke the cradle,
rocke the cradle John,
Said hee the children I will rocke,
for why they be mine owne.

He kist the girle and loved the boy,
said he you are your fathers Joy,
Thers many are in great annoy,
because they have no childe:
I knew a Lord and Lady faire,
that did desire to have an heire,
Now I my selfe have got a paire,
and they are both beguild,
My wife is frutefull now I see,
and will some great increase bring mee,
They are your owne assuredly,
then said the mid-wife milde,
Rocke the cradle, etc.

See here the boy is like the dad,
which well may make your heart ful glad
Cheere up your selfe and be not sad,
for that which here is done:
His ruby lips doe plaine disclose,
his cherry cheeks and dads owne nose,
For twenty pound, I will not lose,
quoth he my little sonne:
Soe well content this foole was found,
he leapt for joy above the ground,
Did sorrowes shall quoth he be dround,
since new are fresh begun:
Rocke the cradle, Jog the cradle,
thus Ile have it knowne,
I love to rocke the cradle,
the children be mine owne.

Al you which now have heard this dittie,
take heed with wives how you doe sit ye,
For if you came to London city,
you quickely may be sped
As here you see this country Lad,
within one Moneth was made a Dad
Though he but little share int had,
his wife was brought to bed,
And now this simple woodkocke,
the cradle is constrained to rocke,
His neighbours doth deride and mocke,
cause he is so beslead,
They shoute and cry, and to him say,
still the Children John,
Tis enough to make the man,
to thinke they be none of his owne.

FINIS. Lau. Price

London, Printed for E.B.

c. 1635 Laurence Price.
Copyright University of California, Santa Barbara 2005

Early Modern Center English Ballad Archive, 1500 - 1800

Rocke the cradle Iohn, or Children after the rate of 24 in a yeare, Thats 2 every month as plaine doth appeare, Let no man at this strang story wonder. It goes to the tune, of Over and Under.