Annotation:We've Cheated the Parson (2)

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WE'VE CHEATED THE PARSON [2]. English, Air (6/8 time). F Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. The original music to the harvest song "We've Cheeated the Parson" was the product of English composer Henry Purcell, who composed the music for Dryden's opera King Arthur (1691), where it is found in the 5th Act. It sung by his character Comus and three peasants to Arthur and Emmeline and seems to have either been danced to at the same time or preceeded a dance (according to stage instructions in the manuscript). Dryden's words go:

Your hay it is mow'd, and your corn is reap'd;
Your barns will be full, and your hovels heap'd.
Come, boys, come; Come, boys, come;
And merrily roar out our harvest home.

We've cheated the parson, we'll cheat him again,
For why should a blockhead have one in ten?
One in ten, one in ten,
For why should a blockhead have one in ten?

For prating so long like a book-learn'd sot
Till pudding and dumpling are burn'd to pot
Burn't to sot, burn't to pot
Till pudding and dumpling are burn'd to pot
Till pudding and dumpling are burn'd to pot

We'll toss off our ale till we cannot stand
And hey for the honour of old England
Old England, old England
And hey for the honour of old England

The song and words were printed by Thomas D'Urfey in Pills to Purge Melancholy and appear in numerous ballad operas.

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