%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> A Banquet for Soueraigne Husbands. / OR, / The Rosting of the Ramme whole at Saint Giles in the fields on / Wednesday the twenty foure of Iune, 1629. being Midsommer day, Head, Hornes / and all. Parker, Martin University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1629 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 06/23/2008 20189

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

1.402-403 S126291 1 The Woman to the Plow, / and the Man to the Hen-Roost The Woman to the Plow, and the Man to the Hen-Roost ON Midsommer day I chanc't to goe / Unto a place which many know: I sing the rosting of a Ramme. [with variations] NOw if this Ramme had beene a Bull, / And all his belly with pudding full, verso pasted down Pepys 1.402-403 STC 19219 [M. Flesher] for F. Coules [1629?] Woodblock 1: below title and cast fleuron, centered above two columns and cast fleuron: In the back left corner is a wood shack with peaked roof and a hinged door. On a small hill grows a plant with various spiked leaves, buds, and flowers. In the right back corner walk a man and a woman to the right. The man in front carries a staff in his left hand and over his right shoulder carries a bundle. The woman behind him carries a large bundle on top of her head, using her left hand to balance it. In the center of the cut a man sits in an ornately carved chair. In front of him is a low table on which sit a bowl and a book or other object. The man wears a hat and carries a stick in his right hand. In front of the table stand three men who wear jerkins and slops. They face the seated man and their arms are raised at him.: 95 x 158 Woodblock 2: below title, above first column: A man stands in a field, his body faces forward and his head looks to the right. His legs are apart and he stands with his right hand on his hip and his left arm held out to his side. He wears a hat, a jerkin, and slops. His jacket is partially unbuttoned. From the belt on his right side hangs an object, possibly a sword.: 86 x 45 Woodblock 3: below title, above second column: A lady stands with her body facing forward and her head looking to her right. In her right hand, she holds a large feather fan. The lady wears a stiff ruff and a necklace or chain. Her full skirt and the front of her dress are decorated with a row of large flowers. : 78 x 56 Pepys Library The Pepys ballads : facsimile volume Editor W.G. Day D.S. Brewer Cambridge [England] 1987 Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 402 1: 403 A Banquet for Soueraigne Husbands. / OR, / The Rosting of the Ramme whole at Saint Giles in the fields on / Wednesday the twenty foure of Iune, 1629. being Midsommer day, Head, Hornes / and all. A Banquet for Soveraigne Husbands. OR, The Rosting of the Ramme whole at Saint Giles in the fields on Wednesday the twenty foure of June, 1629. being Midsommer day, Head, Hornes and all. A Banquet for Sovereign Husbands. Or, the Roasting of the Ram Whole At Saint Giles in the Fields on Wednesday the Twenty Four of June, 1629. Being Midsummer Day, Head, Horns and All. The second part The second part The Second Part Parker, Martin 1/2 sheet folio, originally left part, 274 x 163 1/2 sheet folio, originally right part, 273 x 148 cropped top left and right edges, torn bottom left corner, uneven inking, verso shows through cropped right edge, uneven inking, verso shows through cast fleurons cast fleurons 1629 Printed for Francis Coules. Francis Coules Weinstein: STC

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 Taxonomy used by Pepys to Organize Ballads in Albums A Small Promiscuous Supplement Devotion & Morality Drinking & Good Fellowship History - True & Fabulous Humour, Frollicks &c Love Pleasant Love Pleasant and Unfortunate Love Unfortunate Marriage Sea State & Times Tragedy Various Subjects Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/health alcohol animals/nature appearance Bible/biblical figures buildings/architecture catastrophe children class clothing/fashion country/nation crime death economics/trade entertainment family/procreation folklore gender historical figures & events holidays/seasons infidelity law London love maritime marriage military/war monstrosity mythology/Classical world news nobility/court politics/government punishment religious concepts religious figures religious types & sects royalty rural life servitude sex/sexuality supernatural/magic The New World travel trickery/deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgarities/crass humor Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 6/23/2008 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Marriage 06/23/08 Checker Rachel Mann Metadata updated, xml created 7/11/2007 Checker Katy Trumbull Ballad Checked 2006 Checker Jessica Murphy Ballad Checked 2006 Transcriber Pavneet Aulakh Original Transcription 8/1/2004 Bibliographer Maggie Sloan Bibliographic SQL Database Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">A Banquet for Soveraigne Husbands.</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">OR,</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The Rosting of the <hi rend="bold">Ramme</hi> whole at Saint <hi rend="bold">Giles</hi> in the fields on</hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Wednesday the twenty foure of June, 1629. being Midsommer day, Head, Hornes</hi></seg> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">and all. To the tune of The Woman to the Plow,</hi></seg> <seg n="6" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">and the Man to the Hen-Roost.</hi> </seg>
ON Midsommer day I chanc't to goe Unto a place which many know: And there was done a merry Jest, Which in my song shall be exprest. Let no man thinke this is a flamme, I sing the rosting of a Ramme. Saint Giles'es in the fields, that towne, Which no place can for mirth put downe: Especially about the City, They have such sport and pastime pretty: But this excels all, sure I am, I meane the rosting of the Ramme. [The Ramm]e was for this purpose fed, [Was cooked w]hole both feet and head: [Head an]d hornes and all to boot, [And now her]e all that would come too't. [Come John,] come George, come William [so precious] is the rosted Ramme. [And many a man ther]e thither came, [Swearing he would] his wife rule and tame: [And that he s]hould eate up the spit, [?]om should taste a bit. [But all be]held most sure I am [that nothing was eaten] of the Ramme.
He lay so long o'th Spit Ile tell yee, Till most o'th puddings dropt out of's belly, And scarce a man durst draw his knife, For feare he should displease his wife: Many excus'd it with a flam, and few or none durst touch the Ram. At last came in a good fellow o'th Towne, And swore it should cost him a Crowne, But he would have a slash at th' Tuppe, This was before his wife was up: Had she bin there, halfe sure I am, he had not tasted of the Ram. Many were halfe resolved to enter, Yet on the Ram they durst not venter, For feare their wives ere they had dinde Would fetch them home with words unkind: Franke would fain, & so would Sam, yet neither of them durst taste the Ram. This being perceived by mine Host, Who fear'd this project would be crost, Hee had it cut off bit by bit, And sold for money from off the spit: On these conditions many came to buy for money some o'th Ram.
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The second part To the same tune.</hi></seg>
NOw if this Ramme had beene a Bull, And all his belly with pudding full, If none but ruling women might Have come, it had bin swallowd quite In the forenoone, for sure I am they best deserv'd to eate the Ram. But now to make my story short, This Ram all day did cause good sport, As Moris-dancing, and such toyes, That draw together Girles and Boyes. And many a groat and tester came to'th Host, for tasting of the Ram. The Master Cooke that Joviall blade, All day good mirth and pastime made: Though first a Tapster, next a Groome, He for that day supplyde the roome Of th'Cooke, and he with many a flam got money for the rosted Ram. One man among the rest was there, Who meant to tast of this good cheare, But he was glad his share to hide, For's wife came in and began to chide, She sware he should dine with the devil &'s Dam before he should eate a bit o'th Ram. This poore mans credit being crackt, Alack for woe the market slackt, For all the women did consent, To make her tongue their president: And many a one to hinder came their husbands from the taste o th Ram.
One sort of wives were not so bold, In such a meeting place to scold: Yet 'cause their husbands shall not eate, On purpose they dispraise the meate. But I eate some, and sure I am, no Venson's sweeter then was that Ram[.] Though ruling husbands few did taste, The Ramme was eaten up at last: They shav'd him barely to the bones, Nay some did cut his very stones: Who did the same not sure I am: who ever he was he well lov'd Ram. Some eate the rumpe, and some the feet, Not asking whether the meate was sweet, The head and hornes I cannot tell, Unto whose share by right they fel, But he that hath a wanton wife, might keepe them still to whet his knife. Thus unto you I have exprest, The manner of this mery feast: He that is horned like a beast, Perhaps is angry at this Jest, But each good fellow sure I am, will buy this Ballad of the Ram. If here be any scolding wives, I wish them if they love their lives, In any case not buy this song, Which doth to gentle wives belong: Thus from the Author told I am, who made this ditty of the Ram.
Printed for Francis Coules. FINIS. M.P.