Ibid. page 517:


(iii.) 'Here comes Three Dukes a-riding.' A variant of the last.

1st Party. 'Here comes Three Dukes a-riding, a-riding,
With a ransome dansome day!
2nd Party. Pray what is your intent, sirs, intent, sirs?
With a ransome dansome day!
1st. My intent is to marry, to marry!
2nd. Will you marry one of my daughters, my daughters?
1st. You are as stiff as pokers, as pokers!
2nd. We can bend like you, sir, like you, sir!
1st. You're all too black and too blowsy, too blowsy,*
For a dilly-dally officer!
2nd. Good enough for you, sir! for you, sir!
1st. If I must have any, I will have this,
So come along, my pretty miss!'

—Chirbury.

* A Lancashire version (1820-30) adds after this line, 'With your golden chains about your necks.' It was there acted with much energy, and gestures and tones of servility, scorn, etc. The burden evidently represented a flourish of trumpets:

'Here comes Three Dukes a-riding,
With a rancy tancy terry boy's horn!
Here comes Three Dukes a-riding,
With a rancy tancy tee!'

The concluding lines of the version in the text come from Ellesmere.