book of airs under the more ancient title. It is
also called "The Country Garden" in Playford's "Dancing Master," and in
Chappell's "National English Airs," Nos. 25 and 26. Chappell gives it in
3-4 time, and remarks that it then becomes "a plaintive love ditty
instead of a sturdy and bold air."

"SHEPHERD'S HEY."

This air bears some resemblance to "The Faithful Shepherd" in Thompson's
"Complete Collection of Country Dances" (_circa_ 1775), which is
reprinted in Mr. Kidson's "Old English Country Dances," p. 10.

"CONSTANT BILLY."

This is a variant of the "Constant Billy" printed in Playford's "Dancing
Master" (1726), p. 170, and also in one of Walsh's dancing books. It is
also in Gay's "Beggars' Opera," where it is set to the words, "Cease your
funning." Mr. Kidson tells us that the air is known in old books as "Over
hills and lofty mountains" or "Lofty mountains."

The well-known Welsh air "The Ash Grove" is but another version of the
same tune; but whether the Welsh derived the air from England or _vice
versa_ is a moot point. The matter is discussed, at some length, in
Chappell's "Popular Music of the Olden Time," p. 665, to which the reader
is referred.

The air that we print is as the Headington Morris-men played it; but we
also recovered a variant of it from the Bidford dancers. The "Constant
Billy" of the Bampton men, already mentioned, is yet another variant, but
in the AEolian mode.

The words of the first verse of the Headington version were as follows:

O Constant Billy,
Shall I go with 'ee?
O when shall I see
My Billy again?

The Bampton words were different:

O my Billy, my constant Billy,
When shall I see my Billy again?
When the fishes flies over the mountains
Then you will see your Billy again.

"BLUE-EYED STRANGER."

Mr. Kidson tells us that this is a variant of "The Mill, Mill, O" in
"Orpheus Caledonius," I., p. 40 (1725). It has also some points in common
with "Just as the tide was a-flowing" in "Folk-Songs from Somerset," II.,
No. 37 (and note).

"BLUFF KING HAL."

This is a version in the major mode of "The Staines Morris Tune,"
published in the first edition of Playford's "Dancing Master," and
reprinted in Chappell's "Popular Music of the Olden Time," I., p. 126.
How it has come to be christened "Bluff King Hal" we do not know unless,
as Mr. Kidson suggests, the Bidford Morris men have taken the name from
some modern collection of old E