ge,
that is to saie, A moste strange weddinge of the frogge and the mowse,"
&c.

Upon this entry Mr. Collier makes this note:

"The ballad can hardly be any other than the still well-known comic
song 'A Frog he would a-wooing go.'"

It may have been even older than 1581, when Edward White entered it; for it
is possible that it was then only a reprint of an earlier production. I,
like Mr. Collier, have heard it sung "in our theatres and streets," and,
like T. S. D., always fancied that it was ancient.

THE HERMIT OF HOLYPORT.

_Rowley Powley._--As generally inclined to the belief that everything is
older than anybody knows of, I am rather startled by "Rowley Powley" not
being as old as myself. I remember seeing mentioned somewhere, without any
reference to this chorus, that _rowley powley_ is a name for a plump fowl,
of which both "gammon and spinach" are posthumous connexions. I cannot help
thinking that this may be a clue to some prior occurrence of the chorus,
with or without {75} the song. If "derry down," which has been said to be
druidical, were judged of by the last song it went with, how old would be
the Druids?

M.

"_A Frog he would a-wooing go._"--It may perhaps be interesting to some of
your correspondents on the subject of "A frog he would a-wooing go," to
know that there exists an Irish version of that woeful tale, which differs
in several respects from the ballad which has so long been familiar to
English ears. The burthen of "Heigho! says Rowley," does not occur in the
Hibernian composition, but a still less intelligible chorus supplies its
place. The air is exceedingly quaint, and seems to me to bear the stamp of
antiquity. The words are as follow:--

"Misther Frog lived in a well,
Heigho! my lanti-iddity!
And the merry mouse in the mill,
Terry heigho! for lang for liddity!
Says Mr. Frog, 'I will go coort,'
Heigho, &c.
'Saddle me nag and polish me boots!'
Terry heigho, &c.
Frog came _to_ Lady Mouse's hall,
Heigho, &c.
Gave a rap and thundering call,
Terry heigho, &c.
'Where _is_ the people _of_ this house?'
Heigho, &c.
'Here am I,' says my Lady Mouse,
Terry heigho, &c.
'I've come to court Miss Kitty here,'
Heigho, &c.
'If that she can fancy me.'
Terry heigho, &c.
'Uncle Rat is not at home;'
Heigho, &c.
'He'll give you an answer--I have none,'
Terry heigho, &c.
Uncle Rat, when he came in,
Heigho,