[With golden chains about your necks, Which makes you look so frowsy.]
Walk through the kitchen, and through the hall, And pick the fairest of them all.
This is the fairest I can see, So pray, Miss ----, walk with me.
IV. Here come three dukes a-riding, a-riding, a-riding, Here come three dukes riding, riding, riding; Ransam, tansam, tisum ma tea (_sic_).
Pray what is your good will, sir, will, sir, will, sir? Pray what is your good will, sir? Ransam, tansam, tisum ma tea!
My will is for to marry, to marry, to marry, My will is for to marry; Ransam, tansam, tisum ma tea!
Pray who will you marry, you marry, you marry? Pray who will you marry? Ransam, tansam, tisum ma tea!
You're all too black and too brown for me, You're all too black and too brown for me, Ransam, tansam, tisum ma tea!
We're quite as white as you, sir; as you, sir; as you, sir; We're quite as white as you, sir; Ransam, tansam, tisum ma tea!
You are all as stiff as pokers, as pokers, as pokers, You are all, &c., Ransam, tansam, tisum ma tea!
We can bend as well as you, sir; as you, sir; as you, sir; We can bend as well as you, sir; Ransam, tansam, tisum ma tea!
Go through the kitchen, and through the hall, And take the fairest of them all;
The fairest one that I can see is "----," So come to me.
--Oxfordshire version, brought into Worcestershire (Miss Broadwood).
V. Here come three dukes a-riding, a-riding, a-riding; With a ransom, tansom, titty foll-la! With a ransom, tansom, tay!
And pray what do you want, sirs? want, sirs? want, sirs? With a ransom, tansom, titty foll-la! With a ransom, tansom, tay!
I want a handsome wife, sir; wife, sir; wife, sir; With a ransom, tansom, titty foll-la! With a ransom, tansom, tay!
I have three daughters fair, sir; fair, sir; fair, sir; With a ransom, tansom, titty foll-la! With a ransom, tansom, tay!
They are all too black and too browny, They sit in the sun so cloudy; With a ransom, tansom, titty foll-la! With a ransom, tansom, tay!
Go through my kitchen and my hall, And find the fairest of them all; With a ransom, tansom, titty foll-la! With a ransom, tansom, tay!
The fairest one that I can see, Is little ---- ----, so come to me.
VI. Here come three dukes a-riding, a-riding, a-riding; Here come three dukes a-riding, with a ransom, tansom, te!