HENRY CAREY.

The Ballad of

SALLY in our alley.

[Poems on several occasions. 3rd. Ed. 1729.]

THE ARGUMENT.

A vulgar error having long prevailed among many persons, who imagine SALLY SALISBURY the subject of this ballad; the Author begs leave to undeceive and assure them it has not the least allusion to her; he being a stranger to her very name, at the time this Song was composed. For as Innocence and Virtue were ever the boundaries of his Muse, so in this little poem, he had no other view than to set forth the beauty of a chaste and disinterested Passion, even in the lowest class of human life.

The real occasion was this. A shoemaker's apprentice making holiday with his sweetheart, treated her with a sight of Bedlam [Bethlehem Hospital for the insane, in London]; the Puppet Shows, the Flying Chairs, and all the elegancies of Moorfields. From whence, proceeding to the Farthing Pie House, he gave her a collation of buns, cheesecakes, gammon of bacon, stuffed beef, and bottled ale. Through all which

scenes, the Author dodged them, charmed with the simplicity of their courtship; from whence he drew this little sketch of Nature. But being then young and obscure, he was very much ridiculed by some of his acquaintance, for this performance: which, nevertheless, made its way into the polite

world, and amply recompensed him by the applause of the Divine ADDISON; who was pleased, more than once, to mention it with approbation.

Her father, he makes cabbage nets;

And through the streets, does cry 'em: Her mother, she sells laces long,

To such as please to buy 'em.

But, sure, such folks could ne'er beget

So sweet a girl as SALLY!

She is the darling of my heart,
And she lives in our alley!

When she is by, I leave my work
(I love her so sincerely!);
My Master comes, like any Turk,
And bangs me most severely.
But let him bang his belly full!
I'll bear it all for SALLY!
She is the darling of my heart,
And she lives in our alley!

* 52

SALLY IN OUR ALLEY.

Of all the days that's in the week,

I dearly love but one day!

And that's the day that comes betwixt
A Saturday and Monday;

For then I'm drest, all in my best,

To walk abroad with SALLY:

She is the darling of my heart,
And she lives in our alley!

My master carries me to Church,
And often am I blamed,
Because I leave him in the lurch,
As soon as Text is named.

I leave the Church in sermon time,
And slink away to SALLY;
She is the darling of my heart,
And she lives in our alley!

When Christmas comes about again,
O then I shall have money!
I'll hoard it up, and box and all

I'll give it to my Honey!

And would it were ten thousand pounds,

I'd give it all to SALLY!

She is the darling of my heart,
And she lives in our alley!

My master and the neighbours all,
Make game of me and SALLY:
And (but for her!) I'd better be
A slave, and row a galley!

But when my seven long years are out,
O then, I'll marry SALLY!

And then we'll wed, and then we'll bed;
But not in our alley!

H. Carey Before 1719

and memorable adventure

of RICHARD FERRIS, one of the five ordinary Messengers of Her Majesty's Chamber: who departed from Tower Wharf, on Midsummer Day last past, with ANDREW HILL and WILLIAM THOMAS; who undertook, in a small wherry boat,

to row, by sea, to the city of Bristow ;

and are now safely returned.

Wherein is particularly expressed their perils
sustained in the said Voyage: and the great entertain-
ment they had at several places upon the coast of
England, as they went; but especially at the
said city of Bristow.

Published by the said RICHARD FERRIS.

LONDON

Printed by JOHN WOLFE for EDWARD WHITE, and are to be sold at his shop, being at the Little North Door of Paul's, at the sign of the Gun. 1590.