| |
(A Country Dance)
QUEEN BESS was Harry’s daughter. Stand forward partners all! | |
| In ruff and stomacher and gown | |
| She danced King Philip down-a down, | |
| And left her shoe to show ’twas true— | |
| (The very tune I’m playing you) | 5 |
| In Norgem at Brickwall! 1 | |
| |
| The Queen was in her chamber, and she was middling old, | |
| Her petticoat was satin, and her stomacher was gold. | |
| Backward and forward and sideways did she pass, | |
| Making up her mind to face the cruel looking-glass. | 10 |
| The cruel looking-glass that will never show a lass | |
| As comely or as kindly or as young as what she was! | |
| |
| Queen Bess was Harry’s daughter. Now hand your partners all! | |
| |
| The Queen was in her chamber, a-combing of her hair. | |
| There came Queen Mary’s spirit and It stood behind her chair, | 15 |
| Singing “Backward and forward and sideways may you pass, | |
| But I will stand behind you till you face the looking-glass. | |
| The cruel looking-glass that will never show a lass | |
| As lovely or unlucky or as lonely as I was!” | |
| |
| Queen Bess was Harry’s daughter. Now turn your partners all! | 20 |
| |
| The Queen was in her chamber, a-weeping very sore, | |
| There came Lord Leicester’s spirit and It scratched upon the door, | |
| Singing “Backward and forward and sideways may you pass, | |
| But I will walk beside you till you face the looking-glass. | |
| The cruel looking-glass that will never show a lass, | 25 |
| As hard and unforgiving or as wicked as you was!” | |
| |
| Queen Bess was Harry’s daughter. Now kiss your partners all! | |
| |
| The Queen was in her chamber, her sins were on her head. | |
| She looked the spirits up and down and statelily she said:— | |
| “Backward and forward and sideways though I’ve been, | 30 |
| Yet I am Harry’s daughter and I am England’s Queen!” | |
| And she faced the looking-glass (and whatever else there was) | |
| And she saw her day was over and she saw her beauty pass | |
| In the cruel looking-glass, that can always hurt a lass | |
| More hard than any ghost there is or any man there was! | 35 |
