by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
The Friar of Orders Grey
Language: English
I am the Friar of Orders gray, And down in the valley I take my way, I pull not blackberry, haw, nor hip, God store of venison does fill my scrip; My long bead roll I merrily chant, Where-ever I walk no money I want. And why I'm so plump, the reason I'll tell: Who leads a good life is sure to live well. What Baron, or Squire, or Knight of the Shire, Lives half so well as a holy Friar. After supper, of heav'n I dream, But that is fat pullets and clouted cream; Myself by denial I mortify, With a dainty bit of warden pye; I'm cloth'd in sackcloth for my sin, With old sackwine I'm lined within. A chirping cup is my matin song, And the Wesper bell is bowl, ding, dong. What Baron, or Squire, or Knight of the Shire, Lives half so well as a holy Friar.
Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by William Shield (1748 - 1829), "The Friar of Orders Grey" [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Brian Charles Witkowski
This text was added to the website: 2004-04-02
Line count: 20
Word count: 152