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Rain Rain Go Away

Rain rain go away,
Come again another day.
Little Johnny wants to play;
Rain, rain, go to Spain,
Never show your face again!

The history and origins of the lyrics to this English nursery rhyme date back
to the reign of Elizabeth I, one of the Tudor monarchs. During this period
of English history there was constant rivalry with Spain culminating in the
Spanish Armada consisting of many Spanish galleons being sent to attack
England. This attempt failed, not only because of the swift nature of the
smaller English ships but also by the stormy weather, which scattered the
Armada fleet. Hence the origins of the Nursery rhyme!
Pussycat, Pussycat
" Pussycat, pussycat, where have you been?"
" I've been up to London to visit the Queen."
" Pussycat, pussycat, what did you dare?"
" I frightened a little mouse under her chair"
" MEOWW!"

The origins of this rhyme goes back to the history of 16th century Tudor
England. One of the staff of Queen Elizabeth I had an old cat which tended
to roam throughout one of her castles. On one occasion the cat went
underneath the throne and the cat's tail brushed against the Queen's foot,
startling her. But 'Good Queen Bess' had a sense of humour and declared
that the cat may wander through the throne room on condition it kept it free
of mice!
Old Mother Hubbard
Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard
To get her poor doggie a bone,
When she got there
The cupboard was bare
So the poor little doggie had none.

Origins of lyrics in British history
The Old Mother Hubbard referred to in these nursery rhyme words and lyrics
allude to the famous Cardinal Wolsey. Cardinal Wolsey was the most
important politician and churchman of the Tudor history period in 16th
century England. Cardinal Wolsey proved to be a faithful servant but
displeased the King, Henry VIII, by failing to arrange the King's divorce from
Queen Katherine of Aragon which would enable him to marry Anne Boleyn.
The King was the "doggie" and the "bone" alludes to the divorce (and not
money as many believe) The cupboard relates to the Catholic Church
Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter

Mary, Mary Quite Contrary
Mary Mary quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row.
The origins are steeped in history...
The Mary alluded to in this traditional English nursery rhyme is Mary Tudor,
or Bloody Mary, who was the daughter of King Henry VIII. Queen Mary was
a staunch Catholic and the garden referred to is an allusion to graveyards
which were increasing in size with those who dared to continue to adhere to
the Protestant faith. The silver bells and cockle shells were colloquialisms for
instruments of torture. The 'maids' were a device to behead people similar to
the guillotine.
Little Jack Horner
Little Jack Horner sat in the corner
Eating his Christmas pie,
He put in his thumb and pulled out a plum
And said " What a good boy am I!"
16th Century history origins of the nursery rhyme.
Little Jack Horner was in fact reputed to be the Steward to the Bishop of
Glastonbury. He was sent to King Henry VIII with a Christmas gift of twelve
title deeds to manorial estates. Whilst on his way to the King, Jack stole the
deed to the manor of Mells (this being the real 'plum' of the twelve manors)
which was in France. The remaining eleven manors were given to the crown
but the manor of Mells became the property of the Horner family! The first
publication date for the lyrics to this nursery rhyme is 1725.
Jack Be Nimble
Jack be nimble
Jack be quick
Jack jump over
The candlestick.
Origin lost in the depths of time?
There seems to be no commonly agreed upon origin for this particular
nursery rhyme. However it could be connected to Black Jack, a pirate who
was notorious for escaping from the authorities in the late 16th century. The
words and lyrics of this nursery rhyme cannot be further analysed due to the
brevity of the text of the lyrics but could be associated with the old tradition
and sport of 'candle leaping' which used to be practised at English fayres.

Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter


Hark Hark The Dogs Do Bark
Hark hark the dogs do bark
The beggars are coming to town
Some in rags and some in jags*
And one in a velvet gown.
* Jags - A slash or slit in a garment exposing material of a different
color (especially popular during the Tudor period.)
It refers to the Dissolution of the Monasteries (1536 1540) including, of
course St. Nicholas Priory, perpetrated by King Henry VIII and his chief
minister Thomas Cromwell, when England broke from the Catholic religion.
Their objective was to loot the monasteries and seize the monastic lands
(which they promptly sold) thus increasing the wealth in the coffers of
England. This resulted in monks begging in the streets and reflected in the
lyrics of 'Hark, Hark the dogs do bark'

Goosie Goosie Gander
Goosie goosie gander where shall I wander,
Upstairs, downstairs and in my lady's chamber
There I met an old man who wouldn't say his prayers,
I took him by the left leg and threw him down the stairs.
Obscure morality Nursery Rhyme
Goosie, goosie gander - an attention grabber to a nursery rhyme which uses
alliteration in the lyrics designed to intrigue a child. The 'lady's chamber' is a
room that no longer exists today but English history refers to a high born lady
having her own chamber, which was once referred to as a solar. The origins
of the nursery rhyme are said to date back in history to the 16th century and
refer to Catholic priests hiding in 'Priest Holes' (very small secret rooms
found in great houses in England) to avoid persecution from zealous
Protestants who were completely against the old Catholic religion. If caught
the priest and also members of any family found harbouring them would be
executed. The moral to the story and in the lyrics is to point out that
something unpleasant would occur to anyone found not saying their prayers!
Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter

Ding Dong Bell
Ding dong bell, pussy's in the well
Who put her in? Little Johnny Flynn
Who pulled her out? Little Tommy Stout
What a naughty boy was that, try to drown poor Pussycat,
Who ne' er did any harm
But killed all the mice in the Farmer's barn!

Nursery Rhyme lyrics with a moral theme
The origins of this nursery rhyme date back to the 16th century.
Shakespeare uses the phrase in the Tempest - Act I, Scene II:
"Sea nymphs hourly ring his knell:
Hark! Now I hear them - Ding, dong, bell."
The lyrics were used to encourage a child to understand that it was
unacceptable and cruel to harm any animal that had done no harm. Thus it
teaches morality at an early age and introduces a child to onomatopoeia (a
word that sounds like its meaning). In this nursery rhyme the lyrics and
words "ding dong" when pronounced
convey the actual sounds!

This Is The House That Jack Built
This is the house that Jack built!
This is the malt that lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the rat that ate the malt
That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the cat that killed the rat
That ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the dog that worried the cat
That killed the rat that ate the malt
That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the cow with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog that worried the cat
That killed the rat that ate the malt
That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the maiden all forlorn
That milked the cow with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog that worried the cat
That killed the rat that ate the malt
That lay in the house that Jack built.

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This is the man all tattered and torn
That kissed the maiden all forlorn
That milked the cow with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog that worried the cat
That killed the rat that ate the malt
That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the priest all shaven and shorn
That married the man all tattered and torn
That kissed the maiden all forlorn
That milked the cow with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog that worried the cat
That killed the rat that ate the malt
That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the cock that crowed in the morn
That waked the priest all shaven and shorn
That married the man all tattered and torn
That kissed the maiden all forlorn
That milked the cow with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog that worried the cat
That killed the rat that ate the malt
That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the farmer sowing his corn
That kept the cock that crowed in the morn
That waked the priest all shaven and shorn
That married the man all tattered and torn
That kissed the maiden all forlorn
That milked the cow with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog that worried the cat
That killed the rat that ate the malt
That lay in the house that Jack built!
Origins and history?
The origins and history to the lyrics of this nursery rhyme do not relate to
specific people or occasions but merely reflect the everyday characters and
lifestyle which could have been found in rural England and date back to the
16th century. The phrase 'This is the house that Jack built!' is now commonly
used as a derisory term in describing a poorly constructed residence!



Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter

Thirty Days Hath September
Thirty days hath September,
April, June and November;
All the rest have thirty one
Except for February which has but twenty eight!
(And twenty nine each leap year)
Nursery Rhyme - Aide Memoire!
The words and lyrics to this useful little nursery rhyme are probably used by
many adults to prompt them into remembering how many days are in each
month! The origins and history of the lyrics are obscure but use of olde
English can date this rhyme back to at least the 16th century. When was the
last time that you found yourself muttering the words to this nursery rhyme?
The North Wind Doth Blow
or 'The Robin'
The North wind doth blow and we shall have snow,
And what will poor robin do then, poor thing?
He'll sit in a barn and keep himself warm
and hide his head under his wing, poor thing.
This nursery rhyme is referred to as either the North Wind doth blow or The
Robin. It is British in its origins - believed to have originated as far back as
16th century history and using the olde English word 'doth'. The purpose of
the rhyme is to ensure that a child associates security and warmth to home
whilst empathising with the plight of the robin.

Three Blind Mice
Three blind mice, three blind mice,
See how they run, see how they run,
They all ran after the farmer's wife,
Who cut off their tails with a carving knife,
Did you ever see such a thing in your life,
As three blind mice?
The origins of the 'tale'!
The origins of the lyrics to this nursery rhyme are in English history. The
'farmer's wife' refers to Queen Mary I, otherwise known as 'Bloody Mary' the
reference to 'farmer's wife' alludes to the massive farming estates which she
possessed and those of her husband, Philip of Spain. The 'three blind mice'
were three noblemen who were plotting against the Queen - she did not
have them dismembered and blinded as inferred in the rhyme - but she did
have them burnt at the stake!
Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter

The Grand Old Duke Of York
Oh, the grand old Duke of York, he had ten thousand men
He marched them up to the top of the hill
and he marched them down again.
When they were up, they were up
and when they were down, they were down
and when they were only halfway up
they were neither up nor down.

Nursery rhyme origins in British history
The origins of the lyrics to this nursery rhyme dates back to the 15th century
and refers mockingly to the defeat of the Duke of York in the Wars of the
Roses - which were between the house of York (whose symbol was a white
rose) and the house of Lancaster (whose symbol was a red rose. The Wars
of the Roses were originally referred to as the Hundred Years War. The
Duke of York is a title bestowed to the son of the reigning monarch of
England (Prince Andrew is our current Duke of York).

Sing A Song Of Sixpence
(Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie)
Sing a song of sixpence a pocket full of rye,
Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened the birds began to sing,
Oh wasn't that a dainty dish to set before the king?
The king was in his counting house counting out his money,
The queen was in the parlour eating bread and honey
The maid was in the garden hanging out the clothes,
When down came a blackbird and pecked off her nose!
Action Nursery Rhyme
Lovely lyric to this children's action nursery rhyme. The rye was purchased
for sixpence to attract birds. Blackbirds, and other song birds, were actually
eaten as a delicacy! However a court jester may well have suggested to the
court cook that they bake a pie crust and place this over some blackbirds to
surprise and amuse the King! It would not be unreasonable for the blackbirds
to look for revenge hence "When down came a blackbird and pecked off her
nose!" Children love the action in this nursery rhyme of tweaking their nose!

Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter

Ride A Cock Horse
Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
She shall have music wherever she goes
Ride a cock horse - English history origins
The lyrics of this nursery rhyme relate to Queen Elizabeth I of England (the
fine lady) who travelled to Banbury (a town in England) to see the new huge
stone cross which had just been erected. The lyrics 'With rings on her
fingers' obviously relates to the fine jewellery which would adorn a Queen.
The words 'And bells on her toes' refers to the fashion of attaching bells to
the end of the pointed toes of each shoe! Banbury was situated at the top of
a steep hill and in order to help carriages up the steep incline a white cock
horse (a large stallion) was made available to help with this task. When the
Queen's carriage attempted to go up the hill a wheel broke and the Queen
chose to mount the cock horse to reach the Banbury cross. Her visit was so
important that the people of the town had the cock horse decorated with
ribbons and bells and provided minstrels to accompany her - "she shall have
music wherever she goes". The big cross at Banbury was later destroyed by
anti - Catholics.



Please note, the followi ng rhyme may be of i nterest to the
chil dren BUT, as the visi t to St. Ni cholas Priory is set i n 1602
it shoul d not be chosen to perform.

The Lion And The Unicorn
The lion and the unicorn were fighting for the crown
The lion beat the unicorn all around the town.
Some gave them white bread, and some gave them brown;
Some gave them plum cake and drummed them out of town.
Origins in British history
The lion and the unicorn lyrics date from 1603 when King James VI of
Scotland became James I of England unifying the Scottish and English
crowns . The virgin Queen Elizabeth 1 named the son of Mary Queen of
Scots, James, as her heir. The new union of the two countries required a new
royal coat of arms combining those of England which featured two lions, and
Scotland, whose coat of arms featured two Unicorns. A compromise was
made thus the British coat of arms has
one Lion and one Unicorn.