Martin Said To His Man, or Who’s The Fool Now?

Printed in Popular Music of the Olden Time, Chappelle, and licensed in 1588 to Thomas Orwin. Appears again in Freeman’s Songs to Three Voices Deuteromelia of 1609.  Various verses have popped up over the years, only serving to add to the general hilarity.  “Fie” is best described as a slightly more genteel way from Elizabethan times to say, if effect, “bullshit!”

Jos. Morneault

 

Martin said to his man, fie, man, fie
Martin said to his man, who’s the fool, now?
Martin said to his man, Fill thou the cup and I the can
Thou hast well drunken man, who’s the fool now

I saw the man in the moon, fie…
I saw the man in the moon, who’s the…
I saw the man in the moon, Clouting of St. Peter’s shoon
Thou hast well drunken…

I saw the goose ring the hog, fie…
I saw the goose ring the hog, who’s the…
I saw the goose ring the hog, saw the snail bite the dog
Thou hast well drunken…

I saw the hare chase the hound, fie…
I saw the hare chase the hound, who’s the…
I saw the hare chase the hound, Twenty miles above the ground
Thou hast well drunken…

I saw the mouse chase the cat, fie…
I saw the mouse chase the cat, who’s the…
I saw the mouse chase the cat, Saw the cheese eat the rat
Thou hast well drunken…

I saw a flea heave a tree, fie…
I saw a flea heave a tree, who’s the…
I saw a flea heave a tree, twenty miles out to sea
Thou hast well drunken…

I saw a maid milk a bull, fie…
I saw a maid milk a bull, who’s the…
I saw a maid milk a bull, at every pull a bucket full
Thou hast well drunken…

Oh, Martin said to his man, fie…
Martin said to his man, who’s the…
Martin said to his man, Fill thou the cup and I the can
Thou hast well drunken…

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