F.C.B.


_Kentish Ballad_ (No. 16. p. 247.).--The song beginning "When Harold
was invaded" has long been a favourite in this county. It is entitled
"The Man of Kent," and was composed by Tom Durfey, in the time of
Charles the Second. It may be found, with the music, in Chappell's
_Collection of English Airs_. He cites it as being in _Pills to purge
Melancholy, with Music_, 1719, and states that in the _Essex Champion,
or famous History of Sir Billy of Billericay and his Squire Ricardo_,
1690, the song of "The Man of Kent" is mentioned. I have none of these
works at hand for immediate reference, but the above note contains all
that I have been able to collect on the subject of our popular ballad.

There is another song, much to the same purport, beginning--

"When as the Duke of Normandy,
With glistening spear and shield,"

in Evans's _Songs_, vol. ii. p. 33, printed by him from _The Garland
of Delight_, by Delone, in the Pepys collection at Cambridge--a
black-letter volume; and probably the song was by himself.

Your correspondent "F.B." asks for the remainder of the song. In pity
to yourself and your readers, I forbear sending you the countless
stanzas--numerous enough in the _original_ song, but now, by the
additions of successive generations, swelled to a volume. He will find
in Chappell's collection all that is worth having, with the assurance,
repeated oft enough for the most enthusiastic of our _modest_