Mess Parson Hogg shall now maintain,
The burden of my song, Sir,
A single life, perforce he led,
Of constitution strong, Sir.

Sing, tally-ho! sing, tally-ho!
Sing, tally-o! why zounds, Sir
He mounts his mare, to hunt the hare.
Sing tally-ho! the hounds, Sir.

And every day he goes to Mass
He first draws on the boot, Sir,
That should the beagles chance to pass,
He might join pursuit, Sir!
Sing tally-ho! &c.

That parson little loveth prayer.
And Pater night and morn, Sir,
For bell and book, hath little care
But dearly loves the horn, Sir.
Sing tally-ho! &c.

S. Stephen's Day, this holy man
He went a pair to wed, Sir,
When as the Service he began
Puss by the Church-yard sped, Sir.
Sing tally-ho! &c.

He shut his book, come on, he said,
I'll pray and bless no more, Sir,
He drew his surplice o'er his head
And started for the door, Sir
Sing tally-ho! &c.

In pulpit Parson Hogg was strong,
He preached without a book, Sir
And to the point, and never long,
And this the text he took, Sir "O tally-ho! O tally-ho!
Dearly beloved - zounds, Sir.
I mount my mare to hunt the hare,
Singing tally-ho! the hounds, Sir!"

abc | midi | pdf

---

Source: Songs Of The West, S Baring Gould

Notes:
Baring Gould notes:

This was sung by my great-uncle, Thomas Snow, Esq., of Franklyn, near Exeter, when I was a child. I have recieved it also from Mr H. Whitfield, brushmaker, Plymouth. The words may be found, not quite the same, but substantially so, in "The new Cabinet of Love," circ. 1810 as "Doctor Mack." In Oliver's "Comic Songs," circ.185, it is "Parson Ogg, the Cornish Vicar." It is also in "The Universal Songster" (1826), ii. p. 348. It is found on Broadsides.

An edition of "Doctor Mack" is at the Bodleian Library collection:

Doctor Mack ("Now Doctor Mack no more employs ...")
Subject: Clergy
Harding B 12(149)
Printer: Burbage and Stretton (Nottingham)
Date: between 1797 and 1807
Imprint: Burbage and Stretton, Printers, &c.

Also found in tradition in the North of England, and still sung by the Holme Valley Hunt in Yorkshire.

See also "The Hunting Priest under related songs"



Roud: 1861 (Search Roud index at VWML) Take Six
Laws:
Child:

---

Related Songs:  The Hunting Priest (thematic)