A New Riddle Book/A Collection of Riddles

by Anonymous

Of Merry Books this is the Chief,
It is a purging Pill,
To carry off all heavy Grief,
And make you laugh your fill

 

A COLLECTION of RIDDLES.

INTO this world I came hanging,
And when from the ſame I was ganging,
I was cruelly batter'd and ſqueez'd,
And men with my blood they were pleas'd.
anſw. A Pippin pounded into Cyder.

I'm white and ſtiff, it is well known,
Likewiſe my noſe is red;
Young Ladies will as well as Joan,
Oft take me to their bed.
anſw. A Candle.

A wide mouth, no ears nor eyes,
No ſcorching flames I feel;
I ſwallow more than may ſuffice
Full forty at a meal.
anſw. An Oven.

Though of a great age,
I am kept in a cage,
Having a long tail and one ear,
My mouth it is round,
And when joys do abound,
O then I ſing wonderful clear.
anſw. A Bell in a Steeple; the Rope betokens
a Tail and the Wheel an Ear.

I'm found in moſt countries; yet not in earth or ſea;
I am in all timber; yet not in any tree.
I am in all metals; yet as I am told,
I am not in iron, lead, ſilver, nor gold.
I am not in England, yet this I can ſay,
I'm to be found in Weſtminſter every day.
I'm not in thought; yet never out of mind,
And in ev'ry moment on me find.
anſw. The letter M.

I through the town do take my flight,
And through the fields and meadows green,
And whether it be day or night,
I never was, nor can be ſeen.
anſw. The Wind.

My body's taper, fine and neat,
I've but one eyes and yet compleat
You'd judge me by equipage,
The greateſt warrior of the age;
For, if you do ſurvey me round,
Nothing but ſteel is to be found:
Yet man I ne'er was known to kill,
Bu ladies blood I often ſpill. (anſ. a Needle.

With words unnumber'd I abound;
In me mankind do take delight;
In me much learning's to be found,
Yet I can neither read nor write.
anſw. a Book.

The firſt and the chiefeſt in riches I'm ſeen
Although I in poverty always have been;
And though I'm in rags, I am ſet on a throne,
For ev'ry one knows I've a right to the crown.
anſw. The letter R.

I live in a ſtudy;
But know not a letter;
I feaſt on the muſes,
But never the better;
Can run over Engliſh,
O'er Latin, and Greek,
But none of the languages
Ever could ſpeak.
anſw. a Mouſe in a ſtudy

Clothed in yellow,
Red, and Green,
I prat before
The king and queen;
Of neither houſe
Nor land poſſeſs'd,
By Lords and knights
I am careſs'd. (anſw. a Parrot.

I view the world in little ſpace,
an always reſtleſs, changing place;
No food I eat; but, by my pow'r,
Procure what millions do devour.
anfw. the Sun.

Though the moment I'm born, as good Latin I ſpeak,
as a lad of long ſtanding at ſchool;
tho' my head piece is good, I've four arms in my back,
and in yellow am dreſs'd like a fool.
but however ill-form'd, however ill-dreſs'd,
Let me go where I will, I am always cares'd.
anfw. a new coined Guinea.

Of mirth the parent, and the child of art,
a ſtranger to myſelf in ev'ry part;
Eaſt-India has a native in my breaſt,
the Weſt my ſoftneſs, and my fire the Eaſt.
Whilst kinder climes my virtues to compleat,
quicken my mildneſs, to correct my heat,
thus perfect, yet humility I ſhow;
the more I am admir'd the leſs I grow;
My faithful friends upon my ruin thrive,
and ſee me dying as they grow alive.
anſw. a Punch-bowl.

q What fortune gives, I wear in ſtate;
a little thing does make me great;
all admire me, when I wear it;
Yet cares attend all thoſe that bear it.
anſw. a Crown.

I am a joiner, yet no man,
I do the work that no man can:
a builder too, and fabricks raiſe,
without brick, or ſtone, that all amaze.
a Chymiſt alſo, and prepare
tinctures and balſoms the moſt rare.
No nation but reports my fame;
Now, if thou knoweſt me, tell my name?
anſw. a Bee.

The greateſt travellers that e'er were known,
By ſea and land, were mighty archers twain;
No armour proof, or fenced walls of ſtone,
Could turn their arrows: bulwarks were in vain.
thro' princes' courts, and kingdoms far & near,
as well in foreign parts as Christendom,
theſe travellers their weary ſteps do ſteer,
but to the deſert they do ſeldom come.
anſw. Death and Cupid, whoſe arrows pierce
thro' the Walls of braſs, or ſtrong armour
in all Courts and Kingdoms in the habitable
World.

a dainty fine thing,
Which under her wing
My Lady does commonly wear,
With a bottomleſs hole,
as black as a coal,
and cover'd all over with hair.
anſw. a Muff.

a maid with a baſket of eggs,
She ſaw a thing ſtand without legs;
'twas both ſtiff and ſtrong,
and ſome handfuls long,
Having a briſk beard;
She was not afraid,
and likewiſe ſhe faid
She'd do it no wrong.
anſw. an Ear of Rye Corn growing on
the Land, which a maid ſaw as ſhe was
going to Market.

Two calves and an ape
they made an eſcape
From one that was worſe than a ſpright;
they travell'd together
In all ſorts of weather,
but often were put in a fright.
anſw. a Man flying from his ſcolding wife;
the two calves and an ape ſignify the calves
of the Legs and the Nape of his Neck, which
by travelling were expos'd to the Weather.

It flies without wings
between ſilken ſtrings,
and leaves, as you ſind,
the guts ſtill behind.
anſw. a Weaver,s Shuttle.

It liv'd and dy'd: and after death;
bereav'd ſome hundreds of their breath;
aſſiſted by a man of of grief,
to whom it yieided ſome relief.
anſw. Samſon's Jaw-bone of an aſs, ⟨with⟩
which he ſlew a thouſand Men, and was re-
lieved himſelf by water ſpringing from the
ſame, when he was thriſty.

To the green wood
Full oft is hath gang’d,
Yet yields us no good,
'till decently hang'd.
anſw. a Hog fattened with acorns, ⟨which⟩
makes good bacon when hanged and ⟨dried.⟩

There was a fair maid,
Who merrily ſaid,
Her lover was ſtupid and dull;
He put a long thing
into a black hole,
and ſatisfied her to the full.
anſw. a Pen.

I ſent a token to my friend,
It was a pledge that had no end;
but when the ſame my friend did get,
My friend ſoon put an end to it.
anſw. a Ring ſent to an ungrateful perſon,
who ſold it.

a thing with a thundering breech,
It weighing a thouſand welly,
I have heard it roar
Louder than Guy's Wild Boar,
they ſay it has death in its belly.
anſw. A Cannon.

In pain is a Squire's daughter,
She hired a young man ſoon after,
tho' it is not much,
He gave her a touch,
Her ſorrow was ſoon turn'd to laughter.
anſw. a maid whoſe Knee was out of the
Joint, which being ſet, ſhe rejoiced.

One mouth, one noſe, two charming
eyes, two feet, two hands, two heads likewiſe.
anſw. A young Virgin, whole Natural
Head and Maidenhead make two.

Altho' in number I'm the ſmalleſt,
Oe'r Kings I reign and beat the talleſt.
anſw. the Ace of trumps.

My backſide is wood,
My belly's as good,
My ribbs they are lined with leather;
My noſe it is braſs,
With two holes in my arſe,
And commonly us'd in cold weather.
anſw. A pair of Bellows.

No teeth I have, and yet I bite,
And when the bite is ſeen,
according to my ſlender might,
there are the marks of ſpleen,
My beard is red and green.
anſw. a Nettle.

Two brothers we are,
Great burthens we bear,
by which we are bitterly preſt,
In truth, we may ſay,
We are full all the day,
but empty when we go to reſt.
anſw. a pair of Shoes.

Rich yellow, and bright,
Long, ſlender, and white,
Both one in another there are;
Now tell unto me,
What this riddle may be,
Then will I your wiſdom declare
anſw. A Diamond Ring on a Lady's Finger.

I am made of wood,
Clear braſs, ſound and good,
To keep men that they muſt not cozen,
I am twenty-four,
And can be no more,
Sometimes I'm reduc'd to a dozen.
anſw. A two-foot Rule, being 24 Inches,
but when ſhut, no more than 12.

There is a precious thing
That always is on wing;
When on my face it lies,
You'll find how ſwift it flies.
Anſw. A Sun-Dial, which ſhew the ſwiftneſs
of Time.

A man and no man,
Like a fury laid on,
Sir Green was drowned in four:
With Sir White and Sir Black
He ſtood to the tack
Till all of them he did devour.
Anſw. A Taylor at dinner with a diſh of
cucumbers, ferved up with pepper, ſalt and
vinegar.

It has many eyes,
But never a noſe,
When down from the ſkies,
Wind bitterly blows;
And likewiſe does fall
Both hail ſnow and rain,
It faces them all,
And ſcorns to complain.
Anſw. A Lettice Window.

To eaſe men of their care,
I do both rend and tear
Their mother's bowels ſtill:
Yet though I do,
There are but few
That ſeem to take it ill.
Anſw. a plough which breaks up the bowels
of the earth for the ſowing of corn.

There are many teeth but ne'er a mouth,
A thouſand at the leaſt;
They are both eaſt, weſt, north, and ſouth,
But ſeldom at a feaſt.
Anſw. a Pair of woolen cards.

My ſtomach they fit
Sometimes with a bit,
They give, and I am the receiver,
And what I do take,
Does commonly make
My fair face as hot as a fever.
Anſw. a Box Iron; the heater betokens
the bit.

By the help of a guide,
I often divide
What once in a green foreſt ſtood.
Behold me though I
Have got but one eye,
When that is ſtopt I do the moſt good.
Anſw. a Hatchet, with which they cleave
wood; till the eye is ſtopped with the haft it
cannot perform buſineſs.

A mighty row of ribs I have,
a back that's wondrous thin,
No belly, head, nor tail I crave,
Yet am a very uſeful thing.
Anſw. a Comb.

Cloſe in a cage a bird I keep,
That ſings both day and night,
When other birds are faſt aſleep,
Its notes yield ſweet delight.
Anſw. a Clock

I'm carry'd quite thro' the city.
ſeeming mighty pretty,
No quarrel or wrangle I breed,
My body is taper,
I fear not a rapier
Tho' ſtabb'd not a drop do I bleed.
Anſw. The ſcabbard of a ſword.

I'm puncheon and thick,
My belly they prick
With ſharp and pointed ſpears,
Tho' many a head appears,
There's neither eyes nor ears.
Anſw. a Pin cuſhion full of pins, whole heads
have no eyes nor ears.

a viſage fair,
and voice as rare,
affording pleaſant charms;
Which is with us
Moſt omnious
Preſaging future harms.
Anſw. a Mermaid, which betokens deſtruction
to Mariners.

By ſparks of fine lawn
I am luſtily drawn,
But not in a chariot or coach:
I fly, in a word,
More ſwift than a bird,
that does the green foreſt approach.
Anſw. an arrow drawn in a bow by a gentleman archer.

My ſkin is black, my blood is ſweet,
My heart reſembles wood,
which there's fomething may be eat,
Tho' not exceeding good.
Anſw. a Black Cherry.

My ears they run round;
and reach to the ground,
to the admiration of man;
The one part is dead,
the other well fed;
this riddle expound if you can.
Anſw. a Horſe and cart; the wheels betoken
ears that reach to the ground, the horſe
is fed, the cart is dead.

a little informer,
Cloth'd in bright armour,
beloved by men of degree,
it goes fine and neat,
Without legs or feet,
Now tell me what this riddle muſt be
Anſw. a Watch, in a silver caſe, the hand
ſhews men the hour, while the ſilver betokens
bright armour.

My back is broad, my belly is thin,
and I am ſent to pleaſure youth;
Where mortal man has ſeldom been,
Tho' ftrange, it is a naked truth.
Anſw. a Paper kite, which mounts the
lofty air.

'Tis neither fleſh nor bone,
Yet it paſſes on;
By which is fairly ſhewn
The length and breadth of man.
Anſw. a Man's ſhadow, whilſt he is walking
in the ſun.

From five feet high,
Up to the ſky
It reaches although it is round:
Now try your wits,
If fancy hits,
This riddle you'll expound.
Anſw. The ſight of a man's Eye.

Preferment lately was beſtow'd
Upon a man, tho' mean and ſmall;
a thouſand then about him ſhow'd,
Yet he return'd no thanks at all;
But yet their hands are ready ſtill,
To help him with their kind good will.
Anſw. a Man in the ſtocks.

From whence I came 'tis hard to tell,
But this I'm ſure is known full well,
That naughty boys for me do cry:
For me the dunce of ſchool doth hie:
That with the poor I always ſtay,
and am what miſers give away.
Anſw. Nothing.

There's a little ſhort gentleman,
that wears the yellow trews,
durk below his doublet
For ſticking of his foes.
Yet in a ſinging poſture
Where'er you do him ſee,
and if you offer violence
He'll ſtap his durk in thee.
He's wiſer than the ſluggard,
Or any drunken ſaul,
By laying up his winter's ſtore
that's quite averſe to gall.
Anſw. a Bee:

Two lookers, two crookers,
four hangers, four gangers,
and a flap to ſcare the flies away.
Anſw. a Cow.

Men often boaſt of cunning ſkill,
and me as often ſtrive to kill;
Yet notwithſtanding all their ſplutter,
make the farmer oft to mutter.
Anſw. a Fox

I Fly to many foreign parts,
aſiſted by my ſpreading wings;
My body holds a hundred hearts,
(illegible text)ay, I will tell you ſtranger things:
When I am not in haſte I ride,
(illegible text)d then I mend my pace anon;
I iſſue fire out from my ſide.
(illegible text)e Britiſh youths this riddle con.
Anſw. a ſhip.

I'm call'd by the name of a man
Yet I am as little's a mouſe,
When winter comes, I'm often ſeen,
With my red target near the houſe
Anſw. A Robin red breaſt.

In ſpring I look gay,
Deck'd in comely array,
In ſummer more cloathing I wear:
When colder it grows,
I fling off my clothes,
And in winter quite naked appear.
Anſw. A Tree.

At night I timely go to reſt,
and early with the ſun appear;
When mounted high I'm at the beſt,
'Tis my delight to pleaſe the ear.
Anſw. a Lark.

What is it, which God never made,
Forbade, and is grieved to ſee;
Yet has a living foul within,
and ſaved hopes to be.
Anſw. a Cuckold.

A Wretch there is, whoſe growing wealth,
But ſerves to nake him poorer ſtill.
and tho' his cheſts their thouſands boaſt,
They cannot once his belly fill.
Anſw. The miſer.

There was a thing a full month old.
When Adam was no more,
But ere that thing was five weeks old,
He was years five ſcore.
Anſw. The moon.

Behold the Lilliputian throng,
Nor male, nor female, old nor young;
Five inches tall, of ſlender ſize;
Who've neither mouth, nor ears, nor eyes,
$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$Who never from each other ſtray,
But ſtand in order night and day,
Like ſoldiers marſhall'd in array,
a bloody enſign each both bear,
Tho' none of them were trained to war.
There actions gentler paſſions move,
and quench, or fawn the flames of love;
Soften the unrelenting fair,
and ſoothe the Penſive ſtateſman's care.
Nimble as thought, they ſkip, they dance,
Yet ne'er retreat nor e'er advance.
Nor order change, like the world's frame,
always unalterably the ſame.
Tho' active, and to motion free,
Yet move they never willingly:
But in their ſecret caverns ſleep,
Time without end; nor ſtir, nor peep,
Until ſome heavenly genius comes,
To raiſe them from their ſilent tombs.
$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$By pow'r unſeen then up they ſpring,
Without the help of leg or wing;
They mount, and as they mount they ſing.
anſw. a Lady playing on the Harpſichord.

Tho you ſeem of me fond,
For my ſafety provide,
And, when you walk out,
Take me cloſe by your ſide;
Yet when age advances,
You caſt me away,
and I to your frowns fall
an innocent prey.
anſw. a Dog.

What being's moſt deſpis’d by man,
and does him all the good he can;
Who bore the greateſt prince on earth,
that gave to righteouſneſs new birth;
Who does ſometimes o'er death prevail,
and health reſtore when doctors fail.
anſw. an Aſs.

For vigilance and courage true
I've no ſupperior, equals few;
Which makes me by th' induſtrious priz'd,
But by the indolent deſpis'd;
Bold and alert I meet the foe,
In all engagements valour ſhow;
and if he prove too proud to yield,
One falls before we quite the field.
anſw. a Cock.

My patron is wiſdom—if wiſdom you prize,
In me put your confidence, borrow my eyes,
Who into a mill ſtone can ſee full as far
as the beſt of you all by the light of a ſtar;
In ſhort had fome wiſe ones but my penetration.
It had long a go better far'd with the nation.
anſw. an Owl.