Messages of dissent to the common people were often found in secret meanings to the words of their ballads and rhymes. The famous Peasant's Revolt of 1377 against the state was encouraged and inflamed by the rhyme that went "When Adam delved and Eve - who was then the gentleman?" In this way the propaganda of the day was safely passed from one community to another. These secret messages could lead to plots and uprisings against the royalty, clergy and politicians of the day. Strangers were never trusted in communities. Dogs barking alerted the townspeople to strangers in their area, hence the words "Hark, hark the dogs do bark ..."

Hark hark the dogs do bark
The beggars are coming to town
Some in rags and some in tags
And one in a velvet gown.

Old Mother Hubbard
Origins of Old Mother Hubbard lyrics in British history
The Old Mother Hubbard referred to in this rhyme's words allude to the famous Cardinal Wolsey. Cardinal Thomas Wolsey was the most important statesman 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 facilitate the King's divorce from Queen Katherine of Aragon who had been his queen of many years. The reason for seeking the divorce and hence the creation of the Old Mother Hubbard poem was to enable him to marry Anne Boleyn with whom he was passionately in love. In the Old Mother Hubbard song King Henry was the "doggie" and the "bone" refers to the divorce (and not money as many believe) The cupboard relates to the Catholic Church although the subsequent divorce arranged by Thomas Cramner resulted in the break with Rome and the formation of the English Protestant church and the demise of Old Mother Hubbard - Cardinal Wolsey.

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.