Title: Musa Pedestris - Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes [1536 - 1896]
Author: John S. Farmer
Edition: 10
Language: English
Produced by Tiffany Vergon, Jerry Fairbanks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
Musa Pedestris
THREE CENTURIES OF
CANTING SONGS AND SLANG RHYMES
[1536-1896]
COLLECTED AND ANNOTATED BY JOHN S. FARMER
CONTENTS
Index to Titles
Index to Authors
Forewords
Notes
Appendix
"A beggar I'll be" (Anon—1660)
"A Gage of Ben Rom-Bouse" (Middleton and Dekker—1611)
"A Hundred Stretches Hence" (G. W. Matsell—1859)
'Arry at a Political Picnic (T. Milliken—1884)
Beggar's Curse, The (Thomas Dekker—1608)
"Bing Out, Bien Morts" (Thomas Dekker—1612)
Black Procession, The (Anon—1712)
Blooming Æsthetic (Anon—1882)
Bobby and His Mary (Anon—1826)
Bould Yeoman, The (Pierce Egan—1842)
Bridle-cull and his little Pop-gun (Pierce Egan—1842)
Budg and Snudg Song, A (Anon—1676)
Banter's Christening, The (G. Parker—1789)
By-blow of the Jug, The (Pierce Egan—1842)
Cadger's Ball, The (Anon—1852)
Canter's Serenade, The (Anon—1725)
Chickaleary Cove, The (Vance—1864)
"Come all you Buffers Gay" (Anon—1760)
Coster's Serenade, The (A. Chevalier—1894)
Culture in the Slums (W. E. Henley—1887)
Dashy Splashy . . . little Stringer, The (Leman Rede—1841)
"Dear-Bill—This Stone Jug" (Anon—1857)
Double Cross, The (W. H. Ainsworth—1834)
Faker's New Toast, The (Bon Gualtier—1841)
Flashey Joe (R. Morley—1826)
Flashman of St. Giles, The (Anon—1790)
Frisky Moll's Song (J. Harper—1724)
Game of High Toby, The (W. H. Ainsworth—1834)
Happy Pair, The (G. Parker—1789)
High Pad's Boast, The (J. Fletcher—1625)
High Pad's Frolic, The (Leman Rede—1841)
Housebreaker's Song, The (G. W. M. Reynolds—1838)
Jack Flashman (Pierce Egan—1842)
Lag's Lament, The (H. T. R.—1829)
Leary Man, The (Ducange Anglicus—185?)
Leary Mot, A (Anon—1811)
Masqueraders, The (G. Parker—1789)
Maunder's Initiation, The (J. Fletcher—1625)
Maunder's Praise of his Strowling Mort, The (Anon—1707)
Maunder's Wooing, The (S. Rowlands—1610)
Merry Beggars, The (R. Brome—1641)
Milling Match, The (T. Moore—1819)
Miss Dolly Trull (Pierce Egan—1842)
Mort's Drinking Song, A (R. Brome—1641)
My Mother (Bon Gualtier—1841)
My mugging maid (J. Bruton—1826)
"Nix my Doll, Pals, Fake Away" (W. Harrison Ainsworth—1834)
Nutty Blowen, The (Bon Gualtier—1841)
Oath of the Canting Crew, The (R. Goadby—1749)
On the Prigging Lay (H. T. R.—1829)
Our Little Nipper (A. Chevalier—1893)
Pickpocket's Chaunt, The (W. Maginn—1829)
Plank-bed Ballad, A (G. R. Sims—1888)
Poor Luddy (T. Dibdin—1826)
Potato Man, The (Anon—1775)
"Retoure my dear Dell" (Anon—1725)
Rhyme of the Rusher (Doss Chiderdoss—1892)
Rhymes of the Canting Crew (R. Copland—1536)
Rondeau of the Knock, The (G. R. Sims—1890)
"Rum Coves that Relieve Us" (H. Baumann—1887)
Rum-Mort's Praise of her Faithless Maunder, The (Anon—1707)
Sandman's Wedding, The (G. Parker—1789)
Slang Pastoral, A (R. Tomlinson—1780)
Song of the Beggar, The (Anon—1620)
Song of the Young Prig, The (Anon—1810-9)
Sonnets for the Fancy: I. Education.
II. Progress. III. Triumph (Pierce Egan—1824)
"The Faking Boy to the Crap is Gone" (Bon Gualtier—1841)
The Night before Larry was stretched (W. Maher—1816)
Thieves' Chaunt, The (W. H. Smith—1836)
Tottie (G. R. Sims—1887)
"Towre Out, Ben Morts" (S. Rowlands—1610)
True Bottom'd Boxer, The (J. Jones—1825)
Vain Dreamer, The (Anon—1725)
Villon's Good Night (W. E. Henley—1887)
Villon's Straight Tip (W. E. Henley—1887)
"When my Dimber Dell I Courted" (Anon—1725)
"Wot Cher" (A. Chevalier—1892)
"Ye Scamps, ye Pads, ye Divers" (Messink—1781)
"Ya-Hip, my Hearties!" (Gregson—1819)
INDEX TO AUTHORS
Ainsworth, W. Harrison
Anonymous
Baumann, Heinrich
Bon Gualtier
Brome, Richard
Bruton, James
Chevalier, Albert
Copland, Robert
Dekker, Thomas
Dibdin, Thomas
Doss Chiderdoss
Ducange Anglicus
Egan, Pierce
Fletcher, John
Goadby, Robert
Gregson
Harper, J.
Henley, W. Ernest
H. T. R.
Jones, J.
Maginn, William
Maher, Will
Matsell, G. W.
Messink
Middleton, Thomas
Milliken, T.
Moore, Thomas
Morley, R.
Parker, George
Rede, Leman
Reynolds, G. W. M.
Rowlands, Samuel
Sims, G. R.
Smith, W. H.
Tomlinson, R.
Vance
FOREWORDS
When Harrison Ainsworth, in his preface to Rookwood, claimed tobe "the first to write a purely flash song" he was very wide of themark. As a matter of fact, "Nix my doll, pals, fake away!" had beenanticipated, in its treatment of canting phraseology, by nearly three centuries, and subsequently, by authors whose names stand high, in other respects, in English literature.
The mistake, however, was not altogether unpardonable; few, indeed, would have even guessed that the appearance of utter neglect which surrounded the use of Cant and Slang in English song, ballad, or verse—its rich and racy character notwithstanding—was anything but of the surface. The chanson d'argot of France and the romance di germania of Spain, not to mention other forms of the MUSA PEDESTRIS had long held popular sway, but there was to all appearance nothing to correspond with them on this side the silver streak.
It must be confessed, however, that the field of English slang verse and canting song, though not altogether barren, has yet small claim to the idiomatic and plastic treatment that obtains in many an Argot- song and Germania-romance; in truth, with a few notable exceptions, there is little in the present collection that can claim literary rank.
Those exceptions, however, are alone held to be ample justification for such an anthology as that here presented. Moreover these "Rhymes and Songs", gathered from up and down the years, exhibit, en masse, points of interest to the student and scholar that, in isolation, were either wanting altogether, or were buried and lost sight of midst a mass of more (or less) valuable matter.
As regards the Vulgar Tongue itself—though exhaustive disquisition obviously lies outside the scope of necessarily brief forewords—it may be pointed out that its origin in England is confessedly obscure. Prior to the second half of the 16th century, there was little trace of that flood of unorthodox speech which, in this year of grace eighteen hundred and ninety-six, requires six quarto double-columned volumes duly to chronicle—verily a vast and motley crowd!
As to the distinction to be drawn between Cant and Slang it is somewhat difficult to speak. Cant we know; its limits and place in the world of philology are well defined. In Slang, however, we have a veritable Proteus, ever shifting, and for the most part defying exact definition and orderly derivation. Few, save scholars and such-like folk, even distinguish between the two, though the line of demarcation is sharply enough defined.
In the first place, Slang is universal, whilst Cant is restricted in usage to certain classes of the community: thieves, vagrom men, and— well, their associates. One thing, indeed, both have in common; each are derived from a correct normal use of language. There, however, all similarity ends.
Slang boasts a quasi-respectability denied to Cant, though Cant is frequently more enduring, its use continuing without variation of meaning for many generations. With Slang this is the exception; present in force to-day, it is either altogether forgotten to-morrow, or has shaded off into some new meaning—a creation of chance and circumstance. Both Cant and Slang, but Slang to a more determinate degree, are mirrors in which those who look may see reflected a picture of the age, with its failings, foibles, and idiosyncrasies. They reflect the social life of the people, the mirror rarely being held to truth so faithfully—hence the present interest, and may be future value, of these songs and rhymes. For the rest the book will speak for itself.
MUSA PEDESTRIS
RHYMES OF THE CANTING CREW. [Notes] [c. 1536]
[From "The Hye-way to the Spyttel-hons" by ROBERT COPLAND (HAZLITT, Early Popular Poetry of England, iv.) ROBERT COPLAND and the Porter of St. Bartholomew's Hospital loquitor].
Copland. Come none of these pedlers this way also, With pak on bak with their bousy speche [1] Jagged and ragged with broken hose and breche?
Porter. Inow, ynow; with bousy coue maimed nace,[2]
Teare the patryng coue in the darkeman cace
Docked the dell for a coper meke;
His watch shall feng a prounces nob-chete,
Cyarum, by Salmon, and thou shall pek my jere
In thy gan, for my watch it is nace gere
For the bene bouse my watch hath a coyn.
And thus they babble tyll their thryft is thin
I wote not what with their pedlyng frenche.
[1 crapulous] [2 Notes]
THE BEGGAR'S CURSE [1608]
[From Lanthorne and Candlelight, by THOMAS DEKKER, ed. GROSART (188 ), iii, 203:—"a canting song, wherein you may learn, how this cursed generation pray, or (to speake truth) curse such officers as punish them"].
[Notes]
I
The Ruffin cly the nab of the Harmanbeck,
If we mawnd Pannam, lap, or Ruff-peck,
Or poplars of yarum: he cuts, bing to the Ruffmans,
Or els he sweares by the light-mans,
To put our stamps in the Harmans,
The ruffian cly the ghost of the Harmanbeck
If we heaue a booth we cly the lerk.
[The devil take the Constable's head!
If we beg bread, drink, bacon,
Or milk porridge, he says: "be off to the hedges"
Or swears, in the morning
To clap our feet in the stocks.
The devil take the Constable's ghost
If we rob a house we are flogged.]
II
If we niggle, or mill a bowzing Ken,
Or nip a boung that has but a win,
Or dup the giger of a Gentry cores ken,
To the quier cuffing we bing;
And then to the quier Ken, to scowre the Cramp-ring,
And then to the Trin'de on the chates, in the light-mans,
The Bube &. Ruffian cly the Harmanbeck & harmans.
[If we fornicate, or thieve in an alehouse,
Rob a purse with only a penny in it.
Or break into a gentleman's house,
To the magistrate we go;
Then to gaol to be shackled,
Whence to be hanged on the gallows in the morning,
The pox and the devil take the constable and his stocks.]
"OWRE OUT BEN MORTS" [1610]
[By SAMUEL ROWLANDS in "Martin Mark-all, Beadle of Bridewell: His
Defence and Answere to the Belman of London"].
I
Towre out ben morts & towre,[1]
Looke out ben morts & towre,
For all the Rome coues are budgd a beake,[2]
And the quire coves tippe the lowre.[3]
II
The quire coues are budgd to the bowsing ken,[4]
As Romely as a ball,[5]
But if we be spid we shall be clyd,[6]
And carried to the quirken hall.[7]
III
Out budgd the Coue of the ken,[8]
With a ben filtch in his quarr'me[9]
That did the prigg good that bingd in the kisome,[10]
To towre the Coue budge alar'me.
[1: look-out, good women;] [2: all the Rome-coves [Notes] have run away [Notes]] [3: Queer-coves taken the money] [4: have sneaked to the ale-house] [5: nimbly] [6: whipped] [7: taken to gaol.] [8: crept; master of the house] [:9 staff; hand.] [10: went to search for the man who had given the alarm.]
THE MAUNDER'S WOOING [Notes] [1610]
[By SAMUEL ROWLANDS in Martin Mark-all, Beadle of Bridewell: His Defence and Answere to the Belman of London:—"I will shew you what I heard at Knock-vergos, drinking there a pot of English Ale, two Maunders borne and bred vp rogues wooing in their natiue language"].
I
O Ben mort wilt thou pad with me,[1]
One ben slate shall serue both thee and me,[2]
My Caster and Commission shall serue vs both to maund,[3]
My bong, my lowre & fambling cheates[4]
Shall be at thy command.
II
O Ben Coue that may not be, [5]
For thou hast an Autem mort who euer that is she,[6]
If that she were dead & bingd to his long tibb,[7]
Then would I pad and maund with thee,[8]
And wap and fon the fibb.[9]
III
O ben mort Castle out & Towre,[10]
Where all the Roome coues slopne that we may tip the lowre,[11]
Whe_ [*]we haue tipt the lowre & fenc't away the duds[12]
Then binge we to the bowzing ken,[13]
Thats cut the Robin Hood.[14]
IV
But O ben Coue what if we be clyd, [15]
Long we cannot foist & nip at last we shall be spyed, [16]
If that we be spied, O then begins our woe,
With the Harman beake out and alas, [17]
To Wittington we goe. [18]
V
Stow your whids & plant, and whid no more of that [19]
Budg a beak the crackmas & tip lowr with thy prat [20]
If treyning thou dost feare, thou ner wilt foist a Ian, [21]
Then mill, and wap and treine for me, [22]
A gere peck in thy gan. [23]
As they were thus after a strange maner a wooing, in comes by chance a clapper-dudgeon [24] for a pinte of Ale, who as soone as he was spied, they left off their roguish poetry, and fell to mocke of the poor maunder thus.
VI
The clapper dugeon lies in the skipper, [25]
He dares not come out for shame,
But when he binges out he dus budg to the gigger, [26]
Tip in my skew good dame.
[1: good woman, tramp] [2: sheet] [3: cloak; shirt; beg] [4: purse; money; rings] [5: good man] [6: wife] [7: gone to her longhome] [8: tramp and beg] [9: Notes] [10: find out] [11: thieves; congregate; get money] [12: sold the swag] [13: go to the alehouse] [14: called the "Robin Hood."] [15: arrested?] [16: cheat and steal] [17: magistrate] [18: Newgate] [19: Hold your jaw! hide, and say no more] [20: Notes] [21: hanging; pick a purse] [22: rob; whore; hang] [23: Notes] [24: Notes] [25: beggar; barn] [26: comes out; goes to people's doors—"Put something in my wallet."]
"A GAGE OF BEN ROM-BOUSE" [Notes] [1611]
[By MIDDLETON and DEKKER in "The Roaring Girl" V, 1. Sung by Moll-Cut-purse and Tearcat a bullying rogue.]
Moll. Come you rogue, sing with me:—
A gage of ben Rom-bouse,[1]
In a bousing-ken of Rom-vile[2]
Tearcat. Is benar than a Caster,[3] Peck, pennam, lap, or popler,[4] Which we mill in deuse a vile.[5]
Moll. Oh, I wud lib all the lightmans,[6]
Oh, I woud lib all the darkemans,[7]
By the Salomon, under the Ruffemans[8]
By the Salomon in the Hartmans[9]
Tearcat. And scoure the queer cramp ring[10]
And couch till a palliard dock'd my dell,[11]
So my bousy nab might skew rome bouse well[12]
Avast to the pad, let us bing;[13]
Avast to the pad, let us bing.
[1 A pot of strong ale (or wine)] [2 London ale-house] [3 better than a cloak] [4 meat, bread, drink, or porridge] [5 steal on the country-side.] [6 lie all day] [7 night] [8 By the mass! in the woods] [9 stocks] [10 in fetters] [11 Notes] [12 addle-pate may swill strong drink] [13 Let us be off on the road.]
"BING OUT, BIEN MORTS" [Notes] [1612]
[From O per se O, by THOMAS DEKKER].
Bing out, bien Morts, and toure, and toure,[1]
bing out, bien Morts, and toure;[2]
For all your Duds are bingd awaste,[3]
the bien coue hath the loure.[4]
* * * * *
I
I met a Dell, I viewde her well,[5]
she was benship to my watch; [6]
So she and I, did stall and cloy,[7]
whateuer we could catch. [8]
II
This Doxie dell, can cut bien whids, [9]
and wap well for a win; [10]
And prig and cloy so benshiply, [11]
all the dewsea-vile within. [12]
III
The boyle was vp, wee had good lucke,[13]
in frost, for and in snow;[14]
When they did seeke, then we did creepe,[15]
and plant in ruffe-mans low.[16]
IV
To Stawling Kenne the Mort bings then,[17]
to fetch loure for her cheates;[18]
Duds and Ruff-pecke, ruinboild by Harmanbecke,[19]
and won by Mawnder's feates.[20]
V
You Mawnders all, stow what you stall,[21]
to Rome coues watch so quire;[22]
And wapping Dell that niggles well,[23]
and takes loure for her hire.[24]
VI
And Jvbe well Ierkt, tick rome-comfeck,[25]
for backe by glimmar to mawnd,[26]
To mill each Ken, let coue bing then,[27]
through ruffemans, lague or launde.[28]
VII
Till Cramprings quier, tip Coue his hire,[29]
and quier-kens doe them catch;[30]
A canniken, mill quier cuffen,[31]
so quier to ben coue's watch.[32]
VIII
Bein darkmans then, bouse, mort, and ken [33]
the bien coue's bingd awast; [34]
On chates to trine, by Rome-coues dine [35]
for his long lib at last. [36]
* * * * *
Bingd out bien morts, and toure, and toure,[37]
bing out of the Rome-vile; [38]
And toure the coue, that cloyde your duds,[39]
upon the chates to trine.[40]
[1 Go abroad, good women,] [2 and look about you;] [3 For all your clothes are stolen;] [4 and a good fellow (a clever thief) has the money.] [5 I met a wench and summed her up,] [6 she suited me very well] [7 So (joining company) she watched while I stole] [8 whatever came our way.] [9 This young whore can lie like truth,] [10 fornicate vigorously for a penny] [11 And steal very cleverly] [12 on the countryside] [13 When the house was alarmed we had good luck] [14 in spite of frost and snow] [15 When they sought us we hid] [16 in the woods.] [17 To a thieves' receiving house the woman goes] [18 to get money for the swag—] [19 Notes] [20 got by a rogue's dexterity.] [21 Ye rogues do not brag of your booty] [22 to rogues who are not straight] [23 Or trust a mistress, who though she [Notes]] [24 does so for hire.] [25 With a counterfeit license and forged signatures [Notes]] [26 as to losses by fire] [27 To rob each house let a man go] [28 thro' hedge, ditch and field] [29 Till fetters are his desserts] [30 and a prison is his fate] [31 A plague take the magistrate!] [32 who is so hard on a clever rogue] [33 A good-night then to drink, wench, and ale-house—] [34 the poor fellow is gone] [35 On the gallows to hang by rogues betray'd] [36 to his long sleep.] [37 So go, my good woman] [38 out of London] [39 And see the man who stole your clothes] [40 upon the gallows hanging.]
THE SONG OF THE BEGGAR [Notes] [1620]
[From "A Description of Love" 6th ed. (1629)].
I
I am Rogue and a stout one,
A most courageous drinker,
I doe excell, 'tis knowne full well,
The Ratter, Tom, and Tinker.
Still doe I cry, good your Worship good Sir,
Bestow one small Denire, Sir [1]
And brauely at the bousing Ken [2]
He bouse it all in Beere, Sir. [3]
II
If a Bung be got by the hie Law, [4]
Then straight I doe attend them,
For if Hue and Crie doe follow, I
A wrong way soone doe send them.
Still doe I cry, etc.
III
Ten miles vnto a Market.
I runne to meet a Miser,
Then in a throng, I nip his Bung, [5]
And the partie ne'er the wiser.
Still doe I cry, etc.
IV
My dainty Dals, my Doxis, [6]
Whene'er they see me lacking,
Without delay, poore wretches they
Will set their Duds a packing. [7]
Still doe I cry, etc.
V
I pay for what I call for,
And so perforce it must be,
For as yet I can, not know the man,
Nor Oastis that will trust me.
Still doe I cry, etc.
VI
If any giue me lodging,
A courteous Knaue they find me,
For in their bed, aliue or dead,
I leave some Lice behind me.
Still doe I cry, etc.
VII
If a Gentry Coue be comming, [8]
Then straight it is our fashion,
My Legge I tie, close to my thigh,
To moue him to compassion.
Still doe I cry, etc.
VIII
My doublet sleeue hangs emptie,
And for to begge the bolder,
For meate and drinke mine arme I shrinke,
Vp close vnto my shoulder.
Still doe I cry, etc.
IX
If a Coach I heere be rumbling,
To my Crutches then I hie me,
For being lame, it is a shame,
Such Gallants should denie me.
Still doe I cry, etc.
X
With a seeming bursten belly,
I looke like one half dead, Sir,
Or else I beg with a woodden legge,
And a Night-cap on me head, Sir,
Still doe I cry, etc.
XI
In Winter time starke naked
I come into some Citie,
Then euery man that spare them can,
Will giue me clothes for pittie.
Still doe I cry, etc.
XII
If from out the Low-countrie, [9]
I heare a Captaines name, Sir,
Then strait I swere I have bin there;
And so in fight came lame, Sir.
Still doe I cry, etc.
XIII
My Dogge in a string doth lead me,
When in the towne I goe, Sir,
For to the blind, all men are kind,
And will their Almes bestow, Sir,
Still doe I cry, etc.
XIV
With Switches sometimes stand I,
In the bottom of a Hill, Sir,
There those men which doe want a switch,
Some monie give me still, Sir.
Still doe I cry, etc.
XV
Come buy, come buy a Horne-booke,
Who buys my Pins or Needles?
In Cities I these things doe crie,
Oft times to scape the Beadles.
Still doe I cry, etc.
XVI
In Pauls Church by a Pillar; [10]
Sometimes you see me stand, Sir,
With a Writ that showes, what care and woes
I past by Sea and Land, Sir.
Still doe I cry, etc.
XVII
Now blame me not for boasting,
And bragging thus alone, Sir,
For my selfe I will be praying still,
For Neighbours have I none, Sir.
Which makes me cry, etc.
[1: penny] [2: ale-house] [3: drink] [4: purse; Notes] [5: steal his purse] [6: girls; whores] [7: pawn their clothes] [8: gentleman] [9: Notes] [10: Notes]
* * * * *
THE MAUNDER'S INITIATION [Notes] [1622]
[From The Beggars Bush by JOHN FLETCHER; also in The New Canting Dict:—"Sung on the electing of a new dimber damber, or king of the gypsies"].
I
Cast your nabs and cares away,
This is maunder's holiday: [1]
In the world look out and see,
Where so blest a king as he
(Pointing to the newly-elected Prince.)
II
At the crowning of our king,
Thus we ever dance and sing:
Where's the nation lives so free,
And so merrily as we?
III
Be it peace, or be it war,
Here at liberty we are:
Hang all harmanbecks we cry, [2]
We the cuffins quere defy. [3]
IV
We enjoy our ease and rest,
To the fields we are not pressed:
And when taxes are increased,
We are not a penny 'sessed.
V
Nor will any go to law,
With a maunder for a straw,
All which happiness he brags,
Is only owing to his rags.
"Now swear him"—
I crown thy nab with a gage of ben bouse,[4]
And stall thee by the salmon into clowes,[5]
To maund on the pad, and strike all the cheats, [6]
To mill from the Ruffmans, Commission, and slates, [7]
Twang dells i' th' stiromel, and let the Quire Cuffin
And Harman Beck strine and trine to the ruffin. [8]
[1: beggar] [2: constables] [3: magistrates] [4: I pour on thy pate a pot of good ale] [5: And install thee, by oath, a rogue] [6: To beg by the way, steal from all,] [7: Rob hedge of shirt and sheet,] [8: To lie with wenches on the straw, so let all magistrates and constables go to the devil and be hanged!]
THE HIGH PAD'S BOAST [b. 1625]
[Attributed to JOHN FLETCHER—a song from a collection of black-letter broadside ballads. Also in New Canting Dict. 1725.]
I
I keep my Horse; I keep my whore;
I take no rents; yet am not poor;
I travel all the land about,
And yet was born to ne'er a foot.
II
With partridge plump, and woodcock fine,
At midnight, I do often dine:
And if my whore be not in Case, [1]
My hostess' daughter has her place.
III
The maids sit up, and watch their turns;
If I stay long, the tapster mourns;
Nor has the cookmaid mind to sin,
Tho' tempted by the chamberlain.
IV
But when I knock, O how they bustle;
The hostler yawns, the geldings justle:
If the maid be sleepy, O how they curse her;
And all this comes, of, Deliver your purse, sir.
[1: in the house]
THE MERRY BEGGARS [Notes] [1641]
[From A Jovial Crew, by RICHARD BROME. The beggars discovered at their feast. After they have scrambled awhile at their Victuals: this song].
I
Here safe in our Skipper let's cly off our Peck, [1]
And bowse in defiance o' the Harman Beck. [2]
Here's Pannam and Lap, and good Poplars of Yarrum, [3]
To fill up the Crib, and to comfort the Quarron. [4]
Now bowse a round health to the Go-well and Corn-well, [5]
Of Cisley Bumtrincket that lies in the Strummel; [6]
II
Here's Ruffpeck and Casson, and all of the best, [7]
And Scrape of the Dainties of Gentry Cofe's Feast [8]
Here's Grunter and Bleater, with Tib-of-the-Buttry, [9]
And Margery Prater, all dress'd without sluttry. [10]
For all this bene Cribbing and Peck let us then, [11]
Bowse a health to the Gentry Cofe of the Ken. [12]
Now bowse a round health to the Go-well and Corn-well [13]
Of Cisley Bumtrincket that lies in the Strummel. [14]
[1: Safe in our barn let's eat] [2: And drink without fear of the constable!] [3: Here's bread, drink, and milk-porridge] [4: To fill the belly, and comfort the body.] [5: Drink a good health [Notes]] [6: To Cisley Bumtrincket lying in the straw] [7: Here's bacon and cheese] [8: And scraps from the gentleman's table] [9: Here's pork, mutton, goose,] [10: And chicken, all well-cooked.] [11: For this good food and meat let us] [12: Drink the gentleman's health and] [13: Then drink a bumper] [14: to Cisley Bumtrincket.]
A MORT'S DRINKING SONG [Notes] [1641]
[From A Jovial Crew, by RICHARD BROME: Enter Patrico with his old wife with a wooden bowle of drink. She is drunk. She sings:—]
I
This is bien bowse, this is bien bowse, [1]
Too little is my Skew. [2]
I bowse no lage, but a whole gage [3]
Of this I'll bowse to you.
II
This bowse is better than rom-bowse, [4]
It sets the gan a-gigling, [5]
The autum-mort finds better sport [6]
In bowsing than in nigling. [7]
This is bien bowse, etc.
[She tosses off her bowle, falls back and is carried out.]
[1: strong ale] [2: cup or platter] [3: water; pot] [4: wine] [5: mouth] [6: wife] [7: fornicating]
"A BEGGAR I'LL BE" [Notes] [1660—1663]
[A black-letter broadside ballad]
I
A Beggar, a Beggar, a Beggar I'll be,
There's none leads a life more jocund than he;
A Beggar I was, and a Beggar I am,
A Beggar I'll be, from a Beggar I came;
If, as it begins, our trading do fall,
We, in the Conclusion, shall Beggars be all.
Tradesmen are unfortunate in their Affairs,
And few Men are thriving but Courtiers and Play'rs.
II
A Craver my Father, a Maunder my Mother, [1]
A Filer my Sister, a Filcher my Brother,
A Canter my Uncle, that car'd not for Pelf,
A Lifter my Aunt, and a Beggar myself;
In white wheaten Straw, when their Bellies were full,
Then was I got between a Tinker and a Trull.
And therefore a Beggar, a Beggar I'll be,
For there's none lives a Life more jocund than he
III
For such pretty Pledges, as Lullies from Hedges. [2]
We are not in fear to be drawn upon Sledges,
But sometimes the Whip doth make us to skip
And then we from Tything to Tything do trip;
But when in a poor Boozing-Can we do bib it, [3]
We stand more in dread of the Stocks than the Gibbet
And therefore a merry mad Beggar I'll be
For when it is night in the Barn tumbles he.
IV
We throw down no Altar, nor never do falter,
So much as to change a Gold-chain for a Halter;
Though some Men do flout us, and others do doubt us,
We commonly bear forty Pieces about us;
But many good Fellows are fine and look fiercer,
And owe for their Cloaths to the Taylor and Mercer:
And if from the Harmans I keep out my Feet, [4]
I fear not the Compter, King's Bench, nor the Fleet. [5]
V
Sometimes I do frame myself to be lame,
And when a Coach comes, I hop to my game;
We seldom miscarry, or never do marry,
By the Gown, Common-Prayer, or Cloak-Directory;
But Simon and Susan, like Birds of a Feather
They kiss, and they laugh, and so jumble together; [6]
Like Pigs in the Pea-straw, intangled they lie,
Till there they beget such a bold rogue as I.
VI
When Boys do come to us, and their Intent is
To follow our Calling, we ne'er bind 'em 'Prentice;
Soon as they come to 't, we teach them to do 't,
And give them a Staff and a Wallet to boot;
We teach them their Lingua, to crave and to cant, [7]
The Devil is in them if then they can want.
And he or she, that a Beggar will be,
Without any Indentures they shall be made free.
VII
We beg for our Bread, yet sometimes it happens
We fast it with Pig, Pullet, Coney, and Capons
The Church's Affairs, we are no Men-slayers,
We have no Religion, yet live by our Prayers;
But if when we beg, Men will not draw their Purses,
We charge, and give Fire, with a Volley of Curses;
The Devil confound your good Worship, we cry,
And such a bold brazen-fac'd Beggar am I.
VIII
We do things in Season, and have so much Reason,
We raise no Rebellion, nor never talk Treason;
We Bill all our Mates at very low rates,
While some keep their Quarters as high as the fates;
With Shinkin-ap-Morgan, with Blue-cap, or Teague, [8]
We into no Covenant enter, nor League.
And therefore a bonny bold Beggar I'll be,
For none lives a life more merry than he.
[1 Notes] [2 wet linen] [3 ale-house] [4 stocks] [5 Notes] [6 Notes] [7 beggar's patter] [8 Notes]
A BUDG AND SNUDG SONG [Notes] [1676 and 1712]
[From A Warning for Housekeepers… by one who was a prisoner in Newgate 1676. The second version from the Triumph of Wit (1712)].
I
The budge it is a delicate trade, [1]
And a delicate trade of fame;
For when that we have bit the bloe,[2]
We carry away the game:
But if the cully nap us, [3]
And the lurries from us take, [4]
O then {they rub}{he rubs} us to the whitt [5]
{And it is hardly }{Though we are not} worth a make [6]
II
{But}{And} when we come to the whitt
Our darbies to behold, [7]
And for to (take our penitency)(do out penance there)
{And}{We} boose the water cold. [8]
But when that we come out agen
[And the merry hick we meet] [9]
We (bite the Cully of; file off with) his cole [10]
As (we walk; he pikes) along the street.
III
[And when that we have fil'd him [11]
Perhaps of half a job; [12]
Then every man to the boozin ken [13]
O there to fence his hog; [14]
But if the cully nap us,
And once again we get
Into the cramping rings], [15]
(But we are rubbed into; To scoure them in) the whitt.
IV
And when that we come (to; unto) the whitt,
For garnish they do cry; [16]
(Mary, faugh, you son of a whore; We promise our lusty comrogues)
(Ye; They) shall have it by and bye
[Then, every man with his mort in his hand, [17]
Does booze off his can and part,
With a kiss we part, and westward stand,
To the nubbing cheat in a cart]. [18]
V
{But/And} when {that/—-} we come to {Tyburn/the nubbing cheat}
For {going upon/running on} the budge,
There stands {Jack Catch/Jack Ketch}, that son of a {whore/bitch}, [19]
That owes us all a grudge.
{And/For} when that he hath {noosed/nubbed} us, [20]
And our friends {tips/tip} him no cole, [21]
{O then he throws us in the cart/He takes his chive and cuts us down}, [22]
And {tumbles/tips} us into {the/a} hole.
[An additional stanza is given in Bacchus and Venus (1737), a version which moreover contains many verbal variations]. [23]
VI
But if we have a friend stand by,
Six and eight pence for to pay,
Then they may have our bodies back,
And carry us quite away:
For at St Giles's or St Martin's,
A burying place is still;
And there's an end of a darkman's budge,
And the whoreson hath his will.
[1: Sneaking into houses and stealing anything to hand] [2: Accomplished the theft] [3: fellow catches] [4 swag [properly money]] [5: take us to Newgate; [Notes]] [6: halfpenny] [7: fetters] [8: drink] [9: countryman] [10: steal his money] [11: robbed] [12: half a guinea] [13: ale-house] [14: spend a shilling] [15: Handcuffs and leg-shackles] [16: "footing"] [17: whore] [18: gallows] [19: Notes] [20: hung] [21: give no money] [22: knife] [23: Notes]
THE MAUNDER'S PRAISE OF HIS STROWLING MORT [Notes] [1707]
[From The Triumph of Wit, by J. SHIRLEY: "the King of the Gypsies's Song, made upon his Beloved Doxy, or Mistress;" also in New Canting Diet. (1725)].
I
Doxy, oh! thy glaziers shine [1]
As glimmar; by the Salomon! [2]
No gentry mort hath prats like thine, [3]
No cove e'er wap'd with such a one. [4]
II
White thy fambles, red thy gan, [5]
And thy quarrons dainty is; [6]
Couch a hogshead with me then, [7]
And in the darkmans clip and kiss. [8]
III
What though I no togeman wear, [9]
Nor commission, mish, or slate; [10]
Store of strammel we'll have here, [11]
And ith' skipper lib in state. [12]
IV
Wapping thou I know does love, [13]
Else the ruffin cly the mort; [14]
From thy stampers then remove, [15]
Thy drawers, and let's prig in sport. [16]
V
When the lightman up does call, [17]
Margery prater from her nest, [18]
And her Cackling cheats withal, [19]
In a boozing ken we'll feast. [20]
VI
There if lour we want; I'll mill [21]
A gage, or nip for thee a bung; [22]
Rum booze thou shalt booze thy fill, [23]
And crash a grunting cheat that's young. [24]
[1 mistress; eyes] [2 fire; mass] [3 lady; [Notes]] [4 [Notes]] [5 hand; mouth] [6 body] [7 sleep] [8 night; [Notes]] [9 cloak] [10 shirt or sheet] [11 straw] [12 in the barn; lie] [13 Notes] [14 the devil take the woman otherwise] [15 feet] [16 stockings; revel] [17 daylight] [18 hen] [19 chickens] [20 ale-house] [21 Money; steal] [22 pot; steal a purse] [23 wine; drink] [24 eat; pig]
THE RUM-MORT'S PRAISE OF HER FAITHLESS MAUNDER [Notes] [1707]
[From The Triumph of Wit, by J. Shirley: also in New Canting
Dict.].
I
Now my kinching-cove is gone, [1]
By the rum-pad maundeth none, [2]
Quarrons both for stump and bone, [3]
Like my clapperdogeon. [4]
II
Dimber damber fare thee well, [5]
Palliards all thou didst excel, [6]
And thy jockum bore the Bell, [7]
Glimmer on it never fell. [8]
III
Thou the cramprings ne'er did scowre, [9]
Harmans had on thee no power, [10]
Harmanbecks did never toure;[11]
For thee, the drawers still had loure. [12]
IV
Duds and cheats thou oft hast won, [13]
Yet the cuffin quire couldst shun; [14]
And the deuseaville didst run, [15]
Else the chates had thee undone. [16]
V
Crank and dommerar thou couldst play, [17]
Or rum-maunder in one day,
And like an Abram-cove couldst pray,
Yet pass with gybes well jerk'd away.
VI
When the darkmans have been wet, [18]
Thou the crackmans down didst beat [19]
For glimmer, whilst a quaking cheat, [20]
Or tib-o'-th'-buttry was our meat. [21]
VII
Red shanks then I could not lack, [22]
Ruff peck still hung on my Back, [23]
Grannam ever fill'd my sack [24]
With lap and poplars held I tack. [25]
VIII
To thy bugher and thy skew, [26]
Filch and gybes I bid adieu, [27]
Though thy togeman was not new, [28]
In it the rogue to me was true.
[1: little man] [2: highway; beggeth] [3: body] [4: Notes] [5: Notes] [6: Notes] [7: Notes] [8: Notes] [9: fetters; wear] [10: stocks] [11: constables, look] [12: pockets; money] [13: clothes; general plunder] [14: magistrate] [15: country] [16: gallows] [17: Notes] [18: night] [19: hedge] [20: fire, duck] [21: goose] [22: turkey] [23: bacon] [24: corn] [25: any potable; porridge] [26: dog; wooden dish] [27: hook; counterfeit pass] [28: cloak]
THE BLACK PROCESSION [Notes] [1712]
[From The Triumph of Wit, by J. SHIRLEY:—"The twenty craftsmen, described by the notorious thief-taker Jonathan Wild"].
Good people, give ear, whilst a story I tell,
Of twenty black tradesmen who were brought up in hell,
On purpose poor people to rob of their due;
There's none shall be nooz'd if you find but one true. [1]
The first was a coiner, that stampt in a mould;
The second a voucher to put off his gold, [2]
Toure you well; hark you well, see [3]
Where they are rubb'd, [4]
Up to the nubbing cheat where they are nubb'd. [5]
II
The third was a padder, that fell to decay, [6]
Who used for to plunder upon the highway;
The fourth was a mill-ken to crack up a door, [7]
He'd venture to rob both the rich and the poor,
The fifth was a glazier who when he creeps in, [8]
To pinch all the lurry he thinks it no sin. [9]
Toure you well, etc.
