Musa Pedestris - Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes [1536 - 1896] Part 5

[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 wh.o.r.e; 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 woodc.o.c.k fine, At midnight, I do often dine: And if my wh.o.r.e 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 b.u.mtrincket that lies in the Strummel; [6]

II

Here's Ruffpeck and Ca.s.son, and all of the best, [7]

And Sc.r.a.pe of the Dainties of Gentry Cofe's Feast [8]

Here's Grunter and Bleater, with Tib-of-the-b.u.t.try, [9]

And Margery Prater, all dress'd without s.l.u.ttry. [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 b.u.mtrincket 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 b.u.mtrincket lying in the straw]

[7: Here's bacon and cheese]

[8: And sc.r.a.ps 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 b.u.mper]

[14: to Cisley b.u.mtrincket.]

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]