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