Musa Pedestris - Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes [1536 - 1896] Part 22

FLASHEY JOE [Notes]

[1826]

[By R. MORLEY in _Universal Songster_, ii. 194].

I

As Flashey Joe one day did pa.s.s Through London streets, so jolly, A crying fish, he spied a la.s.s 'Twas Tothill's pride, sweet Molly!

He wip'd his mug with bird's-eye blue [1]

He cried,--"Come, buss your own dear Joe"; [2]

She turned aside, alas! 'tis true And bawled out--"Here's live mackerel, O!

Four a s.h.i.+lling, mackerel, O!

All alive, O!

New mackerel, O."

II

Says I,--"Miss Moll, don't tip this gam, [3]

You knows as how it will not do; For you I milled flash Dustman Sam [4]

Who made your peepers black and blue. [5]

Vhy, then you swore you would be kind But you have queer'd so much of late, [6]

And always changing like the wind, So now I'll brush and sell my skate." [7]

Buy my skate, etc.

III

She blubb'd--"Now, Joe, vhy treat me ill?

You know I love you as my life!

When I forsook both Sam and Will, And promised to become your wife, You molled it up with Brick-dust Sall [8]

And went to live with her in quod! [9]

So I'll pike off with my mack'ral [10]

And you may bolt with your salt cod."

Here's mack'rel, etc.

IV

I could not part with her, d'ye see So I tells Moll to stop her snivel; [11]

"Your panting bubs and glist'ning eye [12]

Just make me love you like the divil."

"Vhy, then," says she, "come tip's your dad, [13]

And let us take a drap of gin, And may I choke with hard-roed shad If I forsake my Joe Herring."

Four a s.h.i.+lling, etc.

[1: mouth; silk handkerchief]

[2: kiss]

[3: talk like that]

[4: fought]

[5: eyes]

[6: acted strangely]

[7: be off]

[8: took as a mistress]

[9: gaol]

[10: walk]

[11: crying]

[12: paps]

[13: shake hands]

MY MUGGING MAID [Notes]

[1826]

[By JAMES BRUTON. _Universal Songster_, iii. 103].

I

Why lie ye in that ditch, so snug, With s-- and filth bewrayed [1]

With hair all dangling down thy lug [2]

My mugging maid?

II

Say, mugging Moll, why that red-rag [3]

Which oft hath me dismayed Why is it now so mute in mag, [4]

My mugging maid?

II

Why steals the booze down through thy snout, [5]

With mulberry's blue arrayed, And why from throat steals hiccough out My mugging maid?

IV

Why is thy mug so wan and blue, [6]

In mud and muck you're laid; Say, what's the matter now with you My mugging maid?

V

The flask that in her fam appeared [7]

The snore her conk betrayed, [8]

Told me, that Hodge's max had queered [9]

My mugging maid.

[1: Notes]

[2: ear]

[3: tongue]