Musa Pedestris - Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes [1536 - 1896] Part 3

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 wh.o.r.e 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 Wors.h.i.+p 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 fas.h.i.+on, My Legge I tie, close to my thigh, To moue him to compa.s.sion.

Still doe I cry, etc.