Musa Pedestris - Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes [1536 - 1896] - LightNovelsOnl.com
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Next slipt off his bottom clo'ing And his ginger head topper gay.
Then his other toggery stowing, [16]
Tol lol, etc.
All with the swag I sneak away. [17]
XI
Then his other toggery stowing All with the swag I sneak away.
Tramp it, tramp it, my jolly blowen, Tol lol, etc.
Or be grabbed by the beaks we may. [18]
XII
Tramp it, tramp it, my jolly blowen Or be grabbed by the beaks we may.
And we shall caper a-heel and toeing, Tol lol, etc.
A Newgate hornpipe some fine day. [19]
XIII
And we shall caper a-heel and toeing A Newgate hornpipe some fine day With the mots their ogles throwing [20]
Tol lol, etc.
And old Cotton humming his pray. [21]
XIV
With the mots their ogles throwing And old Cotton humming his pray, And the fogle hunters doing Tol lol, etc.
Their morning fake in the prigging lay.
[1: shop; house]
[2: thieving]
[3: girl, strumpet, sweetheart]
[4: 'cute in business]
[5: spoke in slang]
[6: drink and food]
[7: porter, beer]
[8: family = fraternity of thieves]
[9: nose]
[10: gentleman; drunk]
[11: pockets; fingers]
[12: take his sovereigns]
[13: watch]
[14: seals]
[15: hat]
[16: clothes]
[17: plunder]
[18: taken; police]
[19: hanging]
[20: girl's; eyes]
[21: Notes]
ON THE PRIGGING LAY [Notes]
[1829]
[By H. T. R....: a translation of a French Slang song ("Un jour a la Croix Rouge") in Vidocq's _Memoirs_, 1828-9, 4 vols.]
I
Ten or a dozen "c.o.c.ks of the game," [1]
On the prigging lay to the flash-house came, [2]
Lus.h.i.+ng blue ruin and heavy wet [3]
Till the darkey, when the downy set. [4]
All toddled and begun the hunt For readers, tattlers, fogies, or blunt. [5]
II
Whatever swag we chance for to get, [6]
All is fish that comes to net: Mind your eye, and draw the yokel, Don't disturb or use the folk ill.
Keep a look out, if the beaks are nigh, [7]
And cut your stick, before they're fly. [8]
III
As I vas a crossing St James's Park I met a swell, a well-togg'd spark. [9]
I stops a bit: then toddled quicker, For I'd prigged his reader, drawn his ticker; [10]
Then he calls--"Stop thief!" thinks I, my master, That's a hint to me to mizzle faster. [11]
IV
When twelve bells chimed, the prigs returned, [12]
And rapped at the ken of Uncle ----: [13]
"Uncle, open the door of your crib If you'd share the swag, or have one dib. [14]
Quickly draw the bolt of your ken, Or we'll not sh.e.l.l out a mag, old ----." [15]
V
Then says Uncle, says he, to his blowen, [16]
"D'ye twig these coves, my mot so knowing? [17]
Are they out-and-outers, dearie? [18]
Are they fogle-hunters, or cracksmen leary? [19]
Are they coves of the ken, d'ye know? [20]
Shall I let 'em in, or tell 'em to go?"
VI
"Oh! I knows 'em now; hand over my breeches-- I always look out for business--vich is A reason vy a man should rouse At any hour for the good of his house, The top o' the morning, gemmen all, [21]
