Musa Pedestris - Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes [1536 - 1896] - LightNovelsOnl.com
You're reading novel online at LightNovelsOnl.com. Please use the follow button to get notifications about your favorite novels and its latest chapters so you can come back anytime and won't miss anything.
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.
