Musa Pedestris | Page 5

Sir,?For my selfe I will be praying still,?For Neighbours have I none, Sir.?Which makes me cry, etc.
[1: penny]?[2: ale-house]?[3: drink]?[4: purse; Notes]?[5: steal his purse]?[6: girls; whores]?[7: pawn their clothes]?[8: gentleman]?[9: Notes]?[10: Notes]

THE MAUNDER'S INITIATION [Notes]?[1622]
[From The Beggars Bush_ by JOHN FLETCHER; also in The New Canting Dict_:--"Sung on the electing of a new dimber damber, or king of the gypsies"].
I
Cast your nabs and cares away,?This is maunder's holiday: [1]?In the world look out and see,?Where so blest a king as he?_(Pointing to the newly-elected Prince.)_
II
At the crowning of our king,?Thus we ever dance and sing:?Where's the nation lives so free,?And so merrily as we?
III
Be it peace, or be it war,?Here at liberty we are:?Hang all harmanbecks we cry, [2]?We the cuffins quere defy. [3]
IV
We enjoy our ease and rest,
To the fields we are not pressed:?And when taxes are increased,?We are not a penny 'sessed.
V
Nor will any go to law,?With a maunder for a straw,?All which happiness he brags,?Is only owing to his rags.
"Now swear him"--
I crown thy nab with a gage of ben bouse,[4]?And stall thee by the salmon into clowes,[5]?To maund on the pad, and strike all the cheats, [6]?To mill from the Ruffmans, Commission, and slates, [7]?Twang dells i' th' stiromel, and let the Quire Cuffin?And Harman Beck strine and trine to the ruffin. [8]
[1: beggar]?[2: constables]?[3: magistrates]?[4: I pour on thy pate a pot of good ale]?[5: And install thee, by oath, a rogue]?[6: To beg by the way, steal from all,]?[7: Rob hedge of shirt and sheet,]?[8: To lie with wenches on the straw, so let all magistrates and constables go to the devil and be hanged!]
THE HIGH PAD'S BOAST?[_b_. 1625]
[Attributed to JOHN FLETCHER--a song from a collection of black-letter broadside ballads. Also in New Canting Dict. 1725.]
I
I keep my Horse; I keep my whore;?I take no rents; yet am not poor;?I travel all the land about,?And yet was born to ne'er a foot.
II
With partridge plump, and woodcock fine,?At midnight, I do often dine:?And if my whore be not in Case, [1]?My hostess' daughter has her place.
III
The maids sit up, and watch their turns;?If I stay long, the tapster mourns;?Nor has the cookmaid mind to sin,?Tho' tempted by the chamberlain.
IV
But when I knock, O how they bustle;?The hostler yawns, the geldings justle:?If the maid be sleepy, O how they curse her;?And all this comes, of, Deliver your purse, sir.
[1: in the house]
THE MERRY BEGGARS [Notes]?[1641]
[From A Jovial Crew, by RICHARD BROME. The beggars discovered at their feast. After they have scrambled awhile at their Victuals: this song].
I
Here safe in our Skipper let's cly off our Peck, [1]?And bowse in defiance o' the Harman Beck. [2]?Here's Pannam and Lap, and good Poplars of Yarrum, [3]?To fill up the Crib, and to comfort the Quarron. [4]?Now bowse a round health to the Go-well and Corn-well, [5]?Of Cisley Bumtrincket that lies in the Strummel; [6]
II
Here's Ruffpeck and Casson, and all of the best, [7]?And Scrape of the Dainties of Gentry Cofe's Feast [8]?Here's Grunter and Bleater, with Tib-of-the-Buttry, [9]?And Margery Prater, all dress'd without sluttry. [10]?For all this bene Cribbing and Peck let us then, [11]?Bowse a health to the Gentry Cofe of the Ken. [12]?Now bowse a round health to the Go-well and Corn-well [13]?Of Cisley Bumtrincket that lies in the Strummel. [14]
[1: Safe in our barn let's eat]?[2: And drink without fear of the constable!]?[3: Here's bread, drink, and milk-porridge]?[4: To fill the belly, and comfort the body.]?[5: Drink a good health [Notes]]?[6: To Cisley Bumtrincket lying in the straw]?[7: Here's bacon and cheese]?[8: And scraps from the gentleman's table]?[9: Here's pork, mutton, goose,]?[10: And chicken, all well-cooked.]?[11: For this good food and meat let us]?[12: Drink the gentleman's health and]?[13: Then drink a bumper]?[14: to Cisley Bumtrincket.]
A MORT'S DRINKING SONG [Notes]?[1641]
[From A Jovial Crew, by RICHARD BROME: Enter Patrico with his old wife with a wooden bowle of drink. She is drunk. She sings:--]
I
This is bien bowse, this is bien bowse, [1]?Too little is my Skew. [2]?I bowse no lage, but a whole gage [3]?Of this I'll bowse to you.
II
This bowse is better than rom-bowse, [4]?It sets the gan a-gigling, [5]?The autum-mort finds better sport [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