Musa Pedestris | Page 5

I cry, etc.
XIII
My Dogge in a string doth lead me,
When in the towne I goe, Sir,

For to the blind, all men are kind,
And will their Almes bestow, Sir,

Still doe I cry, etc.
XIV
With Switches sometimes stand I,
In the bottom of a Hill, Sir,

There those men which doe want a switch,
Some monie give me still,
Sir.
Still doe I cry, etc.
XV
Come buy, come buy a Horne-booke,
Who buys my Pins or Needles?

In Cities I these things doe crie,
Oft times to scape the Beadles.

Still doe I cry, etc.
XVI

In Pauls Church by a Pillar; [10]
Sometimes you see me stand, Sir,

With a Writ that showes, what care and woes
I past by Sea and Land,
Sir.
Still doe I cry, etc.
XVII
Now blame me not for boasting,
And bragging thus alone, 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