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

Title: Musa Pedestris - Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes [1536 - 1896]

Author: John Stephen Farmer

Release date: July 1, 2005 [eBook #8466] Most recently updated: December 26, 2020

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8466

Credits: Produced by Tiffany Vergon, Jerry Fairbanks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team

Produced by Tiffany Vergon, Jerry Fairbanks

and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team

Musa Pedestris THREE CENTURIES OF CANTING SONGS AND SLANG RHYMES [1536-1896]

COLLECTED AND ANNOTATED BY JOHN S. FARMER

CONTENTS

Index to Titles

Index to Authors

Forewords

Notes

Appendix

"A beggar I'll be" (Anon—1660) "A Gage of Ben Rom-Bouse" (Middleton and Dekker—1611) "A Hundred Stretches Hence" (G. W. Matsell—1859) 'Arry at a Political Picnic (T. Milliken—1884) Beggar's Curse, The (Thomas Dekker—1608) "Bing Out, Bien Morts" (Thomas Dekker—1612) Black Procession, The (Anon—1712) Blooming Æsthetic (Anon—1882) Bobby and His Mary (Anon—1826) Bould Yeoman, The (Pierce Egan—1842) Bridle-cull and his little Pop-gun (Pierce Egan—1842) Budg and Snudg Song, A (Anon—1676) Banter's Christening, The (G. Parker—1789) By-blow of the Jug, The (Pierce Egan—1842) Cadger's Ball, The (Anon—1852) Canter's Serenade, The (Anon—1725) Chickaleary Cove, The (Vance—1864) "Come all you Buffers Gay" (Anon—1760) Coster's Serenade, The (A. Chevalier—1894) Culture in the Slums (W. E. Henley—1887) Dashy Splashy . . . little Stringer, The (Leman Rede—1841) "Dear-Bill—This Stone Jug" (Anon—1857) Double Cross, The (W. H. Ainsworth—1834) Faker's New Toast, The (Bon Gualtier—1841) Flashey Joe (R. Morley—1826)

Flashman of St. Giles, The (Anon—1790) Frisky Moll's Song (J. Harper—1724) Game of High Toby, The (W. H. Ainsworth—1834) Happy Pair, The (G. Parker—1789) High Pad's Boast, The (J. Fletcher—1625) High Pad's Frolic, The (Leman Rede—1841) Housebreaker's Song, The (G. W. M. Reynolds—1838) Jack Flashman (Pierce Egan—1842) Lag's Lament, The (H. T. R.—1829) Leary Man, The (Ducange Anglicus—185?) Leary Mot, A (Anon—1811) Masqueraders, The (G. Parker—1789) Maunder's Initiation, The (J. Fletcher—1625) Maunder's Praise of his Strowling Mort, The (Anon—1707) Maunder's Wooing, The (S. Rowlands—1610) Merry Beggars, The (R. Brome—1641) Milling Match, The (T. Moore—1819) Miss Dolly Trull (Pierce Egan—1842) Mort's Drinking Song, A (R. Brome—1641) My Mother (Bon Gualtier—1841) My mugging maid (J. Bruton—1826) "Nix my Doll, Pals, Fake Away" (W. Harrison Ainsworth—1834) Nutty Blowen, The (Bon Gualtier—1841) Oath of the Canting Crew, The (R. Goadby—1749) On the Prigging Lay (H. T. R.—1829) Our Little Nipper (A. Chevalier—1893)

Pickpocket's Chaunt, The (W. Maginn—1829) Plank-bed Ballad, A (G. R. Sims—1888) Poor Luddy (T. Dibdin—1826) Potato Man, The (Anon—1775) "Retoure my dear Dell" (Anon—1725) Rhyme of the Rusher (Doss Chiderdoss—1892) Rhymes of the Canting Crew (R. Copland—1536) Rondeau of the Knock, The (G. R. Sims—1890) "Rum Coves that Relieve Us" (H. Baumann—1887) Rum-Mort's Praise of her Faithless Maunder, The (Anon—1707) Sandman's Wedding, The (G. Parker—1789) Slang Pastoral, A (R. Tomlinson—1780) Song of the Beggar, The (Anon—1620) Song of the Young Prig, The (Anon—1810-9) Sonnets for the Fancy: I. Education. II. Progress. III. Triumph (Pierce Egan—1824) "The Faking Boy to the Crap is Gone" (Bon Gualtier—1841) The Night before Larry was stretched (W. Maher—1816) Thieves' Chaunt, The (W. H. Smith—1836) Tottie (G. R. Sims—1887) "Towre Out, Ben Morts" (S. Rowlands—1610) True Bottom'd Boxer, The (J. Jones—1825) Vain Dreamer, The (Anon—1725) Villon's Good Night (W. E. Henley—1887) Villon's Straight Tip (W. E. Henley—1887)

"When my Dimber Dell I Courted" (Anon—1725) "Wot Cher" (A. Chevalier—1892) "Ye Scamps, ye Pads, ye Divers" (Messink—1781) "Ya-Hip, my Hearties!" (Gregson—1819)

INDEX TO AUTHORS

Ainsworth, W. Harrison Anonymous Baumann, Heinrich Bon Gualtier Brome, Richard Bruton, James Chevalier, Albert Copland, Robert Dekker, Thomas Dibdin, Thomas Doss Chiderdoss Ducange Anglicus Egan, Pierce Fletcher, John Goadby, Robert Gregson Harper, J. Henley, W. Ernest H. T. R. Jones, J. Maginn, William Maher, Will Matsell, G. W. Messink Middleton, Thomas Milliken, T. Moore, Thomas Morley, R. Parker, George Rede, Leman Reynolds, G. W. M. Rowlands, Samuel Sims, G. R. Smith, W. H. Tomlinson, R. Vance

FOREWORDS

When Harrison Ainsworth, in his preface to Rookwood, claimed tobe "the first to write a purely flash song" he was very wide of themark. As a matter of fact, "Nix my doll, pals, fake away!" had beenanticipated, in its treatment of canting phraseology, by nearly three centuries, and subsequently, by authors whose names stand high, in other respects, in English literature.

The mistake, however, was not altogether unpardonable; few, indeed, would have even guessed that the appearance of utter neglect which surrounded the use of Cant and Slang in English song, ballad, or verse—its rich and racy character notwithstanding—was anything but of the surface. The chanson d'argot of France and the romance di germania of Spain, not to mention other forms of the MUSA PEDESTRIS had long held popular sway, but there was to all appearance nothing to correspond with them on this side the silver streak.

It must be confessed, however, that the field of English slang verse and canting song, though not altogether barren, has yet small claim to the idiomatic and plastic treatment that obtains in many an Argot- song and Germania-romance; in truth, with a few notable exceptions, there is little in the present collection that can claim literary rank.

Those exceptions, however, are alone held to be ample justification for such an anthology as that here presented. Moreover these "Rhymes and Songs", gathered from up and down the years, exhibit, en masse, points of interest to the student and scholar that, in isolation, were either wanting altogether, or were buried and lost sight of midst a mass of more (or less) valuable matter.

As regards the Vulgar Tongue itself—though exhaustive disquisition obviously lies outside the scope of necessarily brief forewords—it may be pointed out that its origin in England is confessedly obscure. Prior to the second half of the 16th century, there was little trace of that flood of unorthodox speech which, in this year of grace eighteen hundred and ninety-six, requires six quarto double-columned volumes duly to chronicle—verily a vast and motley crowd!

As to the distinction to be drawn between Cant and Slang it is somewhat difficult to speak. Cant we know; its limits and place in the world of philology are well defined. In Slang, however, we have a veritable Proteus, ever shifting, and for the most part defying exact definition and orderly derivation. Few, save scholars and such-like folk, even distinguish between the two, though the line of demarcation is sharply enough defined.

In the first place, Slang is universal, whilst Cant is restricted in usage to certain classes of the community: thieves, vagrom men, and— well, their associates. One thing, indeed, both have in common; each are derived from a correct normal use of language. There, however, all similarity ends.

Slang boasts a quasi-respectability denied to Cant, though Cant is frequently more enduring, its use continuing without variation of meaning for many generations. With Slang this is the exception; present in force to-day, it is either altogether forgotten to-morrow, or has shaded off into some new meaning—a creation of chance and circumstance. Both Cant and Slang, but Slang to a more determinate degree, are mirrors in which those who look may see reflected a picture of the age, with its failings, foibles, and idiosyncrasies. They reflect the social life of the people, the mirror rarely being held to truth so faithfully—hence the present interest, and may be future value, of these songs and rhymes. For the rest the book will speak for itself.

MUSA PEDESTRIS

RHYMES OF THE CANTING CREW. [Notes] [c. 1536]

[From "The Hye-way to the Spyttel-hons" by ROBERT COPLAND (HAZLITT, Early Popular Poetry of England, iv.) ROBERT COPLAND and the Porter of St. Bartholomew's Hospital loquitor].

Copland. Come none of these pedlers this way also, With pak on bak with their bousy speche [1] Jagged and ragged with broken hose and breche?

Porter. Inow, ynow; with bousy coue maimed nace,[2] Teare the patryng coue in the darkeman cace Docked the dell for a coper meke; His watch shall feng a prounces nob-chete, Cyarum, by Salmon, and thou shall pek my jere In thy gan, for my watch it is nace gere For the bene bouse my watch hath a coyn. And thus they babble tyll their thryft is thin I wote not what with their pedlyng frenche.

[1 crapulous] [2 Notes]

THE BEGGAR'S CURSE [1608]

[From Lanthorne and Candlelight, by THOMAS DEKKER, ed. GROSART (188 ), iii, 203:—"a canting song, wherein you may learn, how this cursed generation pray, or (to speake truth) curse such officers as punish them"].

[Notes]

I

The Ruffin cly the nab of the Harmanbeck, If we mawnd Pannam, lap, or Ruff-peck, Or poplars of yarum: he cuts, bing to the Ruffmans, Or els he sweares by the light-mans, To put our stamps in the Harmans, The ruffian cly the ghost of the Harmanbeck If we heaue a booth we cly the lerk.

[The devil take the Constable's head! If we beg bread, drink, bacon, Or milk porridge, he says: "be off to the hedges" Or swears, in the morning To clap our feet in the stocks. The devil take the Constable's ghost If we rob a house we are flogged.]

II

If we niggle, or mill a bowzing Ken, Or nip a boung that has but a win, Or dup the giger of a Gentry cores ken, To the quier cuffing we bing; And then to the quier Ken, to scowre the Cramp-ring, And then to the Trin'de on the chates, in the light-mans, The Bube &. Ruffian cly the Harmanbeck & harmans.

[If we fornicate, or thieve in an alehouse, Rob a purse with only a penny in it. Or break into a gentleman's house, To the magistrate we go; Then to gaol to be shackled, Whence to be hanged on the gallows in the morning, The pox and the devil take the constable and his stocks.]

"OWRE OUT BEN MORTS" [1610]

[By SAMUEL ROWLANDS in "Martin Mark-all, Beadle of Bridewell: His Defence and Answere to the Belman of London"].

I

Towre out ben morts & towre,[1] Looke out ben morts & towre, For all the Rome coues are budgd a beake,[2] And the quire coves tippe the lowre.[3]

II

The quire coues are budgd to the bowsing ken,[4] As Romely as a ball,[5] But if we be spid we shall be clyd,[6] And carried to the quirken hall.[7]

III

Out budgd the Coue of the ken,[8] With a ben filtch in his quarr'me[9] That did the prigg good that bingd in the kisome,[10] To towre the Coue budge alar'me.

[1: look-out, good women;] [2: all the Rome-coves [Notes] have run away [Notes]] [3: Queer-coves taken the money] [4: have sneaked to the ale-house] [5: nimbly] [6: whipped] [7: taken to gaol.] [8: crept; master of the house] [:9 staff; hand.] [10: went to search for the man who had given the alarm.]

THE MAUNDER'S WOOING [Notes] [1610]

[By SAMUEL ROWLANDS in Martin Mark-all, Beadle of Bridewell: His Defence and Answere to the Belman of London:—"I will shew you what I heard at Knock-vergos, drinking there a pot of English Ale, two Maunders borne and bred vp rogues wooing in their natiue language"].

I

O Ben mort wilt thou pad with me,[1] One ben slate shall serue both thee and me,[2] My Caster and Commission shall serue vs both to maund,[3] My bong, my lowre & fambling cheates[4] Shall be at thy command.

II

O Ben Coue that may not be, [5] For thou hast an Autem mort who euer that is she,[6] If that she were dead & bingd to his long tibb,[7] Then would I pad and maund with thee,[8] And wap and fon the fibb.[9]

III

O ben mort Castle out & Towre,[10] Where all the Roome coues slopne that we may tip the lowre,[11] Whe_ [*]we haue tipt the lowre & fenc't away the duds[12] Then binge we to the bowzing ken,[13] Thats cut the Robin Hood.[14]

IV

But O ben Coue what if we be clyd, [15] Long we cannot foist & nip at last we shall be spyed, [16] If that we be spied, O then begins our woe, With the Harman beake out and alas, [17] To Wittington we goe. [18]

V

Stow your whids & plant, and whid no more of that [19] Budg a beak the crackmas & tip lowr with thy prat [20] If treyning thou dost feare, thou ner wilt foist a Ian, [21] Then mill, and wap and treine for me, [22] A gere peck in thy gan. [23]

As they were thus after a strange maner a wooing, in comes by chance a clapper-dudgeon [24] for a pinte of Ale, who as soone as he was spied, they left off their roguish poetry, and fell to mocke of the poor maunder thus.

VI

The clapper dugeon lies in the skipper, [25] He dares not come out for shame, But when he binges out he dus budg to the gigger, [26] Tip in my skew good dame.

[1: good woman, tramp] [2: sheet] [3: cloak; shirt; beg] [4: purse; money; rings] [5: good man] [6: wife] [7: gone to her longhome] [8: tramp and beg] [9: Notes] [10: find out] [11: thieves; congregate; get money] [12: sold the swag] [13: go to the alehouse] [14: called the "Robin Hood."] [15: arrested?] [16: cheat and steal] [17: magistrate] [18: Newgate] [19: Hold your jaw! hide, and say no more] [20: Notes] [21: hanging; pick a purse] [22: rob; whore; hang] [23: Notes] [24: Notes] [25: beggar; barn] [26: comes out; goes to people's doors—"Put something in my wallet."]

"A GAGE OF BEN ROM-BOUSE" [Notes] [1611]

[By MIDDLETON and DEKKER in "The Roaring Girl" V, 1. Sung by Moll-Cut-purse and Tearcat a bullying rogue.]

Moll. Come you rogue, sing with me:—

A gage of ben Rom-bouse,[1] In a bousing-ken of Rom-vile[2]

Tearcat. Is benar than a Caster,[3] Peck, pennam, lap, or popler,[4] Which we mill in deuse a vile.[5]

Moll. Oh, I wud lib all the lightmans,[6] Oh, I woud lib all the darkemans,[7] By the Salomon, under the Ruffemans[8] By the Salomon in the Hartmans[9]

Tearcat. And scoure the queer cramp ring[10] And couch till a palliard dock'd my dell,[11] So my bousy nab might skew rome bouse well[12] Avast to the pad, let us bing;[13] Avast to the pad, let us bing.

[1 A pot of strong ale (or wine)] [2 London ale-house] [3 better than a cloak] [4 meat, bread, drink, or porridge] [5 steal on the country-side.] [6 lie all day] [7 night] [8 By the mass! in the woods] [9 stocks] [10 in fetters] [11 Notes] [12 addle-pate may swill strong drink] [13 Let us be off on the road.]

"BING OUT, BIEN MORTS" [Notes] [1612]

[From O per se O, by THOMAS DEKKER].

Bing out, bien Morts, and toure, and toure,[1] bing out, bien Morts, and toure;[2] For all your Duds are bingd awaste,[3] the bien coue hath the loure.[4]

* * * * *

I

I met a Dell, I viewde her well,[5] she was benship to my watch; [6] So she and I, did stall and cloy,[7] whateuer we could catch. [8]

II

This Doxie dell, can cut bien whids, [9] and wap well for a win; [10] And prig and cloy so benshiply, [11] all the dewsea-vile within. [12]

III

The boyle was vp, wee had good lucke,[13] in frost, for and in snow;[14] When they did seeke, then we did creepe,[15] and plant in ruffe-mans low.[16]

IV

To Stawling Kenne the Mort bings then,[17] to fetch loure for her cheates;[18] Duds and Ruff-pecke, ruinboild by Harmanbecke,[19] and won by Mawnder's feates.[20]

V

You Mawnders all, stow what you stall,[21] to Rome coues watch so quire;[22] And wapping Dell that niggles well,[23] and takes loure for her hire.[24]

VI

And Jvbe well Ierkt, tick rome-comfeck,[25] for backe by glimmar to mawnd,[26] To mill each Ken, let coue bing then,[27] through ruffemans, lague or launde.[28]

VII

Till Cramprings quier, tip Coue his hire,[29] and quier-kens doe them catch;[30] A canniken, mill quier cuffen,[31] so quier to ben coue's watch.[32]

VIII

Bein darkmans then, bouse, mort, and ken [33] 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 whore 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 Worship 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 fashion, My Legge I tie, close to my thigh, To moue him to compassion. Still doe I cry, etc.

VIII

My doublet sleeue hangs emptie, And for to begge the bolder, For meate and drinke mine arme I shrinke, Vp close vnto my shoulder. Still doe I cry, etc.

IX

If a Coach I heere be rumbling, To my Crutches then I hie me, For being lame, it is a shame, Such Gallants should denie me. Still doe I cry, etc.

X

With a seeming bursten belly, I looke like one half dead, Sir, Or else I beg with a woodden legge, And a Night-cap on me head, Sir, Still doe I cry, etc.

XI

In Winter time starke naked I come into some Citie, Then euery man that spare them can, Will giue me clothes for pittie. Still doe I cry, etc.

XII

If from out the Low-countrie, [9] I heare a Captaines name, Sir, Then strait I swere I have bin there; And so in fight came lame, Sir. Still doe 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