Come All You Buffers Gay [Notes]
[From The Humourist …. a choice collection o£ songs. ‘A New Flash Song’, p. 2].
I
Come all you buffers gay, [1]
That rumly do pad the city, [2]
Come listen to what I do say,
And it will make you wond’rous wity.
II
The praps are at Drury Lane,
And at Covent Garden also,
Therefore I tell you plain,
It will not be safe for to go.
III
But if after a rum cull you pad [3]
Pray follow him brave and bold;
For many a buffer has been grab’d,
For fear, as I’ve been told.
IV
Let your pal that follows behind,
Tip your bulk pretty soon;
And to slap his whip in time, [4]
For fear the cull should be down. [5]
V
For if the cull should be down.
And catch you a fileing his bag, [6]
Then at the Old Bailey you’re found,
And d—m you, he’ll tip you the lag. [7]
VI
But if you should slape his staunch wipe [8]
Then away to the fence you may go, [9]
From thence to the ken of one T— [10]
Where you in full bumpers may flow.
VII
But now I have finish’d my rhime,
And of you all must take my leave;
I would have you to leave off in time,
Or they will make your poor hearts to bleed.
[1: rogue or horse-thief] [2: prowl about] [3: well-dressed victim; walk] [4: give signal to confederate] [5: Notes] [6: robbing] [7: get you transported] [8: steal; handkerchief] [9: receiver of stolen property] [10: house]