On the Prigging Lay [Notes]
[By H. T. R….: a translation of a French Slang song (“Un jour à la Croix Rouge”) in Vidocq’s Memoirs, 1828-9, 4 vols.]
I
Ten or a dozen “cocks of the game,” [1]
On the prigging lay to the flash-house came, [2]
Lushing blue ruin and heavy wet [3]
Till the darkey, when the downy set. [4]
All toddled and begun the hunt
For readers, tattlers, fogies, or blunt. [5]
II
Whatever swag we chance for to get, [6]
All is fish that comes to net:
Mind your eye, and draw the yokel,
Don’t disturb or use the folk ill.
Keep a look out, if the beaks are nigh, [7]
And cut your stick, before they’re fly. [8]
III
As I vas a crossing St James’s Park
I met a swell, a well-togg’d spark. [9]
I stops a bit: then toddled quicker,
For I’d prigged his reader, drawn his ticker; [10]
Then he calls—“Stop thief!” thinks I, my master,
That’s a hint to me to mizzle faster. [11]
IV
When twelve bells chimed, the prigs returned, [12]
And rapped at the ken of Uncle ——: [13]
“Uncle, open the door of your crib
If you’d share the swag, or have one dib. [14]
Quickly draw the bolt of your ken,
Or we’ll not shell out a mag, old ——.” [15]
V
Then says Uncle, says he, to his blowen, [16]
“D’ye twig these coves, my mot so knowing? [17]
Are they out-and-outers, dearie? [18]
Are they fogle-hunters, or cracksmen leary? [19]
Are they coves of the ken, d’ye know? [20]
Shall I let ’em in, or tell ’em to go?”
VI
“Oh! I knows ’em now; hand over my breeches—
I always look out for business—vich is
A reason vy a man should rouse
At any hour for the good of his house,
The top o’ the morning, gemmen all, [21]
And for vot you vants, I begs you’ll call.”
VII
But now the beaks are on the scene, [22]
And watched by moonlight where we went:—
Stagged us a toddling into the ken, [23]
And were down upon us all; and then
Who should I spy but the slap-up spark [24]
What I eased of the swag in St James’s Park. [25]
VIII
There’s a time, says King Sol, to dance and sing;
I know there’s a time for another thing:
There’s a time to pipe, and a time to snivel—
I wish all Charlies and beaks at the divel: [26]
For they grabbed me on the prigging lay,
And I know I’m booked for Bot’ny Bay. [27]
[1: pickpockets] [2: thieving game; thieves’ rendezvous] [3: drinking gin; porter] [4: evening; sun] [5: pocket-books; watches; handkerchiefs; money] [6: plunder] [7: police] [8: run; before they see you] [9: well-dressed] [10: stolen his pocketbook and watch] [11: run] [12: thieves] [13: house] [14: plunder; coin] [15: give you a half-penny] [16: woman] [17: known; men; mistress] [18: safe to trust] [19: pickpockets; burglers] [20: of our band] [21: a cheery greeting] [22: police] [23: saw us going] [24: dandy] [25: robbed of the plunder] [26: police and magistrates] [27: transported]