The Song of the Beggar [Notes]
[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
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!]