V
Sometimes I do frame myself to be lame,
And when a Coach comes, I hop to my game;
We seldom miscarry, or never do marry,
By the Gown, Common-Prayer, or Cloak-Directory;
But Simon and Susan, like Birds of a Feather
They kiss, and they laugh, and so jumble together; [6]
Like Pigs in the Pea-straw, intangled they lie,
Till there they beget such a bold rogue as I.
VI
When Boys do come to us, and their Intent is
To follow our Calling, we ne'er bind 'em 'Prentice;
Soon as they come to 't, we teach them to do 't,
And give them a Staff and a Wallet to boot;
We teach them their Lingua, to crave and to cant, [7]
The Devil is in them if then they can want.
And he or she, that a Beggar will be,
Without any Indentures they shall be made free.
VII
We beg for our Bread, yet sometimes it happens
We fast it with Pig, Pullet, Coney, and Capons
The Church's Affairs, we are no Men-slayers,
We have no Religion, yet live by our Prayers;
But if when we beg, Men will not draw their Purses,
We charge, and give Fire, with a Volley of Curses;
The Devil confound your good Worship, we cry,
And such a bold brazen-fac'd Beggar am I.
VIII
We do things in Season, and have so much Reason,
We raise no Rebellion, nor never talk Treason;
We Bill all our Mates at very low rates,
While some keep their Quarters as high as the fates;
With Shinkin-ap-Morgan, with Blue-cap, or Teague, [8]
We into no Covenant enter, nor League.
And therefore a bonny bold Beggar I'll be,
For none lives a life more merry than he.
[1 Notes] [2 wet linen] [3 ale-house] [4 stocks] [5 Notes] [6 Notes] [7 beggar's patter] [8 Notes]
A BUDG AND SNUDG SONG [Notes] [1676 and 1712]