I, Crank Cuffin, swear to be [1]
True to this fraternity;
That I will in all obey
Rule and order of the lay.
Never blow the gab or squeak; [2]
Never snitch to bum or beak; [3]
But religiously maintain
Authority of those who reign
Over Stop Hole Abbey green, [4]
Be their tawny king, or queen.
In their cause alone will fight;
Think what they think, wrong or right;
Serve them truly, and no other,
And be faithful to my brother;
Suffer none, from far or near,
With their rights to interfere;
No strange Abram, ruffler crack, [5]
Hooker of another pack,
Rogue or rascal, frater, maunderer, [6]
Irish toyle, or other wanderer; [7]
No dimber, dambler, angler, dancer,
Prig of cackler, prig of prancer;
No swigman, swaddler, clapper-dudgeon;
Cadge-gloak, curtal, or curmudgeon;
No whip-jack, palliard, patrico;
No jarkman, be he high or low;
No dummerar, or romany;
No member of the family;
No ballad-basket, bouncing buffer,
Nor any other, will I suffer;
But stall-off now and for ever
All outtiers whatsoever;
And as I keep to the foregone,
So may help me Salamon! [By the mass!]
[1: Notes] [2: reveal secrets] [3: betray to bailif or magistrate] [4: Notes] [5: Notes] [6: Notes; beggar] [7: Notes]
COME ALL YOU BUFFERS GAY [Notes] [1760]
[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.