III
Played out they lay, it will be said
A hundred stretches hence;
With shovels they were put to bed [14]
A hundred stretches since!
Some rubbed to wit had napped a winder, [15]
And some were scragged and took a blinder, [16]
Planted the swag and lost to sight, [17]
We'll bid them one and all good-night,
A hundred stretches hence.
[1: publicans] [2: years] [3: pretty women] [4: married women and men] [5: boon companion] [6: smuggler; pugilist; whore] [7: police; magistrate] [8: plunder cleverly stolen] [9: watches; chains; seals; stolen] [10: money; rings; spoons] [11: breast-pins; purses; pocket-book] [12: receiver of stolen goods; brothel] [13: thieves; drunkards] [14: buried] [15: taken to gaol; had cheated a life sentence] [16: hanged; drowned oneself] [17: got rid of the plunder]
THE CHICKALEARY COVE [Notes] [c. 1864]
I
I'm a 'Chickaleary bloke' with my one, two, three, [1]
Whitechapel was the village I was born in,
For to get me on the hop, or on my tibby drop, [2]
You must wake up very early in the morning.
I have a rorty gal, also a knowing pal, [3]
And merrily together we jog on,
I doesn't care a flatch, as long as I've a tach, [4]
Some pannum for my chest, and a tog on. [5]
I'm a Chickaleary bloke with my one, two, three,
Whitechapel was the village I born in,
For to get me on the hop, or on my tibby drop,
You must wake up very early in the morning.
II
Now kool my downy kicksies—the style for me, [6]
Built on a plan werry naughty,
The stock around my squeeze a guiver colour see, [7]
And the vestat with the bins so rorty, [8]
My tailor serves you well, from a perger to a swell, [9]
At Groves's you're safe to make a sure pitch, [10]
For ready yenom down, there ain't a shop in town, [11]
Can lick Groves in The Cut as well as Shoreditch. [12]
I'm a Chickaleary bloke, etc.
III
Off to Paris I shall go, to show a thing or two
To the dipping blokes what hangs about the caffes, [13]
How to do a cross-fam, for a super, or a slang, [14]
And to bustle them grand'armes I'd give the office:
Now my pals I'm going to slope, see you soon again, I hope,
My young woman is awaiting, so be quick;
Now join in a chyike, the jolly we all like, [15]
I'm off with a party to the Vic.
I'm a Chickaleary bloke, etc.