Squire Cokes hears this, and says, "Ballads! hark, hark! pray thee, fellow, stay a little! what ballads hast thou? let me see, let me see myself--How dost thou call it? _A Caveat against Cut-purses!_--a good jest i' faith; I would fain see that demon, your cut-purse, you talk of;" He then shows his purse boastingly, and enquires "Ballad-man, do any cut-purses haunt hereabout? pray thee raise me one or two: begin and show me one." Nightingale answers, "Sir, this is a spell against 'em, spick and span new: and 'tis made as 'twere in mine own person, and I sing it in mine own defence. But 'twill cost a penny alone if you buy it." The Squire replies: "No matter for the price; thou dost not know me, I see, I am an old _Bartholomew_." The ballad has "pictures," and Nightingale tells him, "It was intended, sir, as if a purse should chance to be cut in my presence, now, I may be blameless though; as by the sequel will more plainly appear." He adds, "It is, to the tune of _Paggington's Pound_, sir." and he finally sings the ballad, the first and last stanzas of which follow:-- "My masters, and friends, and good people draw near, And look to your purses, for that I do say; And though little money, in them you do bear, It cost more to get, than to lose in a day, You oft' have been told, Both the young and the old, And bidden beware of the cut-purse so bold; Then if you take heed not, free me from the curse, Who both give you warning, for, and the cut-purse. Youth, youth, thou hadst better been starved by thy nurse, Than live to be hanged for cutting a purse. * * * * * "But O, you vile nation of cut-purses all, Relent, and repent, and amend, and be sound, And know that you ought not by honest men's fall, Advance your own fortunes to die above ground. And though you go gay In silks as you may, It is not the highway to heaven (as they say.) Repent then, repent you, for better, for worse; And kiss not the gallows for cutting a purse. Youth, youth, thou hadst better been starved by thy nurse, Than live to be hanged for cutting a purse." While Nightingale sings this ballad, a fellow tickles Coke's ear with a straw, to make him withdraw his hand from his pocket, and privately robs him of his purse, which, at the end of the song, he secretly conveys to the ballad-singer; who notwithstanding his "Caveat against cut-purses," is their principal confederate, and in that quality, becomes the unsuspected depository of the plunder.