Ye slang-boys all, since wedlock's nooze, Together fast has tied Moll Blabbermums and rowling Joe, Each other's joy and pride; Your broomsticks and tin kettles bring, With cannisters and stones: Ye butchers bring your cleavers too, Likewise your marrow-bones; For ne'er a brace in marriage hitch'd, By no one can be found, That's half so blest as Joe and Moll, Search all St. Giles's round. _Moll_. Though fancy queer-gamm'd smutty Muns Was once my fav'rite man, Though rugged-muzzle tink'ring Tom For me left maw-mouth'd Nan: Though padding Jack and diving Ned, [1] With blink-ey'd buzzing Sam, [2] Have made me drunk with hot, and stood [3] The racket for a dram; Though Scamp the ballad-singing kid, Call'd me his darling frow, [4] I've tip'd them all the double, for [5] The sake of rowling Joe. _Chorus_. Therefore, in jolly chorus now, Let's chaunt it altogether, And let each cull's and doxy's heart [6] Be lighter than a feather; And as the kelter runs quite flush, [7] Like _natty_ shining _kiddies_, To treat the coaxing, giggling brims, [8] With spunk let's post our _neddies_; [9] Then we'll all roll in _bub_ and _grub_, [10] Till from this ken we go, [11] Since rowling Joe's tuck'd up with Moll, And Moll's tuck'd up with Joe. [1: tramping; pick-pocket] [2: pickpocket] [3: paid for] [4: woman, girl] [5: jilted] [6: man; woman] [7: money] [8: whores] [9: spirit; spend our guineas] [10: drink; food] [11: drinking-house] THE BUNTER'S CHRISTENING. [Notes] [1789] [By GEORGE PARKER in _Life's Painter of Variegated Characters_]. I Bess Tatter, of Hedge-lane, To ragman Joey's joy, The cull with whom she snooz'd [1] Brought forth a chopping boy: Which was, as one might say, The moral of his dad, sir; And at the christ'ning oft, A merry bout they had, sir. II For, when 'twas four weeks old, Long Ned, and dust-cart Chloe, To give the kid a name, Invited were by Joey; With whom came muzzy Tom, [2] And sneaking Snip, the boozer, [3] Bag-picking, blear-ey'd Ciss, And squinting Jack, the bruiser. [4] III Likewise came bullying Sam, With cat's-and-dog's-meat Nelly, Young Smut, the chimney-sweep, And smiling snick-snack Willy; Peg Swig and Jenny Gog, The brims, with birdlime fingers, [5] Brought warbling, seedy Dick, The prince of ballad-singers. IV The guests now being met, The first thing that was done, sir, Was handling round the kid, That all might smack his muns, sir; [6] A _flash of lightning_ next, [7] Bess tipt each cull and frow, sir, [8] Ere they to church did pad, [9] To have it christen'd Joe, sir. V Away they then did trudge; But such a queer procession, Of seedy brims and kids, Is far beyond expression. The christ'ning being o'er, They back again soon pik't it, [10] To have a dish of lap, [11] Prepar'd for those who lik't it. VI