[From _Lanthorne and Candlelight_, by THOMAS DEKKER, ed. GROSART (188 ), iii, 203:--"a canting song, wherein you may learn, how _this_ cursed _generation_ pray, or (to speake truth) curse such officers as punish them"]. [Notes] I The Ruffin cly the nab of the Harmanbeck, If we mawnd Pannam, lap, or Ruff-peck, Or poplars of yarum: he cuts, bing to the Ruffmans, Or els he sweares by the light-mans, To put our stamps in the Harmans, The ruffian cly the ghost of the Harmanbeck If we heaue a booth we cly the lerk. [The devil take the Constable's head! If we beg bread, drink, bacon, Or milk porridge, he says: "be off to the hedges" Or swears, in the morning To clap our feet in the stocks. The devil take the Constable's ghost If we rob a house we are flogged.] II If we niggle, or mill a bowzing Ken, Or nip a boung that has but a win, Or dup the giger of a Gentry cores ken, To the quier cuffing we bing; And then to the quier Ken, to scowre the Cramp-ring, And then to the Trin'de on the chates, in the light-mans, The Bube &. Ruffian cly the Harmanbeck & harmans. [If we fornicate, or thieve in an alehouse, Rob a purse with only a penny in it. Or break into a gentleman's house, To the magistrate we go; Then to gaol to be shackled, Whence to be hanged on the gallows in the morning, The pox and the devil take the constable and his stocks.] "OWRE OUT BEN MORTS" [1610] [By SAMUEL ROWLANDS in _"Martin Mark-all, Beadle of Bridewell: His Defence and Answere to the Belman of London"_]. I Towre out ben morts & towre,[1] Looke out ben morts & towre, For all the Rome coues are budgd a beake,[2] And the quire coves tippe the lowre.[3] II The quire coues are budgd to the bowsing ken,[4] As Romely as a ball,[5] But if we be spid we shall be clyd,[6] And carried to the quirken hall.[7] III Out budgd the Coue of the ken,[8] With a ben filtch in his quarr'me[9] That did the prigg good that bingd in the kisome,[10] To towre the Coue budge alar'me. [1: look-out, good women;] [2: all the Rome-coves [Notes] have run away [Notes]] [3: Queer-coves taken the money] [4: have sneaked to the ale-house] [5: nimbly] [6: whipped] [7: taken to gaol.] [8: crept; master of the house] [:9 staff; hand.] [10: went to search for the man who had given the alarm.] THE MAUNDER'S WOOING [Notes] [1610] [By SAMUEL ROWLANDS in _Martin Mark-all, Beadle of Bridewell: His Defence and Answere to the Belman of London_:--"I will shew you what I heard at _Knock-vergos_, drinking there a pot of English Ale, two Maunders borne and bred vp rogues wooing in their natiue language"]. I O Ben mort wilt thou pad with me,[1] One ben slate shall serue both thee and me,[2] My Caster and Commission shall serue vs both to maund,[3] My bong, my lowre & fambling cheates[4] Shall be at thy command. II