O Ben Coue that may not be, [5] For thou hast an Autem mort who euer that is she,[6] If that she were dead & bingd to his long tibb,[7] Then would I pad and maund with thee,[8] And wap and fon the fibb.[9] III O ben mort Castle out & Towre,[10] Where all the Roome coues slopne that we may tip the lowre,[11] Whe_ [*]we haue tipt the lowre & fenc't away the duds[12] Then binge we to the bowzing ken,[13] Thats cut the Robin Hood.[14] IV But O ben Coue what if we be clyd, [15] Long we cannot foist & nip at last we shall be spyed, [16] If that we be spied, O then begins our woe, With the Harman beake out and alas, [17] To Wittington we goe. [18] V Stow your whids & plant, and whid no more of that [19] Budg a beak the crackmas & tip lowr with thy prat [20] If treyning thou dost feare, thou ner wilt foist a Ian, [21] Then mill, and wap and treine for me, [22] A gere peck in thy gan. [23] As they were thus after a strange maner a wooing, in comes by chance a clapper-dudgeon [24] for a pinte of Ale, who as soone as he was spied, they left off their roguish poetry, and fell to mocke of the poor maunder thus. VI The clapper dugeon lies in the skipper, [25] He dares not come out for shame, But when he binges out he dus budg to the gigger, [26] Tip in my skew good dame. [1: good woman, tramp] [2: sheet] [3: cloak; shirt; beg] [4: purse; money; rings] [5: good man] [6: wife] [7: gone to her longhome] [8: tramp and beg] [9: Notes] [10: find out] [11: thieves; congregate; get money] [12: sold the swag] [13: go to the alehouse] [14: called the "Robin Hood."] [15: arrested?] [16: cheat and steal] [17: magistrate] [18: Newgate] [19: Hold your jaw! hide, and say no more] [20: Notes] [21: hanging; pick a purse] [22: rob; whore; hang] [23: Notes] [24: Notes] [25: beggar; barn] [26: comes out; goes to people's doors--"Put something in my wallet."] "A GAGE OF BEN ROM-BOUSE" [Notes] [1611] [By MIDDLETON and DEKKER in "_The Roaring Girl_" V, 1. Sung by _Moll-Cut-purse_ and _Tearcat_ a bullying rogue.] _Moll_. Come you rogue, sing with me:-- A gage of ben Rom-bouse,[1] In a bousing-ken of Rom-vile[2] _Tearcat_. Is benar than a Caster,[3] Peck, pennam, lap, or popler,[4] Which we mill in deuse a vile.[5] _Moll_. Oh, I wud lib all the lightmans,[6] Oh, I woud lib all the darkemans,[7] By the Salomon, under the Ruffemans[8] By the Salomon in the Hartmans[9] _Tearcat_. And scoure the queer cramp ring[10] And couch till a palliard dock'd my dell,[11] So my bousy nab might skew rome bouse well[12] Avast to the pad, let us bing;[13] Avast to the pad, let us bing. [1 A pot of strong ale (or wine)] [2 London ale-house] [3 better than a cloak] [4 meat, bread, drink, or porridge] [5 steal on the country-side.] [6 lie all day] [7 night] [8 By the mass! in the woods] [9 stocks] [10 in fetters] [11 Notes] [12 addle-pate may swill strong drink] [13 Let us be off on the road.] "BING OUT, BIEN MORTS" [Notes] [1612]