_Wilt thou a begging go, O perse o, o perse o, Then must thou God forsake And to the Devil thee betake O perse o, &c._ And because thou art as yet but a Novice in begging, and understandest not the mysteries of the _Canting_ language, to principle thee the better, thou shalt have a _Doxy_ to be thy Companion, by whom thou maist receive fit instructions for thy purpose. And thereupon he singled me out a young Girl of about fourteen years of age, which tickled my fancy very much that I had gotten a young wanton to dally withal; but this was not all, I must presently be married unto her after their fashion by their _Patrico_, (who amongst _Beggars_ is their Priest) which was done after this manner. They got a Hen, and having cut off the head of it, laid the dead body upon the ground, placing me on the one side of it, and my _Doxy_ on the other; this being done, the _Patrico_ standing by, with a loud voice _bid us live together till death did us part_; then one of the Company went into the yard and fetcht a dry Cow-turd, which was broken over my _Dox’s_ head in imitation of a Bride-cake; and so shaking hands, and kissing each other, the Ceremony of the wedding was over, and for joy of the marriage we fell to drinking afresh, till we were all _as drunk as Beggars_; but then to hear the gabling noyse we made, would have made you to have blest your self, to hear such a _Babel_ of confusion amongst us, some were jabbering in the _Canting Language_, others in their own, some did nothing but weep and protest love to their _Morts_, others swore swords and daggers to cut the throats of their _Doxy’s_ if they found them tripping; one would drink a health to the Bride till he slavered again, some were for singing Bawdy songs, others were divising Curses for Justices of Peace, Head-boroughs, and Constables; at last night approaching, and all their mony being spent, we betook us to a Barn not far off, where we _coucht a Hogshead in the darkmans_, and went to sleep. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------- CHAP. XV. _The Orders and Degrees of the Canting Beggars, Men and Women, with their several qualities and manner of life._ Though my lodging was homely, my bedfellow pleased, yet though she were so young, I could not boast of the purchase of her Maidenhead, that being a dainty bestowed always on the _Upright-men_ (the chief of the Rogues) who must have the first taste of such morsels, and then are they free for any of the Brother-hood. The whole night was spent in prigging, wapping; and telling of drunken stories; in the morning as soon as _Ph[oe]bus_ began to dart some of his beams through the Crannies of the walls, the _Patrico_ began to set up his _larum_, and to waken the rest with this song.