English poem
Musa Pedestris
by John Stephen Farmer (1854–1916)
RHYMES OF THE CANTING CREW. [Notes] [c. 1536]
[From "The Hye-way to the Spyttel-hons" by ROBERT COPLAND (HAZLITT, Early Popular Poetry of England, iv.) ROBERT COPLAND and the Porter of St. Bartholomew's Hospital loquitor].
Copland. Come none of these pedlers this way also, With pak on bak with their bousy speche Jagged and ragged with broken hose and breche?
Porter. Inow, ynow; with bousy coue maimed nace, Teare the patryng coue in the darkeman cace Docked the dell for a coper meke; His watch shall feng a prounces nob-chete, Cyarum, by Salmon, and thou shall pek my jere In thy gan, for my watch it is nace gere For the bene bouse my watch hath a coyn. And thus they babble tyll their thryft is thin I wote not what with their pedlyng frenche.
[1 crapulous] [2 Notes]
THE BEGGAR'S CURSE [1608]
[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"].