Musa Pedestris - Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes [1536 - 1896].

by John S. Farmer.

FOREWORDS

When Harrison Ainsworth, in his preface to _Rookwood,_ claimed tobe "the first to write a purely flash song" he was very wide of themark. As a matter of fact, "Nix my doll, pals, fake away!" had beenantic.i.p.ated, in its treatment of canting phraseology, by nearly three centuries, and subsequently, by authors whose names stand high, in other respects, in English literature.

The mistake, however, was not altogether unpardonable; few, indeed, would have even guessed that the appearance of utter neglect which surrounded the use of Cant and Slang in English song, ballad, or verse--its rich and racy character notwithstanding--was anything but of the surface. The _chanson d'argot_ of France and the _romance di germania_ of Spain, not to mention other forms of the MUSA PEDESTRIS had long held popular sway, but there was to all appearance nothing to correspond with them on this side the silver streak.

It must be confessed, however, that the field of English slang verse and canting song, though not altogether barren, has yet small claim to the idiomatic and plastic treatment that obtains in many an _Argot- song_ and _Germania-romance;_ in truth, with a few notable exceptions, there is little in the present collection that can claim literary rank.

Those exceptions, however, are alone held to be ample justification for such an anthology as that here presented. Moreover these "Rhymes and Songs", gathered from up and down the years, exhibit, _en ma.s.se_, points of interest to the student and scholar that, in isolation, were either wanting altogether, or were buried and lost sight of midst a ma.s.s of more (or less) valuable matter.

As regards the Vulgar Tongue itself--though exhaustive disquisition obviously lies outside the scope of necessarily brief forewords--it may be pointed out that its origin in England is confessedly obscure.

Prior to the second half of the 16th century, there was little trace of that flood of unorthodox speech which, in this year of grace eighteen hundred and ninety-six, requires six quarto double-columned volumes duly to chronicle--verily a vast and motley crowd!

As to the distinction to be drawn between Cant and Slang it is somewhat difficult to speak. Cant we know; its limits and place in the world of philology are well defined. In Slang, however, we have a veritable Proteus, ever shifting, and for the most part defying exact definition and orderly derivation. Few, save scholars and such-like folk, even distinguish between the two, though the line of demarcation is sharply enough defined.

In the first place, Slang is universal, whilst Cant is restricted in usage to certain cla.s.ses of the community: thieves, vagrom men, and-- well, their a.s.sociates. One thing, indeed, both have in common; each are derived from a correct normal use of language. There, however, all similarity ends.

Slang boasts a quasi-respectability denied to Cant, though Cant is frequently more enduring, its use continuing without variation of meaning for many generations. With Slang this is the exception; present in force to-day, it is either altogether forgotten to-morrow, or has shaded off into some new meaning--a creation of chance and circ.u.mstance. Both Cant and Slang, but Slang to a more determinate degree, are mirrors in which those who look may see reflected a picture of the age, with its failings, foibles, and idiosyncrasies.

They reflect the social life of the people, the mirror rarely being held to truth so faithfully--hence the present interest, and may be future value, of these songs and rhymes. For the rest the book will speak for itself.

MUSA PEDESTRIS

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 [1]

Jagged and ragged with broken hose and breche?

_Porter._ Inow, ynow; with bousy coue maimed nace,[2]

Teare the patryng coue in the darkeman cace Docked the dell for a coper meke; His watch shall feng a prounces n.o.b-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 c.r.a.pulous]

[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"].

[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]]