/ · John S. Farmer’s Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes

The Chickaleary Cove

The Chickaleary Cove
c. 1864

I

I’m a ‘Chickaleary bloke’ with my one, two, three, 1 Whitechapel swell
  Whitechapel was the village I was born in,
For to get me on the hop, or on my tibby drop, 2 got the better of me
 You must wake up very early in the morning.
I have a rorty gal, also a knowing pal, 3 flashly dressed; clever
 And merrily together we jog on,
I doesn’t care a flatch, as long as I’ve a tach, 4 halfpenny; hat
 Some pannum for my chest, and a tog on. 5 eatables; coat
   I’m a Chickaleary bloke with my one, two, three,
   Whitechapel was the village I born in,
   For to get me on the hop, or on my tibby drop,
   You must wake up very early in the morning.

II

Now kool my downy kicksies—the style for me, 6 look; trousers flashy cut
  Built on a plan werry naughty,
The stock around my squeeze a guiver colour see, 7 neck; flash
  And the vestat with the bins so rorty, 8 vest; pockets
My tailor serves you well, from a perger to a swell, 9 teetotaller
  At Groves’s you’re safe to make a sure pitch, 10 place
For ready yenom down, there ain’t a shop in town, 11 money
  Can lick Groves in The Cut as well as Shoreditch. 12 beat
    I’m a Chickaleary bloke, etc.

III

Off to Paris I shall go, to show a thing or two
  To the dipping blokes what hangs about the caffes, 13 pickpockets
How to do a cross-fam, for a super, or a slang, 14 watch; chain
  And to bustle them grand’armes I’d give the office:
Now my pals I’m going to slope, see you soon again, I hope,
  My young woman is awaiting, so be quick;
Now join in a chyike, the jolly we all like, 15 salute; shout
  I’m off with a party to the Vic.
    I’m a Chickaleary bloke, etc.

Taken from Musa Pedestris, Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes [1536―1896], collected and annotated by John S. Farmer.

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Nearby

• 1811 Dictionary of UK Slang, originally by Captain Francis Grose
• 1736 Dictionary of Thieving Slang by Nathan Bailey