Bobby And His Mary

Bobby And His Mary
1826
From Universal Songster, iii. 108.

Tune—Dulce Domum.


In Dyot-street a booze-ken stood, 1 Notes; ale-house
  Oft sought by foot-pads weary,
And long had been the blest abode
  Of Bobby, and his Mary.
For her he’d nightly pad the hoof, 2 walk around
  And gravel tax collect 3 rob passers-by
For her he never shammed the snite.
  Though traps tried to detect him; 4 police
When darkey came he sought his home
  While she, distracted blowen 5 girl
    She hailed his sight,
    And, ev’ry night
    The booze-ken rung
    As they sung,
  O, Bobby and his Mary.

II

But soon this scene of cozey fuss
  Was changed to prospects queering
The blunt ran shy, and Bobby brush’d, 6 money; went off
  To get more rag not fearing; 7 notes or gold
To Islington he quickly hied,
  A traveller there he dropped on;
The traps were fly, his rig they spied 8 object
  And ruffles soon they popped on. 9 handcuffs
When evening came, he sought not home,
  While she, poor stupid woman,
    Got lushed that night, 10 drunk
    Oh, saw his sprite,
    Then heard the knell
    That bids farewell!
    Then heard the knell
    Of St. Pulchre’s bell! 11 Notes
  Now he dangles on the Common.




Notes

[See ante for note on Universal Songster].

Stanza I, line 1. Dyot Street, see note page 222.

Stanza II, line 16. St. Pulchre’s bell, the great bell of St. Sepulchre’s Holborn, close to Newgate, always begins to toll a little before the hour of execution, under the bequest of Richard Dove, who directed that an exhortation should be made to “... prisoners that are within, Who for wickedness and sin are appointed to die, Give ear unto this passing bell.”

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

previous * next

Nearby

Overview
Forewords
. . .
The Bunter’s Christening
The Masqueraders
The Flash Man of St. Giles
A Leary Mot
The Night Before Larry was Stretched
The Song of the Young Prig
The Milling Match
Ya-Hip, My Hearties!
Sonnets For The Fancy: After The Manner Of Petrarch
The True Bottom’d Boxer
Bobby And His Mary
Flashey Joe
My Mugging Maid
Poor Luddy
The Pickpocket’s Chaunt
On the Prigging Lay
The Lag’s Lament
Nix My Doll, Pals, Fake Away
The Game Of High Toby
The Double Cross
The Thieves’ Chaunt
. . .
Appendix