Still thou seekest for a quiet dwelling place--
What place for quietnes hast thou now in chase:
_London bridge_--that’s ill for thee, for the water.
_Queene hyth_--that’s more ill for an other matter.
_Smart’s key_--that’s most ill for feare of smarting smart.
_Carter lane_--nay, nay, that sounded all on the cart.
_Pawl’s cheyne_--nay, in no wise dwell not nere the chaine.
_Wood street_--why wilt thou be wood yet once againe.
_Bread street_--that’s too drie, by drought thou shalt be dead.
_Philpot lane_--that breedeth moist humours in the head.
_Silver street_--coppersmiths in Silver street; fie.
_Newgate street_--’ware that, man, Newgate is hard bie.
_Foster lane_--thou wilt as soone be tide fast, as fast.
_Crooked lane_--nay crooke no more, be streight at last.
_Creed lane_--they fall out there, brother against brother.
_Ave mary lane_--that’s as ill as the tother.
_Pater noster row_--aye, Pater noster row--
Agreed--that’s the quietest place that I know.
_Sign._ B b 3.
London-bridge had then houses upon it--a circumstance more fully treated
of in the Chronicles of London-bridge, recently published--and half
Foster-lane is becoming extinct by the erection of the new
general-post-office. The other places still retain their old
appellations.