My mot must now be growing old,
And so am I if the truth be told;
But the only vay to get on in the vorld,
Is to go with the stream, and however ve're twirld,
To bear all rubs; and ven ve suffer
To hope for the smooth ven ve feels the rougher,
Though very hard, I confess it appears,
To be lagged, for a lark, for fourteen years.
[1: picking pockets]
[2: plunder]
[3: pocket]
[4: money; mistress]
[5: Notes]
[6: food]
[7: clothes; money]
[8: hat]
[9: drunken]
[10: watch; pocketbook]
[11: pockets his money]
[12: ran off]
[13: indulge in banter]
[14: Notes]
[15: inform]
[16: betray]
[17: neck]
[18: persuaded]
[19: police; arrested]
[20: transported]
"NIX MY DOLL, PALS, FAKE AWAY" [Notes]
[1834]
[By W. HARRISON AINSWORTH, being Jerry Juniper's chaunt in _Rookwood_.]
In a box of the stone jug I was born, [1]
Of a hempen widow the kid forlorn, [2]
Fake away! [3]
And my father, as I've heard say,
Was a merchant of capers gay, [4 ]
Who cut his last fling with great applause.
Nix my doll, pals, fake away! [5]
To the time of hearty choke with caper sauce. [6]
Fake away!
The knucks in quod did my schoolmen play, [7]
Fake away!
And put me up to the time of day, [8]
Until at last there was none so knowing,
No such sneaksman or buzgloak going, [9]
Fake away!
Fogles and fawnies soon went their way, [10]
Fake away!
To the spout with the sneezers in grand array, [11]
No dummy hunter had forks so fly, [12]
No knuckler so deftly, could fake a cly, [13]
Fake away!
No slourd hoxter my snipes could stay, [14]
Fake away!
None knap a reader like me in the lay. [15]
Soon then I mounted in swell street-high,
Nix my doll, pals, fake away!
Soon then I mounted in swell street-high.
And sported my flashest toggery, [16]
Fake away!
Fainly resolved I would make my hay,
Fake away!
While Mercury's star shed a single ray;
And ne'er was there seen such a dashing prig,
With my strummel faked in the newest twig, [17]
Fake away!
With my fawnied famms and my onions gay, [18]
Fake away!
My thimble of ridge and my driz kemesa, [19]
All my togs were so niblike and plash. [20]
Readily the queer screens I then could smash. [21]
Fake away!
But my nuttiest blowen one fine day, [22]
Fake away!
To the beaks did her fancy-man betray, [23]
And thus was I bowled at last,
And into the jug for a lag was cast,
Fake away!
But I slipped my darbies one morn in May, [24]
And gave to the dubsman a holiday, [25]
And here I am, pals, merry and free,
A regular rollicking romany. [26]
[1: cell; Newgate]
[2: woman whose husband has been hanged; child]
[3: work away!]
[4: dancing master]
[5: never mind, friends]
[6: hanging]
[7: thieves; prison]
[8: taught me thieving]
[9: shoplifter; pickpocket]
[10: silk handkerchiefs; rings]
[11: pawnbrokers; snuffboxes]
[12: pocket-book; nimble fingers]
[13: pickpocket; steal]
[14: inside pocket buttoned up]
[15: steal a pocketbook]
[16: best made clothes]
[17: hair dressed; fashion]
[18: hands bejewelled; seals]
[19: gold watch; lace-frilled shirt]
[20: clothes; fashionable; fine]
[21: forged notes; pass]
[22: favorite girl]
[23: magistrates; sweetheart]
[24: handcuffs]
[25: warder]
[26: gypsy]
THE GAME OF HIGH TOBY [Notes]
[1834]
[By W. HARRISON AINSWORTH in _Rookwood_].
I
Now Oliver puts his black night-cap on, [1]
And every star its glim is hiding, [2]
And forth to the heath is the scampsman gone, [3]
His matchless cherry-black prancer riding; [4]
Merrily over the Common, he flies,
Fast and free as the rush of rocket,
His crape-covered vizard drawn over his eyes,
His tol by his side and his pops in his pocket. [5]
_Chorus_.
Then who can name
So merry a game,
As the game of all games--high-toby? [6]