Played out they lay, it will be said
A hundred stretches hence;
With shovels they were put to bed [14]
A hundred stretches since!
Some rubbed to wit had napped a winder, [15]
And some were scragged and took a blinder, [16]
Planted the swag and lost to sight, [17]
We'll bid them one and all good-night,
A hundred stretches hence.
[1: publicans]
[2: years]
[3: pretty women]
[4: married women and men]
[5: boon companion]
[6: smuggler; pugilist; whore]
[7: police; magistrate]
[8: plunder cleverly stolen]
[9: watches; chains; seals; stolen]
[10: money; rings; spoons]
[11: breast-pins; purses; pocket-book]
[12: receiver of stolen goods; brothel]
[13: thieves; drunkards]
[14: buried]
[15: taken to gaol; had cheated a life sentence]
[16: hanged; drowned oneself]
[17: got rid of the plunder]
THE CHICKALEARY COVE [Notes]
[_c_. 1864]
I
I'm a 'Chickaleary bloke' with my one, two, three, [1]
Whitechapel was the village I was born in,
For to get me on the hop, or on my tibby drop, [2]
You must wake up very early in the morning.
I have a rorty gal, also a knowing pal, [3]
And merrily together we jog on,
I doesn't care a flatch, as long as I've a tach, [4]
Some pannum for my chest, and a tog on. [5]
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.