A collection of scots poems on several occasions ::

To the worshipful cordiners of the West-port,
A humble petition is offer'd in court,
By 'prentice-boys, who would fain take a drink,
Be blyth, like their masters, but want ready clink.

Ye sons of old Crispin, a saint and a king,
When taking your bottle and eating your ling ,
All merrry like Greeks o'er a pint and a gill,
With the best of good fellows, honest old deacon Hill;
Remember that we are the same flesh and blood,
Tho' we have not a bit, and are chewing our cud;
For though we are young and raw-mouth'd beginners,
We may live like yourselves to be old rotten sinners;
On this solemn occasion when chusing our deacon,
You'll generous prove the apprentices reckon;
For on a feast day we resolve not to fast,
Tho' we should pawn our awl and venture our last;

When lads of the trade in company mingle,
Can they bend leather chew, or lick a cold lingle;
So we pray and expect, like kind hearted men,
You'll send us a hearty charity ben;
And we shall all pray, while our judgment abides,
May you never wear horns, and never want hides.

Their entertainment was dry'd ling.

University of Virginia Library

Petition of the Shoemaker Apprentices.