The Poetry and Prose of William Blake :: :: University of Virginia Library

Suction—
A ha To Doctor Johnson
Said Scipio Africanus
Lift up my Roman Petticoatt
And kiss my Roman Anus

(Grand Chorus
And the Cellar goes down with a Step

[I cry my matches as far as Guild hall]

I cry my matches as far as Guild hall
God bless the duke & his aldermen all

[As I walkd forth one may morning]

As I walkd forth one may morning
To see the fields so pleasant & so gay
O there did I spy a young maiden sweet

Among the Violets that smell so sweet
Smell so sweet
Smell so sweet
Among the Violets that smell so sweet

450

[This frog he would a wooing ride]

This frog he would a wooing ride
Kitty alone Kitty alone
This frog he would a wooing ride
Kitty alone & I
Sing cock I cary Kitty alone
Kitty alone Kitty alone
Cock I cary Kitty alone
Kitty alone & I

[Fa ra so bo ro]

Fa ra so bo ro
Fa ra bo ra
Sa ba ra ra ba rare roro
Sa ra ra ra bo ro ro ro
Radara
Sarapodo no flo ro

[Hail Matrimony made of Love]

Hail Matrimony made of Love
To thy wide gates how great a drove
On purpose to be yok'd do come
Widows & maids & Youths also
That lightly trip on beauty's toe
Or sit on beauty's bum

Hail fingerfooted lovely Creatures
The females of our human Natures
Formed to suckle all Mankind
Tis you that come in time of need
Without you we shoud never Breed
Or any Comfort find

For if a Damsel's blind or lame
Or Nature's hand has crooked her frame

451

Or if she's deaf or is wall eyed
Yet if her heart is well inclined
Some tender lover she shall find
That panteth for a Bride

The universal Poultice this
To cure whatever is amiss
In damsel or in Widow gay
It makes them smile it makes them skip
Like Birds just cured of the pip
They chirp & hop away

Then come ye Maidens come ye Swains
Come & be eased of all your pains
In Matrimony's Golden cage—

[To be or not to be]

To be or not to be
Of great capacity
Like Sir Isaac Newton
Or Locke or Doctor South
Or Sherlock upon death
Id rather be Sutton

For he did build a house
For aged men & youth
With walls of brick & stone
He furnishd it within
With whatever he could win
And all his own

He drew out of the Stocks
His money in a box
And sent his servant
To Green the Bricklayer
And to the Carpenter
He was so fervent

The chimneys were three score
The windows many more
And for convenience

452

He sinks & gutters made
And all the way he pavd
To hinder pestilence

Was not this a good man
Whose life was but a span
Whose name was Sutton

As Locke or Doctor South
Or Sherlock upon Death
Or Sir Isaac Newton

[This city & this country has brought forth many mayors]

This city & this country has brought forth many mayors
To sit in state & give forth laws out of their old oak chairs
With face as brown as any nut with drinking of strong ale
Good English hospitality O then it did not fail

With scarlet gowns & broad gold lace would make a yeoman sweat
With stockings rolld above their knees & shoes as black as jet
With eating beef & drinking beer O they were stout & hale
Good English hospitality O then it did not fail

Thus sitting at the table wide the Mayor & Aldermen
Were fit to give law to the city each eat as much as ten
The hungry poor enterd the hall to eat good beef & ale
Good English hospitality O then it did not fail