Mirth and Metre consisting of Poems, Serious, Humorous, and Satirical; Songs, Sonnets, Ballads & Bagatelles. Written by C. Dibdin, Jun |
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HORNS AT HIGHGATE. |
 | Mirth and Metre |  |
HORNS AT HIGHGATE.
Johnny the footman, a roving blade,
Fell in love with the waiting-maid Nancy,
He vow'd and he swore, but his promise betray'd,
For John caught his mistress's fancy.
Nancy wimper'd, and told him her faith he'd abus'd,
But Johnny pass'd her with a shy gait;
And Johnny the maid for the mistress refus'd,
Because he'd been sworn at Highgate;
By the monstrous horns at Highgate!
And Johnny, &c.
Fell in love with the waiting-maid Nancy,
He vow'd and he swore, but his promise betray'd,
For John caught his mistress's fancy.
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But Johnny pass'd her with a shy gait;
And Johnny the maid for the mistress refus'd,
Because he'd been sworn at Highgate;
By the monstrous horns at Highgate!
And Johnny, &c.
John married his mistress to fatten his purse,
And happy he was he could get her;
But found that she soon turn'd out all for the worse,
And fear'd that she'd never grow better.
Some call marriage a portion, and others a pill,
And with Johnny it had but a wry gate,
For he found 'twas a tug up a very high hill,
As steep as the hill at Highgate,
As the monstrous hill, &c.
And happy he was he could get her;
But found that she soon turn'd out all for the worse,
And fear'd that she'd never grow better.
Some call marriage a portion, and others a pill,
And with Johnny it had but a wry gate,
For he found 'twas a tug up a very high hill,
As steep as the hill at Highgate,
As the monstrous hill, &c.
Many folks have strange fancies, and so Johnny's spouse
Of her husband grew tir'd in a twinkling;
And, as accidents happen in every house,
For another she caught a strong inkling:
So Nancy avenging for all Johnny's scorns,
Her husband she gave the go bye gait,
And for legacy, left him a large pair of horns,
As big as the horns at Highgate!
The monstrous, &c.
Of her husband grew tir'd in a twinkling;
And, as accidents happen in every house,
For another she caught a strong inkling:
So Nancy avenging for all Johnny's scorns,
Her husband she gave the go bye gait,
And for legacy, left him a large pair of horns,
As big as the horns at Highgate!
The monstrous, &c.
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