Miscellaneous writings of the late Dr. Maginn edited by Dr. Shelton Mackenzie |
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French Slang Song from Vidocq.
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 | Miscellaneous writings of the late Dr. Maginn |  |
36
French Slang Song from Vidocq.
As from ken
to ken I was going,
Doing a bit on the prigging lay;
Who should I meet but a jolly blowen,
Tol lol, lol lol, tol derol, ay;
Who should I meet but a jolly blowen,
Who was fly to the time o' day.
Doing a bit on the prigging lay;
Who should I meet but a jolly blowen,
Tol lol, lol lol, tol derol, ay;
Who should I meet but a jolly blowen,
Who was fly to the time o' day.
Who should I meet but a jolly blowen,
Who was fly to the time o' day;
I pattered in flash like a covey, knowing,
Tol lol, &c.
“Ay, bub or grubby, I say.”
Who was fly to the time o' day;
I pattered in flash like a covey, knowing,
Tol lol, &c.
“Ay, bub or grubby, I say.”
I pattered in flash, like a covey, knowing,
“Ay, bub or grubby, I say.”—
“Lots of gatter,”
quo she, “are flowing,
Tol lol, &c.
Lend me a lift in the family way.
“Ay, bub or grubby, I say.”—
37
Tol lol, &c.
Lend me a lift in the family way.
“Lots of gatter,” quo she, “are flowing,
Lend me a list in the family way.
You may have a crib to stow in,
Tol lol, &c.
Welcome, my pal, as the flowers in May.
Lend me a list in the family way.
You may have a crib to stow in,
Tol lol, &c.
Welcome, my pal, as the flowers in May.
“You may have a bed to stow in;
Welcome, my pal, as the flowers in May.”
To her ken at once I go in,
Tol lol, &c.
Where in a corner out of the way.
Welcome, my pal, as the flowers in May.”
To her ken at once I go in,
Tol lol, &c.
Where in a corner out of the way.
To her ken at once I go in,
Where in a corner out of the way,
With his smeller, a trumpet blowing,
Tol lol, &c.
A regular swell-cove lushy lay.
Where in a corner out of the way,
With his smeller, a trumpet blowing,
Tol lol, &c.
A regular swell-cove lushy lay.
With his smeller a trumpet blowing,
A regular swell-cove lushy lay:
To his clies
my hooks
I throw in,
Tol lol, &c.
And collar his dragons
clear away.
A regular swell-cove lushy lay:
38
Tol lol, &c.
And collar his dragons
Collar his dragons—take his sovereigns; on the obverse of a sovereign is, or was, a figure of St. George and the dragon. The etymon of collar is obvious to all persons who know the taking-ways of Bow-street, and elsewhere. It is a whimsical coincidence, that the motto of the Marquis of Londonderry is “Metuenda coralla draconis.” Ask the city of London, if “I fear I may not collar the dragons,” would not be a fair translation.
To his clies my hooks I throw in,
And collar his dragons clear away;
Then his ticker I set agoing,
Tol lol, &c.
And his onions, chain, and key.
And collar his dragons clear away;
Then his ticker I set agoing,
Tol lol, &c.
And his onions, chain, and key.
Then his ticker I set agoing,
With his onions, chain, and key.
Next slipt off his bottom clo'ing,
Tol lol, &c.
And his gingerbread topper gay.
With his onions, chain, and key.
Next slipt off his bottom clo'ing,
Tol lol, &c.
And his gingerbread topper gay.
Next slipt off his bottom clo'ing,
And his gingerbread topper gay,
Then his other toggery
stowing,
Tol lol, &c.
All with the swag, I sneak away.
And his gingerbread topper gay,
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Tol lol, &c.
All with the swag, I sneak away.
Then his other toggery stowing,
All with the swag I sneak away.
“Tramp it, tramp it, my jolly blowen,
Tol lol, &c.
Or be grabbed by the beaks we may.
All with the swag I sneak away.
“Tramp it, tramp it, my jolly blowen,
Tol lol, &c.
Or be grabbed by the beaks we may.
“Tramp it, tramp it, my jolly blowen,
Or be grabbed by the beaks we may;
And we shall caper a-heel-and-toeing,
Tol lol, &c.
A Newgate hornpipe some fine day.
Or be grabbed by the beaks we may;
And we shall caper a-heel-and-toeing,
Tol lol, &c.
A Newgate hornpipe some fine day.
“And we shall caper a-heel-and-toeing,
A Newgate hornpipe some fine day;
With the mots, their ogles throwing,
Tol lol, &c.
And old Cotton humming his pray.
A Newgate hornpipe some fine day;
With the mots, their ogles throwing,
Tol lol, &c.
And old Cotton humming his pray.
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| Miscellaneous writings of the late Dr. Maginn | |