 | The Devil's Walk [Broadside version] |  |
The Devil's Walk [Broadside version]
[Description:
Facsimile of the Broadside.
]
01 ONCE, early in the morning,
02 Beelzebub arose,
03 With care his sweet person adorning,
04 He put on his Sunday clothes.
02 Beelzebub arose,
03 With care his sweet person adorning,
04 He put on his Sunday clothes.
05 He drew on a boot to hide his hoof,
06 He drew on a glove to hide his claw,
07 His horns were concealed by Bras Chapeau,
08 And the Devil went forth as natty a Beau,
09 As Bond-street ever saw.
06 He drew on a glove to hide his claw,
07 His horns were concealed by Bras Chapeau,
08 And the Devil went forth as natty a Beau,
09 As Bond-street ever saw.
10 He sate him down, in London town,
11 Before earth's mornin ray,
12 With a favourite imp he began to chat,
13 On religion, and scandal, this and that,
14 Until the dawn of day.
11 Before earth's mornin ray,
12 With a favourite imp he began to chat,
13 On religion, and scandal, this and that,
14 Until the dawn of day.
15 And then to St. James's court he went,
16 And St. Paul's Church he took in his way,
17 He was mighty thick with every Saint,
18 Tho' they were formal and he was gay.
16 And St. Paul's Church he took in his way,
17 He was mighty thick with every Saint,
18 Tho' they were formal and he was gay.
19 The Devil was an agriculturist,
20 And as bad weeds quickly grow,
21 In looking over his farm, I wist
22 He wouldn't find cause for woe.
20 And as bad weeds quickly grow,
21 In looking over his farm, I wist
22 He wouldn't find cause for woe.
23 He peeped in each hole, to each chamber stole,
24 His promising live stock to view,
25Grinning applause, he just shewed them his claws,
26And they shrunk with affright from his ugly sight,
27 Whose works they delighted to do.
24 His promising live stock to view,
25Grinning applause, he just shewed them his claws,
26And they shrunk with affright from his ugly sight,
27 Whose works they delighted to do.
28 Satan poked his red nose into crannies so small,
29 One would think that the innocents fair,
30 Poor lambkins! were just doing nothing at all,
31 But settling some dress or arranging some ball,
32 But the Devil saw deeper there.
29 One would think that the innocents fair,
30 Poor lambkins! were just doing nothing at all,
31 But settling some dress or arranging some ball,
32 But the Devil saw deeper there.
33 A Priest, at whose elbow the Devil during prayer,
34 Sate familiarly, side by side,
35 Declared, that if the tempter were there,
36 His presence he would not abide;
37 Ah! Ah! thought Old Nick, that's a very stale trick,
38 For without the Devil, O! favourite of evil,
39 In your carriage you would not ride.
34 Sate familiarly, side by side,
35 Declared, that if the tempter were there,
36 His presence he would not abide;
37 Ah! Ah! thought Old Nick, that's a very stale trick,
38 For without the Devil, O! favourite of evil,
39 In your carriage you would not ride.
40 Satan next saw a brainless King,
41 Whose house was as hot as his own,
42 Many imps in attendance were there on the wing,
43 They flapped the pennon and twisted the sting,
44 Close by the very Throne.
41 Whose house was as hot as his own,
42 Many imps in attendance were there on the wing,
43 They flapped the pennon and twisted the sting,
44 Close by the very Throne.
45 Ah, ha! thought Satan, the pasture is good,
46 My Cattle will here thrive better than others,
47 They dine on news of human blood,
48 They sup on the groans of the dying and dead,
49 And supperless never will go to bed;
50 Which will make them as fat as their brothers.
46 My Cattle will here thrive better than others,
47 They dine on news of human blood,
48 They sup on the groans of the dying and dead,
49 And supperless never will go to bed;
50 Which will make them as fat as their brothers.
51 Fat as the fiends that feed on blood,
52 Fresh and warm from the fields of Spain,
53 Where ruin ploughs her gory way,
54 When the shoots of earth are nipped in the bud,
55 Where Hell is the Victor's prey,
56 Its glory the meed of the slain.
52 Fresh and warm from the fields of Spain,
53 Where ruin ploughs her gory way,
54 When the shoots of earth are nipped in the bud,
55 Where Hell is the Victor's prey,
56 Its glory the meed of the slain.
57 Fat-as the death birds on Erin's shore,
58 That glutted themselves in her dearest gore,
59 And flitted round Castlereagh,
60 When they snatched the Patriot's heart, that his grasp
61 Had torn from its widow's maniac clasp,
62 And fled at the dawn of day.
58 That glutted themselves in her dearest gore,
59 And flitted round Castlereagh,
60 When they snatched the Patriot's heart, that his grasp
61 Had torn from its widow's maniac clasp,
62 And fled at the dawn of day.
63 Fat-as the reptiles of the tomb,
64 That riot in corruption's spoil,
65 That fret their little hour in gloom,
66 And creep, and live the while.
64 That riot in corruption's spoil,
65 That fret their little hour in gloom,
66 And creep, and live the while.
67 Fat as that Prince's maudlin brain,
68 Which addled by some gilded toy,
69 Tired, gives his sweetmeat, and again
70 Cries for it, like a humoured boy.
68 Which addled by some gilded toy,
69 Tired, gives his sweetmeat, and again
70 Cries for it, like a humoured boy.
71 For he is fat, his waistcoat gay,
72 When strained upon a levee day,
73 Scarce meets across his princely paunch,
74 And pantaloons are like half moons,
75 Upon each brawny haunch.
72 When strained upon a levee day,
73 Scarce meets across his princely paunch,
74 And pantaloons are like half moons,
75 Upon each brawny haunch.
76 How vast his stock of calf! when plenty
77 Had filled his empty head and heart,
78 Enough to satiate foplings twenty,
79 Could make his pantaloon seams start.
77 Had filled his empty head and heart,
78 Enough to satiate foplings twenty,
79 Could make his pantaloon seams start.
80 The Devil, (who sometimes is called nature,)
81 For men of power provides thus well,
82 Whilst every change, and every feature,
83 Their great original can tell.
81 For men of power provides thus well,
82 Whilst every change, and every feature,
83 Their great original can tell.
84 Satan saw a lawyer, a viper slay,
85 That crawled up the leg of his table,
86 It reminded him most marvellously,
87 Of the story of Cain and Abel.
85 That crawled up the leg of his table,
86 It reminded him most marvellously,
87 Of the story of Cain and Abel.
88 The wealthy yeoman, as he wanders,
89 His fertile fields among,
90 And on his thriving cattle ponders,
91 Counts his sure gains, and hums a song;
92 Thus did the Devil, thro' earth walking,
93 Hum low a hellish song.
89 His fertile fields among,
90 And on his thriving cattle ponders,
91 Counts his sure gains, and hums a song;
92 Thus did the Devil, thro' earth walking,
93 Hum low a hellish song.
94 For they thrive well, whose garb of gore,
95 Is Satan's choicest livery,
96And they thrive well, who from the poor,
97 Have snatched the bread of penury,
98 And heap the houseless wanderer's store,
99 On the rank pile of luxury.
95 Is Satan's choicest livery,
96And they thrive well, who from the poor,
97 Have snatched the bread of penury,
98 And heap the houseless wanderer's store,
99 On the rank pile of luxury.
100 The Bishops thrive, tho' they are big,
101 The Lawyers thrive, tho' they are thin;
102 For every gown, and every wig,
103 Hides the safe thrift of Hell within.
101 The Lawyers thrive, tho' they are thin;
102 For every gown, and every wig,
103 Hides the safe thrift of Hell within.
104 Thus pigs were never counted clean,
105 Altho' they dine on finest corn;
106 And cormorants are sin-like lean,
107 Altho' they eat from night to morn.
105 Altho' they dine on finest corn;
106 And cormorants are sin-like lean,
107 Altho' they eat from night to morn.
108 Oh! why is the Father of Hell in such glee,
109 As he grins from ear to ear?
110 Why does he doff his clothes joyfully,
111 As he skips, and prances, and flaps his wing,
112 As he sidles, leers, and twirls his sting,
113 And dares, as he is, to appear?
109 As he grins from ear to ear?
110 Why does he doff his clothes joyfully,
111 As he skips, and prances, and flaps his wing,
112 As he sidles, leers, and twirls his sting,
113 And dares, as he is, to appear?
114 A Statesman pass'd alone to him,
115 The Devil dare his whole shape uncover,
116 To show each feature, every limb,
117 Secure of an unchanging lover.
115 The Devil dare his whole shape uncover,
116 To show each feature, every limb,
117 Secure of an unchanging lover.
118 At this known sign, a welcome sight,
119 The watchful demons sought their King,
120 And every fiend of thy Stygian night,
121 Was in an instant on the wing.
119 The watchful demons sought their King,
120 And every fiend of thy Stygian night,
121 Was in an instant on the wing.
122 Pale Loyalty, his guilt steeled brow,
123 With wreaths of gory laurel crowned:
124 The hell-hounds, Murder, Want and Woe,
125 For ever hungering flocked around;
126 From Spain had Satan sought their food,
127 'Twas human woe and human blood!
123 With wreaths of gory laurel crowned:
124 The hell-hounds, Murder, Want and Woe,
125 For ever hungering flocked around;
126 From Spain had Satan sought their food,
127 'Twas human woe and human blood!
128Hark, the earthquake's crash I hear,
129 Kings turn pale, and Conquerors start,
130 Ruffians tremble in their fear,
131 For their Satan doth depart.
129 Kings turn pale, and Conquerors start,
130 Ruffians tremble in their fear,
131 For their Satan doth depart.
132 This day fiends give to revelry,
133 To celebrate their King's return,
134 And with delight its sire to see,
135 Hell's adamantine limits burn.
133 To celebrate their King's return,
134 And with delight its sire to see,
135 Hell's adamantine limits burn.
136 But were the Devil's sight as keen,
137 As Reason's penetrating eye,
138 His sulphurous Majesty I ween,
139 Would find but little cause for joy.
137 As Reason's penetrating eye,
138 His sulphurous Majesty I ween,
139 Would find but little cause for joy.
140 For the sons of Reason see,
141 That ere fate consume the Pole,
142 The false Tyrant's cheek shall be,
143 Bloodless as his coward soul.
141 That ere fate consume the Pole,
142 The false Tyrant's cheek shall be,
143 Bloodless as his coward soul.
| The Devil's Walk [Broadside version] | |