future value, of these songs and rhymes. For the rest the book will
speak for itself.



MUSA PEDESTRIS

RHYMES OF THE CANTING CREW. [Notes]
[c. 1536]

[From "_The Hye-way to the Spyttel-hons"_ by ROBERT COPLAND
(HAZLITT, _Early Popular Poetry of England, iv_.) ROBERT COPLAND
and the Porter of St. Bartholomew's Hospital _loquitor_].

_Copland._ Come none of these pedlers this way also,
With pak on bak with their bousy speche [1]
Jagged and ragged with broken hose and breche?

_Porter._ Inow, ynow; with bousy coue maimed nace,[2]
Teare the patryng coue in the darkeman cace
Docked the dell for a coper meke;
His watch shall feng a prounces nob-chete,
Cyarum, by Salmon, and thou shall pek my jere
In thy gan, for my watch it is nace gere
For the bene bouse my watch hath a coyn.
And thus they babble tyll their thryft is thin
I wote not what with their pedlyng frenche.

[1 crapulous]
[2 Notes]