The cunning Northern Beggar, Who all the Bystanders doth earnestly pray,  
To bestow a penny upon him to day.   
To the tune of Tom of Bedlam.  

 

I Am a lusty beggar,  
and live by others giving,  
I scorn to work,  
But by the highway lurk,  
And beg to get my living:  
I'll i'th' wind and weather,  
And wear all ragged Garments.  
Yet though I'm bare,  
I'm free from care,  
A fig for high preferments.  
For still will I cry good your worship good sir,  
Bestow one poor denier sir:  
Which when I've got  
At the Pipe and Pot,  
I soon will it cashier sir.   

I have my shifts about me,  
Like Proteus often changing  
My shape when I will,  
I alter still,  
About the Country ranging:  
As soon as I a Coach see,  
Or Gallants by come riging,  
I take my Crutch,  
And rouse from my Couch,  
Whereas I lay abiding.  
And still do I cry, etc.   

Now like a wand'ring Soldier  
(That has i'th' wars been maimed  
With the shot of a Gun)  
To Gallants I run,  
And beg sir help the lamed,  
I am a poor old Soldier,  
And better times once viewed,  
Though bore now I go,  
Yet many a foe,  
By my hath been subdued.  
And therefore I cry, etc.   

Although I ne'er was further  
Than Kentish street in Southwark,  
Nor ere did see  
A Battery  
Made against any Bulwarks,  
But with my Trulis and Doxes,  
Lay in some corner lurking,  
and ne'er went abroad  
But to beg on the road,  
To keep myself from working.  
And always to cry, etc.   

Anon I'm like a sailor,  
And wear old Canvas clothing,  
And then I say  
The Dunkirks away,  
took all and left me nothing:  
Six ships set all upon us,  
'Gainst which we bravely ventured,  
And long withstood,  
Yet could do no good,  
Our ship at length they entered.  
And therefore I cry good your worship good sir  
Bestow one poor denier sir:  
which when I've got,  
at the pipe and pot, etc.    

The second part,  
To the same tune.  
 

SOmetime I like a Cripple  
Upon the ground lie crawling,  
for money I beg,  
as wanting a leg  
To bear my corpse from falling,  
Then seem I weak of body,  
And long t'have been diseased,  
And make complaint,  
As ready to faint,  
And of my griefs increased,  
And faintly I cry good your worship good, sir.  
Bestow one poor desire sir,  
which when I've got,  
at the Pipe and Pot,  
I soon will it cashier sir.   

My flesh I so can temper,  
That it shall seem to feister,  
And look all o'er,  
Like a raw sore,  
Whereon I stick a plaster.  
With blood I daub my face then,  
To feign the falling sickness,  
That in every place  
They pity my case,  
As if it came through weakness.  
And then I do cry, etc.   

Then as if my sight I wanted,  
A Boy doth walk beside me,  
Or else I do  
Grope as I go,  
Or have a Dog to guide me:  
And when I'm thus accounted,  
To th' highway side I hie me,  
and there I stand  
with cords in my hand,  
And beg of all comes nigh me.  
And earnestly, cry good your worship good sir  
Bestow one poor denier, etc.   

Next to some Country fellow,  
I presently am turned,  
And cry alack  
With a child at my back,  
My house and goods were burned:  
Then me my Doxes follows,  
Who for my wife's believed,  
and along we two  
together go,  
With such mischantes grieved.  
And still we do cry good your worship, etc.   

What though I cannot labour,  
Shall I therefore pine with hunger  
No, rather than I  
Will starve where I lie?  
I'll beg of the money monger,  
No other care shall trouble  
My mind, nor grief disease me,  
Though sometime the slash  
I get, or the lash,  
'Twill but a while displease me,  
And still I will cry good your worship good sir  
Bestow one, etc.   

No tricks at all shall scape me,  
But I will by my maunding,  
Get some relief  
To ease my grief,  
When by the highway standing:  
'tis better be a Beggar,  
And ask of kind good fellows,  
And honestly have  
What we do crave,  
then steal and go to ' th'gallows:  
Therefore I'll cry good your worship good sir,  
Bestow one poor denier sir.  
Which when I've got  
At the Pipe and Pot,  
I soon will it cashier sir.    
FINIS.   

Printed at London for F. Coules.