The famous Ratketcher, with his travels into France, and of his return to London.  
To the tune of the jovial Tinker.  
 

THere was a rare Rat-catcher,  
Did about the Country wander,  
The soundest blade of all his trade,  
Or I should him deeply slander:  
For still would he cry, a Rat tat tat, tara rat, ever:  
To catch a Mouse, or to carouse.  
such a Ratter I saw never.   

Upon a Pole he carried  
Full forty fulsome Uermine:  
Whose cursed ●ues without any Knives,  
To take he did determine.  
And still would he cry, a Rat tat tat, tara Rat, ever, etc.   

His talk was all of India,  
The voyage and the Navy:  
What Mice or Rats, or wild Polecats:  
What Stoates or Weasels have ye?  
And still would he cry, a Rat, etc.   

He knew the Nut of India,  
That makes the Magpie stagger:  
The Mercuries, and Cantharies,  
With Arsenic, and Roseaker.  
And still would he cry, a Rat, etc.   

Full often with a Negro,  
The juice of Poppies drunk he:  
Eat Poison t●●nke with a Mountebank,  
And Spiders with a Monkey.  
And still would he cry, a Rat, etc.   

In London he was well known:  
In many a slately House  
He 〈◊〉 a Bays; whose deadly fate,  
〈◊〉 kill both Rat●● and Mouse.  
And still would he cry, a Rat, etc.   

But on a time, a Damsel,  
did him so far entice,  
That for her, a Bait he laid strait,  
would kill no Rats nor Mice.  
And still would he cry, a Rat, etc.   

And on the Bait she nibbled,  
so pleasing in her taste,  
She licked so long, that the Poison strong,  
did make her swell i'th' waste.  
And still would he cry, a Rat, etc.   

He●tilely this perceiving,  
to the Country strait doth high him:  
Where by his skill, he poisoneth still,  
such Uermine as come nigh him.  
And still would he cry, a Rat, etc.   

He never careth whether  
he be sober, lame, or tipsy:  
He can Colloque with any Rogue,  
and Cant with any Gipsy.  
And still would he cry, a Rat, etc.   

He was so brave a bowzer,  
that it was doubtful whether  
He taught the Rats, or the Rats taught him  
to be drunk as Rats, together.  
And still would he cry, a Rat, etc.   

When he had tripped this Island,  
from Bristol unto Dover,  
With painful Bag and painted Flag,  
to France he sailed over.  
Yet still would he cry, a Rat tat tat, tara rat, ever, etc.   
FINIS.   

The Ratketchers return out of France to London. To the same tune.  
 

IN France when he arrived,  
the heat so much perplexed him,  
That all his Pouch did swell so much,  
and Poison so had vexed him.  
That scarce could he cry, a Rat tat tat. tara Rat, ever:  
To catch a Mouse, or to carouse,  
Such a Ratter I saw never.   

At last, as 〈◊〉 ●ommon,  
must use another's aiding:  
So did this Ratter, tell the matter  
to another of's own trading.  
And then did he cry, a Rat tat tat. etc.   

Who using ma●● Simples,  
to quench ●●●stery burning:  
Did make him dance clean out of France,  
And home he's now returning.  
And still doth he cry, a Rat, etc.   

At Dover he arrived,  
and Kent hath had his cunning:  
The maidens Laps like poisoned Rats  
repent his backe-home coming.  
For still doth he cry, a Rat, etc.   

At Grauesend ●mongst the Maidens,  
Green sickness reigned so briefly,  
None could have cure, but such as sure  
would take his Potions chiefly.  
And still doth he cry, a Rat, etc.   

The Ship wherein he sailed,  
ere he on shore arrived,  
Reports him that he killed a Rat,  
that near will be revived.  
And still doth he cry, a Rat, etc.   

 
And to the Fair in Smithfield,  
he now is gone and paced:  
To search with Pole for the Rat-knawne hole  
that him so much outfaced.  
And still doth he cry, a Rat, etc.   

Now to the Tippling houses,  
to kill the Uermine featly:  
French Rats and Mice all in a trice,  
he will destroy full neatly.  
And still doth he cry, a Rat, etc.   

An ugly Wench to see-to,  
whose Nose was knawne with Uermin,  
The Rat to kill, that used her ill,  
to use him doth determine.  
And still doth he cry, a Rat. etc.   

If any other Maidens,  
or Female kinds, will use him,  
Come call him quick, for with a trick  
he's gone, if you refuse him.  
And still doth he cry, a Rat, etc.   

To Sturbridge Fair his journey  
is plotted, and appointed:  
Approach with speed, you that have need  
with Poison to be nointed.  
And still doth he cry, a Rat, etc.   

When back he cometh homeward,  
observe his Flag be painted  
With Mice and Rats, and with Poulcats,  
if you will be acquainted,  
And hear him to cry, a Rat tat tat, tara Rat, ever:  
To catch a Mouse, or to carouse,  
such a Ratter I saw never.   
FINIS.   

Imprinted at London for john Tr●●●●e, and are to be sold at the sign of the Nobody in Barbican.