The canting academy, or, The devils cabinet opened wherein is shewn the mysterious and villanous practices of that wicked crew, commonly known by the names of hectors, trapanners, gilts, &c. : to which is added a compleat canting-dictionary, both of old words, and such as are now most in use : with several new catches and songs, compos'd by the choisest wits of the age ...

2. Canting Song.

The Beggars Curse.

THe Ruffin cly the nab of the Harmanbeck If we maund Pannam, lap, or ruff peck Or poplars of Yarum; he cuts bing to the Ruffmans, Or else he boldly swears by the Lightmans, To put our stamps fast in the Harmans, The Ruffin cly the Ghost of the Harmanbeck. If we heave a booth we cly the Jerk, If we niggle or Mill a Boozing Ken Or nip a bung that hath but a win, Or dup the Giger of a Gentry Coves Ken, Straight to the Cuffin quire we bing, And then to the Whit, to scour the cramprings, From thence at the Nubbing-cheat we trine in the Lightmans The Bube and the Ruffin cly the Harmanbeck and Harmans.

Thus rendred in English, word for word.

THe Devil take the Constables head If we beg milk, bacon, butter or bread,

Milk, Pottage to the hedge bids us hie, Or swears by this light i'th stocks we shall lie. The Devil haunt the Constables Ghost, If we rob but a Cabbin w'are whipt at a post; If a pittiful Ale-house we rob or break open, Or cut a purse hath but one single token, Or come stealing in at a Gentlemans door, To the Justice w'are hurried though never so poor Then next to the Goal to be sha••kled with irons And then to the Gallows which many invirons, Where up we are truss'd i'th' day time; the Pox Take the Constable and the Devil take the stocks.

Now it was thought high time to interline their inging with drinking, which they did with a wit∣••ss. The strangeness of their adventure, as it ••ossest my brains with admiration, so it seized my fancy with some kind of delectation, and to ex∣pr•• s••me sense of satisfaction, I seem'd in some measure as merry as they; my complacency to their humours so obliged them, that striving to outdo each other in singing, I thought with the Nightingal, they would have dyed in the attempt; had not supper come in in the mean time to stop their Mouths. I li••ed the chear well enough, being good provision, and well dress'd, but the sight of the opposite Guests had so turn'd my sto∣mack, that not one bit would go down with me.

I could not forbear laughing out-right, when I consider'd my sitting at the table. I was seated at the upper end, as deserving the place by the merit of my garme ••s, the two poles admitting of no greater difference than between their cloaths and mine. Any one of indifferent judgment seeing me so inthron'd, would have sworn I had been King of the Beggars, or that I had been some Low-Country

Factor sent over to traffick with these Rag-merchants.

Our stomacks were so sharp, that we tock not the tythe of the time a Dutchman doth in the filling his belly; to be short, we fell again to drinking; and now to gratifie me for my company, the fair Barbarian Princess would needs take upon her to sing also; this Princess you must know was the principal and most beloved Concubine of this Gyp∣sie King, and had been so to three before him, one whereof was so severely (flaugg'd at the Tumbler) whipt at the Carts-arse for several mis-demeaners, ••hat he dyed thereof, the other was (nub'd) hang'd, and the last (marrinated) transported.

She was not so old but that her Prince acknow∣ledg'd her the most bucksom thing he ever saw, and ••ndeed by her countenance I could guess no less; but so foul and ••athsome by reason of her Raggs and Hellish paint, that he must have a stronger stomack than I, that hath a mind to swop his Joc∣kum with her: the song she sung was this.