30. Tom the Drover or the Brindled Bull

                                           No. 30. 
             Tom the Drover or the Brindled Bull

                                                          1
It was on Easter Monday,¹ spring time of the year,
Rolling Tom the Drover to Smithfield did repair;
His Togs² were light and clever, his dog was staunch and free,
With a blue birds eye³ round his Squeeze,⁴ and his garters below his knees.⁵
                                                                 Ri tol — &c

                                                          2
The Blades⁶ of the Town were a lurking to turn out a young Brindled Bull
Turn him back, turn him back was the token, & his tail they began for to pull
When a knowing young blowen⁷ from the Garden happened by chance to come by
Crying blast you why don’t you hox⁸ him, you’ll never turn a Bull without you try.

                                                          3
Tom rold his quid, broke the fall, when the Bull gave the dog such a toss,
Go your length my dear jewel for to wind him, to pin a Bull he’s never at a loss
Five to four he’s a dog will recover, Back, and stop⁹ with the best in the field;
And he’ll dance on his hind pinns¹⁰ so clever till he makes the young Brindled Bull to yield.

                                                          4
Sal Squincy ‘tother night, napp’d a tatler,¹¹ and ding’d¹² it to her pal¹³ so soon.
Her Cull¹⁴ being leary¹⁵ he bon’d¹⁶ her before she got out of the room.
Then a row was kick'd up in a minute, a bottle at his head she did fling
Crying blast your eyes you bugger, and down stairs she bundled him clean.

                                                          5 
Suk’ Bay, she’s a saucey blowen, and can fad¹⁷ with any Mott¹⁸ in the Town,
At the Knuckle,¹⁹ or the lift²⁰ none so clever, tho’ she pads the hoof²¹ up and down;
Tho' she pads the hoof up and down, and with a beaver caster²² she goes,
With an Indiaman²³ about her squeeze, and he quear wedges²⁴ down to her toes.

                                                          6
I’m a lad that can Fib²⁵ with the quearest, pick a cross²⁶ with pal for a mouse,
Fight a cock, Bait a Bull, Fligh a Pidgeon, Hop a Sparrow, Dance a cat, jumps a mouse.
At the broads²⁷ I can palm with the quearest, slip an ace, act a duce or a tray.
It was I bang’d the blades in the hollow, so come all yo jolly togs come away.

                                                          7
Come away to the sign of the Toper where Betsy the Bunter you’ll see,
She’ll tip you a good rolling hornpipe, for she’s one that’s staunch and free
She’ll give you a chant of the rummest, if you’ll give her plenty of bub,²⁸ 
Come away to the sign of the Toper, where we[’]re all flash and free of the Club.

I think one verse is omitted —
 

 [Editor's note: Place does not number his notes for this song. We have added numbers for the reader's convenience.]

1. Easter Monday— Monday was the great Market day for Cattle in Smithfield
2. Togs—cloaths 
3. Blue Birds eye’— a silk handkerchief of a particular pattern.
4. Squeeze— throat—squeeze because of the hangman rope.
5. Gaiters below his knees— It was a fashion among Coster-mongers – Coal-heavers Drovers and many others to wear breeches very short at the knees they were always left unbuttoned and the strings with which they should be tied hung down—under the knees the stockings were usually fastened with a broad red worsted garters. This mode was considered very “knowing”
6. Blades— idle foolish fellows
7. Blowen— Prostitute–
8. Hox— to hit.
9. Back & stop— attitudes– of the dog when facing the Bull
10. Pins— legs–
11. Napt a tatler— stole a watch–
12. Ding’d— ding is to throw—di gave it suddenly
13. Pal— companion.
14. Cull— the man she had picked up
15. Lery— knowing—in this case found out.
16. Bon’d— seized. what follows cannot be misunderstood.
17. Fad—/    /  for another word used for sexual connection.
18. Mott— whore—
19. Knuckle– picking pockets—knuckler a pick pocket.
20. Lift—shop robbing—shop lifting.
21. Pads the hoof— walks 
22. Beaver Caster— Beaver hat—high crowned[?] beaver hats were worn by women
23. Indiaman— Bandana handkerchief.
24. Quear wedges— long quartered—pointed shoes
25. Fib— fight– Box.
26. Pick a cross— Cheat.
27. Broads— Cards 
28. Bub— Liquor.

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