Page:Saturday night.pdf/16

 Soon join'd them the blacksmith, with his sooty face,

Coming just for a quartern t'inspirit his case;

He had left the hot iron quite snug in the fire,

To steal out for a quaff of his own heart's desire.

We three jolly topers—ha, ha, there are four,

For Lapstone, the cobler, see yawns at the door

He's coming straight tow'rds us, tho' hardly alive,

And bringing old carpenter John to make five.

So these five jolly fellows sat down to their ale,

And they drank till the fumes began much to prevail;

For as liquor comes in all the senses go out,

And the giddy brain reels with the roaring and rout.

First Snip began telling a wonderful joke

How he bilk'd his last landlord when just he spoke,

A grim-looking constable tipp'd him the wink,

And haul'd him to jail in the midst of his drink.

He was main loth to go, & he furiously swore;

Then he blubber'd and sneak'd at the sight of his score;

Twenty-seven and eightpence for Whitsuntide fun,

And a crown for broke windows and mischief then done.

Indeed the next parish their compliments sent,

In the name of Black Sue, on a joyful event,

'Twas a bastard, the fruit of a drunken carouse;

It was high time to marry, and make her his spouse.

This indeed damp'd their frolic, but yet a new pot,

Rais'd the spirits again of each dizzy-brain'd sot;