PEGGY THE GAY, AND THE BOLD ROGER
A PLOWMAN fo ftout and a Dainsel so rare,
Convers'd as they fat on the hay;
They ogled each other with fimpering ftare;
Pretty Peggy the Gay was the name of the fair,
And the Plowman's the Bold Roger Gray.
"And O!" faid the nymph, "fince to-morrow you go
Far hence with a fergeant to lift,
Your tears for your Peggy foon ceafing to flow,
Your love for fome wealthier maiden you 'll fhow,
And the 'll by my Roger be kifs'd."
"What nonfenfe you talk!" cried the youth in a pet ;
For by the Lord Harry I fwear,
Nor cheeks red as cherries, nor eyes black as jet,
Nor moift lips, nor of teeth the most beautiful set,
Shall make me untrue to my
"If ever by money or love led afide,
I forget my fweet Peggy the Gay,
With the power of a juftice 's warrant fupplied,
May a conftable come as I fit by my bride,
Ánd bear me to prison away
To Glo'fter then haften'd this Plowman fo bold,
His sweetheart lamented him fore,
But scarcely nine months had over him roll'd,
When a rich butcher's widow, with bags full of gold,
Bold Roger entic'd to her door.
Her mutton and beef, fo red and fo white,
Soon made him untrue to his vows;
They pamper'd his palate, they dazzled his fight,
They caught his affection, fo vain and fo light,
And the carried him home as her spouse.
From church the fond couple adjourn to the Crown,
The company laugh, drink, and fing,
The bacon and greens they go merrily down,
And the mugs were all frothing with liquor fo brown,
When the bell of the alehouse went-Ding!
Now firft Roger Gray with amazement descried
A ftranger stalk into the room:
He spoke not, he mov'd not, he look'd not afide,
He neither regarded the landlord nor bride,
But earnestly gaz'd on the groom.
Full ftout were his limbs, and full tall was his height,
His boots were all dirty to view,
Which made all the damfels draw back in a fright,
Left by chance they should fully their petticoats,white,
And poor Roger began to look blue.
His prefence all bofoms appear'd to difmay :
The men fat in filence and fear;
Till trembling at length, cried poor Roger, "I pray
Afide your great coat, my old cock, you would lay,
And deign to partake of our cheer."
The fwain now is filent-the ftranger complies,-
His coat now he flowly unclos'd!
Good Gods! what a fight met poor Roger's gray eyes,
What words can exprefs his difmay and furprife,
When a conftable's staff was expos'd!
All prefent then utter'd a terrified shout,
All haften with hurry away;
For as no one knew whom he came to seek out,
Some tried to creep in, fome tried to rush out,
Till the conftable cried "Roger Gray!"
"Behold me, thou falfe one!-behold me!" he cried;
Remember fair Peggy the Gay,
Whom you left big with child to poffefs a new bride;
But his Worship, to punish thy falsehood and pride,
Has fent me to fetch thee away."
* If fome hypercritic should ask, How can this be, when the carried him home? I fay, I follow my archetype in defpifing fuch triffes.
So faying, he laid his ftrong arm on the clown,
Calling vainly for help from the throng;
He bore him away to the gaol of the town,
Nor ever again was he feen at the Crown,
Or the catchpole who dragg'd him along.
Not long ftaid the bride--for, as old women say,
The meat in her fhop was all spoil'd,
All her beef and her mutton were carried away,
And fold to buy caudle for Peggy the Gay,
And biggins and pap for the child.
Four times in each year, when in judgment profound
The Quorum all doze on the Bench,
Is Roger brought up, and is forc'd to be bound
With a friend, in the fum of at least forty pound,
To provide for the child and the wench.
The Churchwardens fit round the treat they don't pay,
Their cares all with 'bacco beguil'd,
They drink out of mugs newly form'd of bak'd clay,
Their liquor is ale, and this whimsical lay
They fing" Here's a health to fair Peggy the Gay,
And the falfe Roger Gray and his child."
ANOTHER.
[From the Morning Chronicle.]
BULLDOG fo fierce, and a Spaniel fo meek,
Convers'd as they lay on the mow;
They ftar'd, and they bark'd, and then utter'd a fqueak!
For the name of the dog we will Cæfar befpeak,
And the bitch was the fair little Flo.
And, "Oh then!" faid Cæfar, "a bull-baiting, dear,
To-morrow takes place at the fair :
I thither am fent; while I very much fear
Some dogs, to your eyes that more pleasing appear,
Your affections from me will enfnare."
"Nay, check thefe fufpicions," faid Flora diftrefs'd,
Nor injure your true-love fo far;
For no other dog, you affured may reft,
But Cæfar alone with my heart shall be bleft,
For Cæfar alone ruleth there.
"If e'er on my charins noify Pincher or Jack
Repose, while they call me their wife,
I wish-(here the sent forth a false oath, alack!)
That your ghoft might appear without tail to its back,
Afcend from below with a terrible crack,
And frighten me out of my life!"
To Ig-n haften'd this Bulldog so fierce,
Little Flora gave vent to her woe;
Scarce three days elaps'd, (how I grieve to rehearse !)
When a Greyhound befpangled with spots-what a curse!-
Arriv'd at the kennel of Flo.
His collar, his perfon, his flattering vows
Soon made her untrue to her swain:
He won her attachment by graces and bows;
At length fhe confented to call him her spouse,
And ne'er thought of Cæfar again!
And now they were join'd in Hymen's foft ties,
And now they for feafting prepar'd;
With pails full of tripe they regaled their eyes;
But how great was their wonder, difmay, and surprise,
When they heard the bell ring in the yard!
Then first, much astonish'd, did Flora behold
Some other dog plac'd at her fide,
Who bark'd not at all, though he look'd very bold,
While round to the fair-one his eyeballs he roll'd,
And open'd his mouth very wide!
His vifage was gruff, and gigantic his paw,
His collar was fable to view:
From the guests on a fudden did pleasure withdraw ;
The dogs all fhriek'd out at the fight of his claw,
And the cats all in concert cried-" Mew!"
So great was the fear and dismay that he spread,
So much had he frighten'd each dog,
None fpoke, till poor Flora took courage, and faid-
"I pray that your gruffness afide might be laid,
While you deign to partake of our prog."
This faid, her request with attention he grants,
And he promis'd to alter his mien :
He began like a donky to kick and to prance;
His flesh from his bones fell, as if 't were in romance-
And a skeleton dog there was feen!
Through the party this fent forth amazement, no doubt ;-
This ftruck with a panic the row!
The maggots crept in, and the maggots crept out;
They ftraggled, they jump'd, and they scamper'd about—
While the spectre addrefs'd little Flo.
These words to falfe Flora the skeleton fpake,
While boldly he claim'd her as wife-
"Behold, I am come without tail to my back,
To bear you to torture, to pains, and the rack;
To fink you below with a terrible crack-
And fo put an end to your life!"
He fpoke-and his claws round the fair-one he threw ;
Poor Flora redoubled her moan;
Then off with his prize to the devil he flew ;
(Sad fate for poor Flora!)-but nobody knew
Which way to Old Nick they were gone.
Not long liv'd the Greyhound; and none fince that hour
To inhabit the kennel prefume:
There, chronicles tell, forc'd by fome mighty power,
She fuffers repentant, as well as her wooer,
And mourns her deplorable doom!
At midnight, twelve times in each year does her sprite,
When mortals are all fnoring out,
Appear in the yard on a moonfhiny night,
(Ye Gods, what a dreadful and horrible fight!)
And fcreams as he twirls her about!
With tubs full of brimftone, and water, and mud,
'Midft dog-goblins they utter their woe:
A toaff they put round that would freeze one's heart's
"Let us all drink a health to Cæfar the Proud,
And his confort the falfe little Flo!"
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