Occupations

"THE BITER BIT" OR

A Row about the Rags in

            POPLAR.

[NLS note: a graphic appears here - see image of page]

IN High street Poplar lives a man,
Who saves up lots of riches,
He buys the tails of woman's shifts,
Old broken glass, and Breeches,
At the Thames Police the other day,
'Twas such a jolly row sirs,
He buys old sails, and boars tails,
And the legs of ladies Trowsers.

                       [Chorus.]

In High street Poplar stands a shop.
That deals in rags and bones sirs,
And the naughty boys in there did pop,
One Night, and stole the rags sirs.

This rag merchrnt has lots of tin,
He buys lead. bones, and steel there,
And people says he has a knack,
Oh! yes, to palm the peeler's,
To some he gives a ten pound note,
That was a tidy hit sirs,
The last he palm'd you understand,
Was with a four-penny bit sirs.

Now —. buys all sorts of things,
From hoops, and biscuit dags,
Pieces of sails. and old coat tails,
And every sort of dirty rags,
If a female takes her mother's crop,
His pleasant words will charm her,
While the Poplar folks, say in a joke,
He his a stunning palmer.

The naughty Boys who nail'd his rags,
One night got in a rum way,
They sold a lot for seven bob,
To another cove at Bromley,
Linen rags, and woolen tags,
Feathers, tick, a flocking,
Two sides of a flannell petticoat,
And the leg of a dnstman's stocking'

The magistrate said, I do declare,
A funny job is this then,
You say they stole your bags and rags,
And you palm'd the policeman,
I discharge the lot, and tell you what,
You have been saving riches,
Dealing in woolen rags and fat,
Old hats and maidens Breeches.

Well, all the naughty boys got off,
And jump'd about like sailors,
And the cove who bought the togs was
just;
As merry as a tailor,
He cried, Huzza! I've gained the day,
Oh! what a jolly row sirs,
To Bromly singing, he did go,
Old nails and dirty trowsers.

All you who do in Poplar dwell,
No matter what your trade is,
You shipright's, dustmen, scavengers,
Old waxey snobs and ladies,
Look out your rags your bones and tog,
And go where high and low meet,
You will see the shop where numbers pop,
That stands in Poplar, High Street.
John, Morgan.

        Printed for the Songsellers.