Poem by Anonymous

The Bold Trooper

In fair London city a woman did dwell,
For style and for beauty no one could excel,
For style and for beauty no one could excel,
And her husband he was a bold trooper.
Ti-in-the-ti-I, talorum-la-li,
And her husband he was a bold trooper.

There was an old tailor who lived there close by,
And on this ’ere woman he casted his eye,
Ten guineas I’ll give you this night for to lie,
If your husband is out upon duty.

The bargain was made and they both went to bed,
They hadn’t been there long till they fell fast asleep,
Then, hide me! oh! hide me! the tailor he said,
For I hear the bold knock of the trooper.

There’s a three-cornered cupboard behind the room door,
And there I will hide you so safe and secure,
And there I will hide you so safe and secure,
If you’ve heard the bold knock of the trooper.

She goes down the stairs for to welcome him in,
For your kisses and compliments I don’t care a pin,
For your kisses and compliments I don’t care a pin,
Come, light me a fire, said the trooper.

Dear husband, dear husband, there’s no firestuff,
We’ll both go to bed and we’ll feel warm enough,
We’ll both go to bed and we’ll feel warm enough,
No! come light me a fire, said the trooper.

There’s a three-cornered cupboard behind the room door,
And that I will burn so certain and sure,
And that I will burn so certain and sure,
So, come light me a fire, said the trooper.

Dear husband, dear husband, that’s not my desire,
For to burn a good cupboard to light you a fire,
For in it I keep a game-cock I admire,
Then I’ll scare your game-cock, said the trooper.

He goes up the stairs and he opens the door,
And there sat the tailor so safe and so sure,
He give the cupboard a knock to the middle of the floor,
Is this your game-cock? said the trooper.

He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out his shears,
And off on the table he cut his two ears,
Saying, for my night’s lodging I’ve paid very dear,
And away ran the poor croppy tailor.

1. Gathering of Atholl
2. The Banks o’ Glaizart
3. Fare Ye Weel, My Auld Wife
4. The Aisle of Tombs
5. Sir Richard Whittington’s Advancement

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