Modern Street Ballads

THE RUSH LIGHT.*

Sir Solomon Simons when he did wed,
Blush’d black as a crow, his fair lady did blush light,
The clock struck twelve, they were both tuck’d in bed,
In the chimney a Rush light,
      A little farthing Rush light,
      Fal, lal, lal, lal, la,
      A little Farthing Rush light.

Sir Solomon gave his Lady a nudge,
Cries he, Lady Simons there’s vastly too much light,
Then, Sir Solomon, says she, to get up you can’t grudge,
And blow out the Rush light
      The little Farthing Rush light,
      Fal, lal, lal, lal, la,
      The little Farthing Rush light.

Sir Solomon then out of bed pops his toes,
And vastly he swore, and very much did curse light,
And then to the Chimney, Sir Solomon he goes,
And he puff’d at the Rush light,
      The little Farthing Rush light,
      Fal, lal, lal, lal, la,
      The little Farthing Rush light.

Lady Simons gets out in her night-cap so neat,
And over the carpet my lady did brush light,
And there Sir Solomon she found in a heat,
Puffing at the Rush light.
      Then she puff’d at the Rush light,
      But neither of them both,
      Could blow out the Rush light.

Sir Solomon and lady, their breath quite gone,
Rang the bells in a rage, determined to crush light,
Half asleep in his shirt then up came John,
And he puff’d at the Rush light,
      The little Farthing Rush light,
      But neither of the three
      Could blow out the Rush light.

Cook, Coachee, men and maids, very near all in buff,
Came, and swore, in their lives they never met with such light,
And each of the family by turns had a puff,
At the little Farthing Rush light,
      The curst Farthing Rush light,
      But none of the family
      Could blow out the Rush light.

The Watchman at last went by, crying One,
Here, Watchman, come up, than you we might on worse light,
Then up came the Watchman, the Bus’ness was done,
For he turn’d down the Rush light,
      The little Farthing Rush light,
      Fal, lal, lal, lal, la,
      So he put out the Rush light.

* This song is old, for it was introduced by Bannister in “Peeping Tom,” and it was set to music by Dr. Arnold.

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