[Sca-cooks] OT mail question

[Martin G. Diehl]

James Prescott wrote:
> 
> At 03:54 -0500 2005-03-12, Martin G. Diehl wrote:
> 
> >  BTW, did they have SPAM -- unwanted messages -- in period?
> 
> In one sense, yes.  Vendors wandered the streets and 
> markets, and many constantly called their wares in a 
> variety of ways, musical and not, poetic and not.  
> 
> Spam if you like, omni-present advertising if you prefer.
> 
> Some were even set to music by fascinated composers (check 
> out "Street Cries of London" by Ravenscroft & Cobb).

[snip]

> Thorvald

Here is one from my CD collection ... 

"The famous Ratketcher, with his travels 
into France, and of his returne to London"

To the tune of "the jovial Tinker" 
[AKA "Fly Bass" or "Tom a Bedlam"] 

The was a rare rat-catcher
    Did about the Country wander, 
The soundest blade of all his trade, 
    Or I should him greatly slaunder:

        For still would he cry, a Rat tat tat,
            tara rat ever:
        To catch a mouse, or to carouse, 
            such a ratter, I saw never.  

Upon a Poale he caryed
    Full fourty fulsome Vermine:
Whose cursed lives without any knives, 
    To take he did determine.  

        And still would he cry, a Rat tat tat,
            tara rat ever: &c.

His talk was all of India, 
    The voyage and the Navie: 
What Mise or Rattes, or wild Polecats:
    What Stoates or Weesels have yee: 

        And still would he cry, a Rat tat tat,
            tara rat ever: &c.

He knew the Nut of India, 
    That makes the magpie stagger, 
The Mercuries, and Cantharies, 
    With Arsnick, and Roseaker, 

        And still would he cry, a Rat tat tat,
            tara rat ever: &c.

... for a total of 12 verses in part 1 ... 

including this gem ... 

He was so brave a bowzer, 
    that it was doubtful whether 
He taught the Rats, or the Rats taught him
    to be druncke as Rats, together.  

        And still would he cry, a Rat tat tat,
            tara rat ever: &c.

The Baltimore Consort; "A Trip to Kilburn" -- Playford 
Tunes and their Ballads; Dorian-90238

Vincenzo

-- 
Martin G. Diehl 

So much wisdom and knowledge -- so little time and bandwidth. 

"Thou plenty hast, yet me dost scant"
--John Dowland (1562-1626); "The First Booke of Songs"; 1597. 

Reality: That which remains after you stop thinking about it. 
--inspired by P. K. Dick

Visit my online gallery: Renderosity, a 3D Artist's Community 
http://www.renderosity.com/gallery.ez?ByArtist=Yes&Artist=MGD