Sur la gourde fretille,[34] et sur le gourd volant,[35]
Ainsi tu ne luras l’accolante tortouse.[36]
[1] Langage soudardant,soldiers’ lingo.[2] Accipant,for recevant.[3] Marpaut,host.[4] Galiere,mare.[5] Grivolant,name for a soldier.[6] Flambe,sword.[7] Trimart,road.[8] Gille,name for a runaway.[9] Girouart,patron.[10] Mette,wine-shop; morning; thieves’ meeting-place.[11] Lura,will see.[12] Biotte,steed.[13] Conie,dead.[14] Gourd pioller,drink heavily.[15] Me credant,for me croyant.[16] Morfie,eat.[17] Ornion,capon.[18] Morne,mutton.[19] Oygnan,for oignon.[20] Artois blanchemin,white bread.[21] Riflant chouart,fiery penis.[22] Rive,refers to coition.[23] Andrumelle gaudie,jolly girl.[24] Ne ronce point du sabre,do not lay the stick on.[25] Mion,boy, waiter.[26] Gaulfarault,master of a bawdy house.[27] Gergonant de tesis,complaining of thee.[28] Journal,pocket-book.[29] O flus,or pack of cards.[30] N’empoupe ta fouillouse,fill thy pocket.[31] N’embiant,not travelling.[32] Rouillarde,drinks.[33] De noir roupillant,sleeping at night.[34] Gourde fretille,thick straw.[35] Volant,cloak.[36] Tortouse,rope.
Sixteenth Century.
DIALOGUE BETWEEN A HEADMAN IN THE CANTING CREW AND A VAGABOND.
(From Thomas Harman’s Caveat or Warening for Common Cursetors, vulgarly called Vagabones, 1568.)
Upright Man. Bene Lightmans[37] to thy quarromes,[38] in what lipken[39] hast thou lypped[40] in this darkemans,[41] whether in a lybbege[42] or in the strummel?[43]
Roge. I couched a hogshead[44] in a Skypper[45] this darkemans.
Man. I towre[46] the strummel trine[47] upon thy nachbet[48] and Togman.[49]
Roge. I saye by the Salomon[50] I will lage it of[51] with a gage of bene bouse;[52] then cut to my nose watch.[53]
Man. Why, hast thou any lowre[54] in thy bonge[55] to bouse?[56]
Roge. But a flagge,[57] a wyn,[58] and a make.[59]
Man. Why, where is the kene[60] that hath the ben bouse?
Roge. A bene mort[61] hereby at the signe of the prauncer.[62]
Man. I cutt it is quyer[63] bouse, I bousd a flagge the last darkmans.
Roge. But bouse there a bord,[64] and thou shalt haue beneship.[65] Tower ye yander is the kene, dup the gygger,[66] and maund