Limbo

I am a young lad and my fortune is bad,
What riches I had is all plundered;
I've spent all my money on girls and strong beer,
And if ever I get rich 't is a wonder.
It's field after field to market I sent
Till my land was all gone and my money all spent.
My heart was so hard I could never repent,
And 't was that what brought me to Limbo.

Oh once I could run whilst others did lie,
And strut like a crow in the gutter.
And the people all said as they saw me pass by,
“There goes Mr. Fop in a flutter.”
To the top and top-gallants I hoisted my sails,
With a fine rich cravat and a wig with three tails,
But now I am ready to gnaw my own nails,
And drink the cold water of Limbo.

I had an old uncle, lived down in the West,
And when he heard of my sad disaster,
Poor soul! After that he could ne'er take a rest,
And his troubles came faster and faster.
He came to the gaol for to view my sad case,
And as soon as I saw him I knew his old face.
I stood gazing on him like one in amaze
And wished myself safe out of Limbo.

“Oh Jack, if I set you once more on your legs
And put you in credit and fashion,
It's will you leave off of these old rakish ways
And try for to govern your passion?”
“Yes Uncle,” says I, “if you will set me free,
I surely will always be ruled by thee.
And I'll labour my bones for the good of my soul
And pay them for laying me in Limbo.”

He pulled out his purse with three thousand pounds
And counted it out in bright guineas,
And when I was free from the old prison gates
I went to see Peggy and Jeannie.
In my ragged old clothes they knew none of my gold
And they threw me all out in the wet and the cold.
You'd a-laughed out to see how those hussies did scold,
And jaw me for laying in Limbo.

I hadn't been there for a very long time
When my pockets they fell a-picking,
I banged them as long as my cane I could hold
Until they fell coughing and kicking.
Then one cried out “Murder!”, the other did scold;
I banged them as long as my cane I could hold.
I banged their old bodies for the good of their soul
And paid them for laying me in Limbo.

I am a brisk lad and my fortune is bad,
And if e'er I get rich it's a wonder,
I've spent all my money on girls and strong beer,
What riches I had are all plundered.
Field after field off to market I sent,
Till the land was all gone and the money was spent,
My heart was so hard that I never did repent,
And that's what put me into Limbo.

I am a brisk lad and my fortune is sad,
And if ever I get rich it's a wonder,
Spent all my money on the women and beer,
What riches I had are all squandered.
Field after field into market I sent,
Till the land were all gone and the money all spent,
My heart was so hard I could never repent,
And was that what brought me into Limbo.

Oh once I could run while the others did lie,
Strut like a crow in the gutter,
The people all said that saw me passing by,
There goes Mr. Fop in a flutter;
To the top and top-gallant I hoisted my sails,
With a flimsy cravat and a wig with three tails,
Oh, now I am ready to gnaw my own nails,
Drink the cold water of Limbo.

Once I could run where the others did lie,
Strut like a crow in the gutter,
Girls would all cry as they saw me pass by,
There goes Master Fop in a flutter;
From the top to top-gallant I hoisted my sails,
I'd a fine French cravat, I'd a wig with three tails,
Now I am ready to gnaw my own nails,
And drink the cold water of Limbo.

Oh I had an Uncle, he lived in the West,
And he heard of my sad disaster,
Poor soul! After that he could never take rest,
Oh, his sorrows came faster and faster;
He came to the gaol to see my sad case,
And as soon as I saw him I knew his old face,
And I stood gazing at him like one in disgrace,
And I wished myself safe out of Limbo.

I had an old Uncle, lived down in the West,
And he heard of my sad disaster,
Poor soul! After that he could never take rest,
His troubles grew faster and faster;
He came to the gaol and he saw my sad case,
Soon as I saw him I knew his old face,
I stood and gazed on him like one in amaze,
Wished I was miles out of Limbo.

Jack, if I should set you once more on your legs,
And put you in credit and fashion,
Oh! will you lay off all those rakish old ways,
Try for to govern your passion?
Oh Uncle, says I, if you will set me free,
I surely will always be ruled by thee,
And I'll labour my bones for the good of my soul,
See myself miles out of Limbo.

Oh son, if I set you once more on your pegs,
And put you in credit and fashion,
Will you resolve, leave off your old ways,
And try for to govern your passion?
Oh Uncle, says I, if you will set me free,
I promise, I'll always be ruled by thee,
I'll labour my body for the good of my soul,
On the day I get outside of Limbo.

Then out of his purse he pulled three thousand pounds,
He counted it up in bright guineas,
And when I was free of those prison's gates,
Oh, I went to see Peggy and Jeannie;
In my old ragged clothes they knew naught of my gold,
And they all turned me out in the wet and the cold,
You'd a-laughed for to hear how those hussies did scold,
The night they let me out of Limbo.

He took out his money, there were three thousand pounds,
And counted it out in bright guineas,
Soon as the money he'd laid down
I'd went round to see Molly and Jeannie;
In my old ragged clothes they knew naught of my gold,
They tossed me all out in the wet and the cold,
You'd a-laughed if you'd heard how those hussies did scold,
How they jawed me for lie if in Limbo
On the morning I stepped out of Limbo.