B L U E - S K I N ' s BALLAD To the Tune of Packington's Pound.

Y E Fellows of Newgate whoſe Fingers are nice In Diving in Pockets and Cogging of Dice ; Ye Sharpers ſo rich who can buy off the Nooſe,

Ye honeſter poor Rogues who Die in your Shoes, Attend and draw near, Good News you ſhall hear

How Honed Wild's Throat was cut from Ear to Ear Now Blueskin's, ſharp Penknife has ſet you at Eaſe, And ev'ry Man round me may rob if he pleaſe.

2.

When to the Old Baily this Blueskin was led, He held up Hand, his Indictment was Read, Loud rattled his Chains, near him honeſt Wild ſtood, For full Forty Pounds was the Price of his Blood.

Then hopeleſs of Life He drew his Penknife

And made a fad Widow of hoocſt Wild's Wife. But forty Pounds paid her, her Grief ſhall appeaſe And ev'ry Man round me may, &c.

3.

Some ſay there are Courtiers of higheſt Renown Who ſteal the King's Gold and leave him but a Crown ; Some ſay there are Peers and ſome Parliament Men Who meet once a Year to rob Courtiers again ;

But let them have their Swing To pillage the King,

And get a blue Ribbon inſtead of a String, For Blueskin's ſharp, &c.

4. Knaves of old to hide Guilt by their cunning Inventions Call Briberies Grants, and plain Robbery Penſions.

Phyſicians and Lawyers who tike their Degrees To be learned Rouges, call their pilſerings Fees.

Since this happy Day Now ev'ry one may

Rob (as ſafe as in Office) upon the High-way, For, &c.

5. Some Rob in the Cuſtoms, ſome Cheat in the'xciſe But he who Robs Both is eſteemed moſt wiſe Church-Wardens who always have dreaded the Halter As yet only venture to ſteal from the Altar.

But now to get Gold They may be more bold.

And Rob on the High-way ſince hone ft Wild's cold, For, &c.

6.

Some by Publick Revenues which paſs thro' their Hands Have purchas'd Clean Houſes and bought Dirty Lands ; Some to ſteal from a Charity think it no Sin Which at home (fays the Proverb) does always begin

If ever you be Aſſign'd a Truſtee

Treat not Orphans like Maſters in the Chancery For ev'ry Man round, &c.

7. What a Pother is here with Woods and his Braſs Who wou'd modeſtly make a few Halfpennies paſs ; The Patent is good, and the Precedent's old, For Diomede changed his Copper for Gold ;

But if Ireland depiſe The new Halfpennies

More ſafely to Rob on the Road I adviſe, For Blueskin's, &c.

Printed in the Year 17245.