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Bookseller Carliles Images.
239
For that the king's good subjects he affrayed,
And travel on the king's highway delayed.
The crowd's bad character was clearly proved,
And it was shown that purses were removed
From owners' pockets and were not returned;
A neighboring tavern-keeper swore he burned
His candles all the livelong foggy day,
Because the crowd obscured his " airy " way;
A tradesman by his oath did clearly show
The crowd was of the "lowest of the low," —
So low, in fact, that as his shop was nigh 'em,
They lowered his receipts three pound per diem.
Carlile, of ancient adages defiant,
Though his own lawyer, had no fool for client,
And on the trial made a cunning speech
Whose merits skilful counsel scarce could reach.
He said the law should never stop
One's drawing custom to his shop;
When rentals are so high in Fleet,
One must contrive to make ends meet;
This concourse was not near so great
As when the king proceeds in state
To theatre or parliament,
Or judges to the Hall are sent;
If he was wrong, much more was Gray,
Who with his coaches stops the way;
The images on Dunstan's church,
Which strike the quarters from their perch,
And call together such a crowd,
Were ever unrestrained allowed;
So the Lord Mayor's civic show
Is suffered through the streets to go,
And bear along the effigies
Of Gog and Magog, giant size;
And ne'er forbid was Bartly Fair,
Though noise and rioting reigned there;
So Very, the confectioner,
Had handsome daughter, and set her
In window, filling Regent Street
With folk who flocked his wares to eat.
And travel on the king's highway delayed.
The crowd's bad character was clearly proved,
And it was shown that purses were removed
From owners' pockets and were not returned;
A neighboring tavern-keeper swore he burned
His candles all the livelong foggy day,
Because the crowd obscured his " airy " way;
A tradesman by his oath did clearly show
The crowd was of the "lowest of the low," —
So low, in fact, that as his shop was nigh 'em,
They lowered his receipts three pound per diem.
Carlile, of ancient adages defiant,
Though his own lawyer, had no fool for client,
And on the trial made a cunning speech
Whose merits skilful counsel scarce could reach.
He said the law should never stop
One's drawing custom to his shop;
When rentals are so high in Fleet,
One must contrive to make ends meet;
This concourse was not near so great
As when the king proceeds in state
To theatre or parliament,
Or judges to the Hall are sent;
If he was wrong, much more was Gray,
Who with his coaches stops the way;
The images on Dunstan's church,
Which strike the quarters from their perch,
And call together such a crowd,
Were ever unrestrained allowed;
So the Lord Mayor's civic show
Is suffered through the streets to go,
And bear along the effigies
Of Gog and Magog, giant size;
And ne'er forbid was Bartly Fair,
Though noise and rioting reigned there;
So Very, the confectioner,
Had handsome daughter, and set her
In window, filling Regent Street
With folk who flocked his wares to eat.
