Polly Higginbottom

In Chester?s town a man there dwelt,
Not rich as Croesus, but a buck;
The pangs of lone he cheerly felt;
His name was Thomas Clatterbuck.
The lady he did most approve,
Most guinnas gold had got?em;
And Clutterbuck fell deep in lone,
With Polly Higginbottom.
O Thomas Clutterbuck
And O Polly Higginbottom !
I sing the loves the smiling loves
Of Clutterbuck and Higginbottom.
A little trip he did propose; -
Upon the Dee they got?em;
The wind blew high, he blew his nose.
And sung to Polly Higginbottom.
The strain was sweet, the stream was deep,
He thought the notes had caught her:
But she, alas ! first fell ? asleep;
And they fell ? in the water,
O Polly Higginbottom.
She went to the bottom,
I sing the death, the doleful death,
Of pretty Polly Higginbotton.
Yet still he strain?d his little throat:
To love he did invite her;
And he never miss?d her ? till his boat,
He thought went rather lighter.
But when he saw that she was gone,
The summit of his wishes,
He boldly paid the waterman,
And jump?d among the fishes,
Oh, Polly Higginbottom.
He comes to the bottom! &c.
I sing to the death, the double death,
Round Chester stalk the river ghosts,
Of this young man and fair maid:
His head looks like a salmon-trout,
Her tail is like a mermaid.

MORAL
Learn this, ye constant lovers all.
Who live in England?s island;
The way to shun a wat?ry death,
Is making love on dry land!
O Polly Higginbotton!
Who lies at the bottom!
So sing the ghosts, the water ghosts.
Of Clutterbuck &c.