Lyr Add: Come Buggering Oates, Prepare Thy Neck

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Come Buggering Oates, Prepare Thy Neck
From: Jack Campin
Date: 23 Mar 20 - 01:48 PM

Today's news from Scotland (Alex Salmond's acquittal from his intended show) makes this a topical number. Just substitute Leslie Evans for Oates.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Come Buggering Oates, Prepare Thy Neck
From: GUEST,Rigby
Date: 06 Sep 17 - 03:28 AM

Thanks for this. Simpson prints the tune in The British Broadside Ballad & Its Music but not the words, so it's good to have both.

He also lists several other broadsides that were sung to the same tune.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Come Buggering Oates, Prepare Thy Neck
From: meself
Date: 05 Sep 17 - 06:34 PM

A red-hot Iron thrust through thy Tongue,
   And then I'll Hang thee fairly.

I think I get that! And I can think of a few prominent liars who might be deserving of the same ......

Subject: Lyr Add: Come Buggering Oates, Prepare Thy Neck
From: Jack Campin
Date: 05 Sep 17 - 06:26 PM

For the background to this song, see here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popish_Plot

Titus Oates was one of the most effective disseminators of fake news in history. After being exposed, it seems the people who were most pissed off with him weren't the English Catholics (his direct target) but the Protestants, for being taken for a ride. Hence this song, which is wishful thinking (Oates managed to escape execution) but has a catchy tune that was re-used for several broadsides and seems to have taken on a career as a dance tune. I don't think there is any evidence either way about how much buggering Oates actually did.

I've kept the original spelling and punctuation of Thompson's book. The F sharps are thanks to Stewart Hardy who pointed this one out to me.

X:1
T:Buggering Oates, prepare thy neck
S:Thompson, 180 Loyal Songs, 1688
Q:1/4=120
L:1/8
M:4/4
K:GMin
D2|G2  AB   A2  d2 |B2 AG ^F2  \
D2|G2  AB   A2  d2 |B4     G2:|
A2|B2  cd   c2  f2 |d2 cB  c2  \
F2|B2  G2   e2  d>c|c4     B4 |
   A2  AB   c2  A2 |d2 G2 ^F3  \
 f|d2 (cB) (cB) c2 |B4     G2|]

The Kings-Bench Salutation, or a Dialogue between Jack Ketch, and Titus Oates. To a New Tune.

Come Buggering Oates, prepare thy Neck,
   Dost mean to live for ever?
How many Men have gone to wrack,
   Since thou wast Englands Saviour?
Each Gibbet in the Kingdom shakes,
   When thy black Name's repeated,
For thee poor Tyburn daily quakes,
   Yet scorns for to be cheated,
       Oates
Insulting Tory, Rascal, Pimp,
   I have been thy Benefactor,
My Popish-Plot and all that's in't,
   Though Perjur'd and Detractor.
Thou hast got more Gaineys by my Plot,
   Than I that swore to make it,
Or Tongue and Bedloe, now forgot,
   You Dog 'tis shame to speak it!
       Jack
Bobbing in Kent, and Camberwel,
   For which thy Stock lay waiting,
Where's all that Money now, canst tell?
   If spent, thou'rt near to breaking,
Lest Nol' Argeont be left for me,
   I'll make thy days the shorter,
Just like a Beast for all to see,
   I'll lead thee in a Halter.
       Oates
Oh Bloody Fiend! forc'd out of Hell,
   Dost see, I've Gold at pleasure,
All Scoundrels here our Cabal,
   I treat 'em all at leasure:
Six Dishes serv'd up twice a day
   Exceeding many a Courtier;
The Whigs do all the Cost defray,
   They feed me like a Porker.
       Jack
That's just as Smith did Powning's Wife,
   That Leacherous Saint thy Brother:
He lost his Ears, she sav'd his Life,
   Till she did all discover.
What Sugar-Plumbs his Pockets sprung,
   Which her soft hand must dive for,
To raise his Spirit stiff and strong,
   The sweetest Charm alive Sir.
       Oats
In spight of thy black dismal Trade,
   I'll keep this Sanctuary,
No Laws or Ropes that e're was made,
   My Bones from hence shall carry.
       Jack
Then first to th' Pillory thou shalt gang,
   The next for thy Blasphemy,
A red-hot Iron thrust through thy Tongue,
   And then I'll Hang thee fairly.


Yep, a lot of that is pretty incomprehensible. Hopefully songs about Steve Bannon and Nigel Farage will be gibberish of the same order in 300 years.