Say it ain't so, Joe. It's English, not Irish, ca. 1919-1844.
^^
CHAPTER OF CHEATS
(or, The Roguery of All Trades)

Chorus:
Come all you honest Tradesmen, and listen unto me,
I'll tell you a little of the trades of roguery,
And when you hear my ditty through, you cannot fail to laugh,
Though lately you have been bothered with a little bit of chaff.
And they're all cheating in country and town.

The first is the Lawyer to bother and jaw,
He well knows how to cheat you with a little bit of law;
Then comes the Doctor to handle you so rough,
He will charge you a guinea for one shilling's worth of stuff.

The Pawnbroker next with a ticket in his hand,
He'll cheat you like the Doctor, for Interest is his plan;
The Grocer sands his sugars, sells slow leaves for tea,
And then the dusty Miller, where's a bigger rogue than he?

The Baker will cheat you with his alum, beans and starch,
In your dishes for a dainty bit he'll not forget to search;
The Butcher he will cheat you, behold his greasy hat,
And underneath his scale he sticks a lump of fat.

The Cobbler when he mends up your shoes in rainy weather,
He'll mend both soles and uppers with nought but rotten leather;
The Tailor he to cheat you will not be very loth,
He'll think no sin to cabbage from your coat a yard of cloth.

The Chandler's shop will cheat you, and think it no sin;
The Porkman stuffs his sausages with gristle and with skin;
The Undertaker he will cheat you, believe me it is so,
If the Body-snatchers get you off to Doctor Brooks you go.

The Hatter for to sell his hats he calls them waterproof,
They're plastered up with rosin, that is nothing but the truth;
The Tinker he will cheat you until he makes you stare;
The Poulterer will sell you a rabbit for a hare.

Linen Drapers they will mark up things for to make you grin,
And cheat you like the d---l when their shop you enter in;
The Fishmonger will cheat you with his fish stinking long;
The Publican will cheat you selling small beer for strong.

The next is the Milkman, round the streets he'll walk,
He well knows how to cheat you with his water and his chalk;
The Cheesemonger will cheat you with his butter, eggs and lard,
And also with his bacon, you must own it's very hard.

Bricklayers, Weavers and *Malsters will cheat their own brothers,
If a Glazier mends one pane of glass he's sure to break another;
Now you see there's every trade a cheating in a group,
There's the Cook-shop man a washing up the dishes in the soup.

The Coal-merchant where you buy your coals will cheat you very rough;
The Tobacconists are grinding up dried cabbage leaves for snuff;
Stay Stitchers and Dandy Bonnet makers both will cheat you sly;
Bill Stickers sell you paper, and swear it is a lie.

The Gin shop keepers they're all striving for to take you in,
There's such a lot of vitriol mix'd among their gin;
Your Landlord too will cheat you when for his rent he calls;
And the man what gathers taxes is the biggest rogue of all.

Bodleian Library. Harding B11(571), between 1819 and 1844, printed in London by Pitts.
Roud # 628. *Malsters ?